OSSD to lease facility to STAND

December 15, 2005

The Oneida Special School District has voted to allow the district’s “annex building” to be leased to the S.T.A.N.D. program.

The board voted at Thursday’s regular session at Oneida Elementary School to authorize Director of Schools Henry Baggett to enter into a lease agreement with S.T.A.N.D. officials.

S.T.A.N.D., which provides drug education and testing to local schools, is seeking to move its offices following an expansion of the program. A recent grant received by the program allowed it to expand into local middle schools (grades 6-8) in addition to high schools, which in turn increased the program’s staff size and caused it to outgrow its current office facilities in the Ayers Auction & Real Estate building on Alberta Street.

Baggett informed the board that S.T.A.N.D. would conduct renovations of the office space in front of the annex building, which is located on Sheppard Road, which would be occupied by the program. In addition. S.T.A.N.D. will provide manpower to assist the school district’s renovation of the rear portion of the building, which Baggett said he hopes will eventually be used for one of any number of purposes — possibly as a large meeting room, a learning center or an alternative school facility.

In a related matter Thursday, the board approved a policy change for S.T.A.N.D. that will permit the program to extend its services to Oneida Middle School. OMS Principal Cheryl Butler told the board that the program has been well-received at her school, stating that she has received “no negative comments about the program,” and that 250 of approximately 300 consent forms have been signed and returned to allow the program to conduct drug testing.

In other business Thursday the board:

• Approved fundraiser request for the Oneida High School “Tri-Tones,” Oneida Middle School and the Oneida High School Band Association;

• Approved the second reading of a child neglect and abuse policy for the school district;

• Renewed a maintenance contract agreement with the Tennessee School Board Association for 2006-07;

• Approved an annual activity funds audit report and a comprehensive annual financial report;

• Approved bonuses for Oneida High School Principal Rick Harper and Oneida Elementary School teacher Donna Tompkins; and,

• Approved a May 2006 field trip for the OHS Tri Tones.

Following Thursday’s business before the board, Baggett informed the board that he had hired Cleo Slaven as a custodian at Oneida High School and Middle School, and Tracy Spain as a math teacher at the high school. Suzanne Crabtree and Virginia Mulkey have been hired as substitutes, Baggett said.

Linda Marlow, an employee at Oneida Elementary School, and Jenny Smith, an employee at OMS/OHS, were drawn as the school district’s G.E.M. award winners.

Finally, in his report to the board, Oneida Elementary School Principal Johnny Strunk said that the Boys & Girls Club is expected to cease operations at Oneida Elementary School and move into its new facility around January 15. Strunk also complimented Tompkins for her recent nomination as Tennessee’s teacher of the year by the Tennessee Science Teachers Association. Butler reminded parents that basketball homecoming at Oneida Middle School will be held tonight (Thursday) and that school will dismiss at 10 a.m. tomorrow (Friday).

newsroom@ihoneida.com

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