Greenwood and Cherokee Elementary Schools were the recipients of grants from Great Expectations, a professional development program for teachers, to become model Great Expectations schools.

“The appreciate our school personnel’s interest in the Great Expectations methodology,” said Paul Hurst. “It’s a very productive program and we look forward to the proliferation of that in our schools.”

Paul Hurst also reported the district had begun tightening its belt as a result of the revenue shortfall from the Oklahoma lottery, and in anticipation of further losses from tax cuts passed by the Oklahoma Legislature.

“There is a lot of work to do with the lottery, there’s still some growth there, but not nearly what the Legislature had anticipated,” said Paul Hurst. “We shouldn’t be putting the education of our youth on the backs of gambling.”

He added that funding from the lottery was supposed to be in addition to money schools were already receiving, but that instead of providing additional funds, it supplanted money that had normally been provided for common education.

“We’re all preparing for a more trying year next year and even more financially trying year the following year if all the proposed tax cuts are passed,” said Hurst. “We have time to look down the road now and try to be nimble in our spending and concentrate on the general appropriations bill for 2008.”

Other action

Following an executive session, the board approved a one-time stipend commiserate with a standard step raise for all certified teachers, counselors and librarians in the district. The amount varies depending on years of service.

In other action, the board approved:

• Rehiring all administrators and certified teachers, counselors and librarians for 2007-2008.

• Setting a date for the sale of the $4.3 million General Obligation Building Bonds of the school district – approved by voters April 6, 2004 – for May 23 at noon in the district’s Administration Building.

• Contracts with Diane Walker to provide team building training; Pitney Bowes Inc. to upgrade the module for postage machine; and Texas Migrant Council for use of the facilities at Central for a migrant student program.

• Declaring property adjacent to 107 Tommye Lane surplus and authorizing the superintendent to offer the property for public sale.

• District funding for two Business Professionals of America students to attend the BPA National Leadership Conference, May 8-13 in New York City.