by Jennifer Parker
LA VETA- Tuesday night’s meeting started with the members of the Science Club presenting and explaining their projects for the Board. Pat Keeling said the kids did very well last weekend at the Arkansas Valley Regional Science Fair at Otero College. Projects were in the areas of physics, botany, mathematics, and chemistry. Several students were also nominated for special awards and will go on to present their projects at the State Colorado Science and Engineering Fair in Fort Collins in April.
Carlos Nuñez, a sixth grader at La Veta Elementary won the Huerfano County Spelling Bee held on Feb. 21. La Veta eighth grader Mario Sciacca won second place.
The meeting centered on a new class schedule for the high school. The plan is to be implemented this May so that teachers and kids will know their classes, class size, and planned credits for the 2008-09 school year. The new seven period schedule, (up from the current six periods,) takes kids’ attention spans into account, allowing time spent in class to be better utilized. Class periods will go to 65 minutes form the current 72 minutes. Also next year the more difficult core classes will be taken earlier in the day and seventh period will be used for special courses or an athletics class. The new class schedule will also allow certain teachers to have their planning periods at the same time, and allow for better tracking of students’ progress and help to place them in classes specific to their needs in terms of special help or progressing towards college credit classes.
Plans are being made to start the new field house soon and adding the track at a later time. Superintendant David Seaney felt that of all the projects that are in the planning stage now, the heating and ventilation project is the most important because it affects every student and teacher, especially for health reasons.
CSAP tests began for third graders on Feb. 18 to get an early measure of reading assessments. All other subjects will be tested in grades 3-10 starting Mar. 10.
The next Board meeting is scheduled on Mar. 11 at 6:30 and spring break is Mar. 24-28.
