April 22, 2008 12:45 am
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By Susan Redden
sredden@joplinglobe.com
CARTHAGE, Mo. — A decision by the Carthage School Board got applause Monday night from students who attended the meeting to ask that girls soccer be added to the high school sports schedule.
Discussion was brief among board members, who unanimously approved the request presented by students Yanira Reyes, Keisha Boyd and Ashley Shannon.
Speaking for the group, Yanira Reyes noted that Carthage has had a boys soccer program for some time, “and girls want the same opportunity.”
She said at least 30 girls had signed up to express an interest in the program, and most appeared to be on hand at the board meeting.
Superintendent Gary Reed said the group already had met with Kandy Frazier, high school principal, and Andy Youngworth, athletic director. He said Youngworth had put together a potential budget and checked with other schools that have girls soccer, adding “the opportunity is there to have a schedule next spring.
“We support the proposal to add girls soccer,” he said. “Kids do better in school when they’re involved in activities. They do better in their studies and attendance, and they’re more likely to graduate.”
There were no objections, though Danny Lambeth, board president, jokingly said members should ask more questions of the three students, who were obviously nervous appearing before the board.
“We’re making it kind of easy on them,” he said.
Reed after the meeting said that Carthage has had a boys soccer program since 1989. He said a first-year budget for the program will be between $20,000 and $25,000, a higher total the first year because of uniform purchases.
In other action, the board re-elected Lambeth as board president, in a reorganization held in the wake of city and school elections held April 8. Lambeth was re-elected to the board, along with Tony Diggs and Jeff Jones. Jones was re-elected vice president; Michael Westhoff, secretary; and Lee Eliff Pound, treasurer. All the votes were unanimous and by acclamation.
Board members were told that work is on schedule in the construction of a new high school building. Crews with Crossland Construction Co. have made up delays caused by earlier weather problems, said Bevan Brawner, with Hight Jackson Associates, architects on the project. The board approved a change order involving electrical circuiting in two areas and revising the design of a bus canopy. The changes added nearly $91,000 and brought total construction costs to just over $31.5 million.
The board also honored members of the high school and junior high student councils for achieving gold awards from the Missouri Association of Student Councils, approved student handbooks for next school year for the junior high and high school, endorsed a staff recommendation to continue employee health insurance with the Tri-State Health Coalition as the provider and Benefit Management Inc. as the third-party administrator, and approved contracts for summer projects at several school buildings.
School name
The Virtual Learning Center will be the new name of Carthage’s alternative high school, based on action by the Carthage School Board on Monday night. The board approved a staff recommendation to change the name of the school, now known as You Turn.
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