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The Salem school board Monday night approved the junior/senior high school handbook for the 2018-2019 school year that includes a restriction on cell phone use in the classroom.
Students with cell phones will be required to place the devices in a sleeve at the front of each classroom. They can retrieve the phones after class.
"We're trying to decrease the distractions (in class)," Principal Sean Kirkland said after the meeting. "[Students] are (still) allowed to have phones on them and use them outside of the classroom."
Kirkland said he expects students to experience some anxiety over the disconnect from their devices, but said he hopes that they can adapt quickly.
The student handbook is available for review on the school's website.
In other business, the board hired hired Larry Truzzie as licensed school psychologist to provide early intervention services for Salem students for up to 100 days and to provide counseling services for St. Paul School students for one day per week up to 36 days for the 2018-2019 school year.
The board also hired Megan Gustaevel as an athletic trainer for home events for the fall school year retroactive to Aug. 1, Melissa Thompson as elementary art teacher for grades kindergarten through three at Buckeye and Reilly elementaries, Caroline Cecena as a bus attendant duty aide for special needs transportation and three-hour cafeteria server at Buckeye Elementary, Michele Walla as two-and-a-half-hour cafeteria server at Reilly Elementary and Vicky Steves as a one-hour cafeteria cashier at Reilly Elementary.
Additionally the board granted athletic coaching supplemental contracts to Bill Cowgill as assistant junior high football volunteer and Dan Rumsey as assistant high school boys soccer volunteer and non-athletic supplemental contracts to Jamie Kemats for Art Honor Society, Jake Carner for Freshman Class Advisor and Marshal Sarginger for Freshman Class Advisor.
The board also approved a stipend for Carol Speece as an on-bus-instructor and approved custodian Mary Groff to clean the bus garage one day per pay period, as well as hired for St. Paul School Marjorie Zeigler as clerk and for the Hannah E. Mullins School of Practical Nursing Ana Butler as instructor per diem and Shannon Allen, Helen Alello, Carrie Szmara and Rosa Marie Prichard as full-time instructors.
Also, the board accepted the resignation of Deborah McKinley as a two-and-a-half-hour lunch cafeteria server and one-hour breakfast cafeteria cashier at Reilly Elementary and Rene Hillyer as a three-hour lunch cafeteria server at Buckeye Elementary and four-hour bus aide and non-athletic supplemental resignations of Jamie Kemats and Deanna Wilson as freshman class advisors. The board also approved addendums to the contract of Joe Gerberry to include the duties of the Salem Forum at the cost of $500 per issue (not to exceed four issues per year) and the contract of Jamie Kemats to Administrative Specialist: Coordinator of Government Programs, Director of Testing and Curriculum Director.
Additionally the board approved Aimsweb Plus Training for four teachers of grades kindergarten through eighth at a total of $528 and Secondary Transition Training for one teacher of the grades seven through 12 at a total of $44, both paid for with federal funds, and accepted donations of a Fender Baseman 300 Amp and speaker cabinet from Phil Shasteen for the Jazz Band and $2,500 to the Lou Slaby Arts and Athletic Award account from Lou Slaby.
khowell@salemnews.net