The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

DAYTON—Last week four students in Mrs. McGhan’s multiage, grades 2-3, classroom came to the Dayton School Board meeting to share with board members a recent writing activity they did in the classroom.

“Safari Guides” is the first of many “show and tell” type programs that will be presented by students and teachers at future board meetings, according to Superintendent Doug Johnson.

The assignment for Mrs. McGhan’s students was to pick an animal to research and write about. The students presented their findings on cut out figures resembling safari guides, complete with field glasses.

Johnson said the students in teacher Kristina Knebel’s robotics program will make a presentation about that program to the board in April.

Also, at last week’s meeting, special education director Martina Paris-Fully spoke about the District’s special education program.

The special education program currently serves six children in the birth to three program, seven in preschool, five students in the elementary school, nine students in the middle school, and twenty students in the high school, she said.

Paris-Fully said becoming independent, experiencing inclusive environments, and successful transition from school to the community are the most important goals of the program.

“Special ed. kids are a part of diversity,” board Chairman Dan Butler said. “We appreciate what you do,” he told Paris-Fully.

A special challenge for Paris-Fully is the inability to fully staff the program with an adequate number of substitute teachers and substitute paraeducators, she said.

“It is especially difficult on kids on the autism spectrum, when the regular teacher or para is gone,” said Johnson. “If you know anybody willing to sub, send them our way,” he told the directors.

In his report to the directors, Johnson said the district is considering applying for funds from the Pietrzyci trust for shop equipment for the Ag Science program. Welding equipment, a CNC plasma cutter, a computer, and a welding fume filtering system are all on the program list.

Also on the list are a vehicle and an enclosed trailer for transporting students and projects to contests and fairs. The vehicle would be used in other programs, including the music program and the athletic program, Johnson said.

However, the directors said the district should look at purchasing or leasing a vehicle through general fund dollars rather than using the trust funds, for which a $100,000 balance must be obtained.

The board approved Supt. Johnson’s request to move forward with seeking funds from the Trust, to purchase some of the items on the list.

The teachers’ association has not yet submitted a calendar proposal for next year, Johnson said. The directors agreed to meet on April 19 to approve a calendar. Johnson said the calendar might include up to three student attendance waiver days, which will require approval from the state Board of Education.