Belle Board set to approve increase in graduation credit hours

By Roxie Murphy, Staff Writer
Posted 3/4/20

BELLE — Superintendent Dr. Lenice Basham addressed the R-2 board of education Feb. 27 about the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) changing the number of credits required …

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Belle Board set to approve increase in graduation credit hours

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BELLE — Superintendent Dr. Lenice Basham addressed the R-2 board of education Feb. 27 about the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) changing the number of credits required to graduate in their policy changes that the board is scheduled to approve next month.

“I would like to see a change based on what they recommend in Policy IKF for graduation requirements,” Basham said. “We currently have 25 credits and we would like to change that starting with next year’s class of 2026.”

Basham said DESE’s change stems from requiring another computer science class, but the district doesn’t offer that course in either math or science. However, she would like to increase the number of required credits to graduate from 25 to 26 to keep pace with the state.

“Are other schools doing the same thing?” Tom Kinsey asked.

Basham said no, a lot of schools require 27 or 28 credits to graduate.

“So they are hoping for students to carry a full load for four years,” he said.

“They are hoping you don’t fail anything,” Basham agreed. “We give you the opportunity to fail a few courses and make them up. We don’t want to go to 28 (credits) but we will increase it by one at least.”

Basham said they will vote on the DESE recommended changes next month and if any board members had a question about changes between now and next month to call her.

Other changes the board approved included school attendance requirements to participate in MSSHS sponsored sports and extracurricular activities.

Basham suggested the following clarification “students are required to be in attendance at least one-half day to be eligible to participate in or attend a school-sponsored extracurricular activity occurring that day or evening. Parents are required to contact the principal’s office prior to the extracurricular activity if the student must be absent. In the case of an unavoidable emergency and a student must miss the entire school day, the principal reserves the option to declare the student eligible or ineligible to participate.”

“I saw what you proposed, but we still have to follow what MSSHA says,” said Board President Joey Butler II.

Basham said her proposal still meets Missouri State High School Activities Association (MHSAA) criteria, which is that students must be present for a full school day in order to participate in extracurricular activities and sports.

“I thought this was left up to the building principal anyway,” Butler said.

Basham confirmed that the building principal does typically decide if a student who has been absent for any point during the day may participate in an event that evening.

“The coaches have asked for clarification on the policy,” Basham said, adding that principals will still get the final say.

Kinsey said if it is a funeral or something like that the students can’t avoid, he doesn’t feel it should be held against them.

“The other thing is if you are out sick then you are out as far as games,” he said. “But if it is a funeral for a family member, that shouldn’t be held against you.”

Basham said it won’t be a board policy.

“You are approving a procedure for the high school and junior high Student Handbook, giving some clarification for that,” Basham said. “There is not a board policy.”

Kinsey and Director Amy Kiso said the board does not approve handbook policies.

“You still need to have a discussion about it,” Basham said.

Kiso said she appreciated that, but Kinsey argued if they made a decision then they are making policy.

“If you are voting on something, then you are making policy,” Kinsey said.

Basham said not if they are specifying that they are making a clarification to a Student Handbook procedure.

Board Vice President Dawn Hicks asked if that was all she wanted, clarification to the procedure, ‘no ifs, ands or buts, it’s in black and white.’ Basham agreed.

“You don’t necessarily have to vote, but I do want you to know this is what I am going to recommend that the high school principal put in the handbook,” Basham said.

The board agreed to support Basham’s clarification recommendation for the handbook that will be passed on to the high school principal.