Jessica Breger

Staff Writer

The Durant ISD Board of Education held its regular meeting on Monday Jan. 7. during this meeting the school board discussed school improvements and student responsibilities concerning the schools’ Mobile Computing Handbooks (netbooks).

The board approved issuing construction documents for a classroom addition at Washington Irving Elementary school.

The addition will contain two classrooms with work areas, two restrooms and a storage room that can be turned into a restroom should there be future classrooms added.

The board plans to start taking bids on the project on Jan. 31 and have the project complete by Aug. to begin the new school year.

The next project planned is a classroom addition for North West Heights Elementary school.

The school board also discussed the amount of financial responsibility a student should be asked to take for any repairs to damaged netbooks.

According to Superintendent Dr. Jason Simeroth, the netbooks are standard issue to students however the student or parent may choose not to use them.

He said that if the student will be using a netbook, both student and parent are informed of responsibilities and educated on the care of the device.

Simeroth said that by agreeing to use the netbook the student is agreeing to care for it and take responsibility for the device.

The school will have a three strike policy and will not make a child pay for any repairs that are deemed malfunctions or clearly accidental.

Each situation will be handled individually to determine the amount a student must cover for the repair of the device after it is determined how much the schools’ insurance will pay.

Also approved during the meeting were the resignations of Lhauren Story, Carla Watts, Lucille Kuhn, and Kelly Price.

New hires for the Durant ISD include one part-time certified shelter Instructor at Vision Academy, Helen Gray and teachers assistants.

Christine Middleton was approved as a teacher assistant for the computer lab at Robert E. Lee Elementary for the remainder of the 2012-2013 school year.

Connie Trammell was approved as a kindergarten teacher assistant at Washington Irving and Cindy Jones was approved as a special education teacher assistant at Washington Irving.

Also on the list of new hires for the 2012-2013 school year were six substitute teachers and one custodial substitute.