During closed session at tonight’s board meeting, the Seneca R-7 School Board members will hear an audit of coaches, administrators and policies relating to a hazing incident.
Independent investigator Dr. Sarah Spence, of Columbia, Mo., will present her findings. She met with coaches and administrators for two days and went through the districts policies and handbooks last week to determine if or what guidelines were violated during a football camp at Pittsburg State University where senior players allegedly hazed other members of the team. Her report, said Superintendent Rick Cook, will offer an unbiased report for the board.
Players have been disciplined by the school and parents are submitting requests for board hearings, some of which may be scheduled tonight. Any student suspended from 11 to 180 days has the right to a board hearing to discuss the discipline recommended by the administration.
The board has the authority to determine if any changes to be made to the punishments after hearing from parents.
“Our main goal is to be fair with all parties,” Cook said.
Charges filed in Kansas this week will not exclusively affect any decisions, but that information will be added to information complied by the school.
Also on the agenda for this evening’s meeting is a summary of capital expenditures for the year, a construction update and a decision on custodial staff – an item anticipated to draw some discussion.
Cook said he would like to hire the recommended additional three custodial positions as the school adds more square footage, but with revenue shortfalls it may not be an option this year.
The school district may go from “spit shine” to merely “presentable” with some areas cleaned every other day.
“We’re going to have to play it smarter, make sure we’re smarter about how we’re spending taxpayer money because there’s less of it,” he said.
The district is financially in the black, but a construction match to FEMA funds reduced fund four – their capital improvement fund – by $500,000 this year. State holdings kept funds from flowing into funds one and two, and without a transfer from those, the overall budget will be in deficit because of the construction money. Until the unpredictable financial picture clears, Cook said the district will have to make some hard decisions.
