The Atlantic School District’s Board of Education Monday night, approved by a three-to-two vote, the addition of certain extracurricular activities for the 2013-2014, and 2014-2015 school years.  For 2013-’14, that includes dance and an archery club, with swimming and bowling being added for the 2014-15 calendar year. The only stipulation, is that those programs would be on a three-year probationary period, with regard to how many students continue to express an interest in them.

Board members Phil Hascall and Dennis Davis voted against adding the activites. Hascall said he’d rather spend the money on Lindamood Bell teacher training and related programs, which seeks to strengthen students’ reading, comprehension and math skills by evaluating students in need of extra help and tailoring instruction specifically toward those individuals.  

The Board Monday also approved the purchase of an 84- and 65 passenger bus, similar to those purchased last year. As with last year, one of the buses will be powered by propane. The total cost for both vehicles is $204,378. It’s expected the district will receive them sometime later this fall.  

And, the Board approved a lease agreement for a new mobile classroom to handle class overload at the Washington School. The building would handle those classes that meet less than 30-minutes per day, and which do not require water and sewer accessibility. They also approved the purchase of a new walk-in cooler for the Schuler School food prep area.