The Griswold School Board, during their regular monthly meeting, Monday evening, made some changes to the Student Handbook. Superintendent Dave Henrichs told KJAN News the most significant change is with regard to backpacks. Next year students at the High School will not be allowed to carry around backpacks for safety reasons, including because some classrooms are too small for all those backpacks and it’s hard to get around. Another is that it reduces the potential for concealing anything inappropriate.

Henrichs said also, the Board also filled some open teacher and sponsor positions. Those include Kelly Williams – Science Teacher; Donna Forsythe – yearbook sponsor; Alex Wulkekuhle as 3^rd Grade Teacher in Elliott; Amy Smith as Co-Music and Co-Speech sponsor; Larissa Potter as Cross Country Coach. He said they’re still trying to find a Middle School/High School TAG (Talented and Gifted) Teacher for a couple of hours per day. The Griswold School Board also discussed the sale of the District’s Elementary buildings in Lewis Griswold, since those students will be combined into the new facility.

He said they’re putting together a proposal for a bid, with advertising to begin on or about August 1^st. The bid request will not only request an offer on each building, but what the buyer intends to use them for as well as how they plan to maintain each building. The bids will be due by November 1^st, with the prospective buyers meeting with the School Board and either the Lewis or Elliott City Council. The Council will determine who has the best plan to maintain the structures, which was important to the District’s patrons, who didn’t want the buildings to fall into disrepair and become an eyesore.

The Board also discussed, but took no action on crosswalks. Henrichs said they’ve been working with City officials to make sure once the new building is erected the kids have a safe way to get there. Their initial goals are to get some speed zones reduced from 45 or 35 down to 25, especially on Highway 48, and have push-button crosswalk traffic control devices installed at strategic locations so kids could cross safely. In both case, they found they have to work with the DOT, and the City of Griswold is leading the way with that effort. The DOT, Henrichs said, will not allow push-button crosswalks to be installed unless there are sidewalks leading to those areas, which is very expensive. The City, he said is exploring ways to fund those crosswalks. In the interim, four-way stop signs near the school may be erected to further try and keep the kids safe.