Published on June 19, 2025 4:22 pm
Last Updated on June 19, 2025 4:22 pm
The South Central School Board Wednesday night agreed to add a Social Suspension program to the high school student handbook for the coming school year.
Incoming High School Principal Michael Koenke says he used the program effectively at Mt. Vernon High School to improve attendance and decrease tardiness.
“Once they reach three days of unexcused absences, those are considered truant, so they would go on a social suspension list for ten days,” Koenke said. “If they had seven full days in a semester, then they would be on it for the rest of the semester. Once they’re on social suspension, they couldn’t participate in a sport, couldn’t go to watch a sporting event, they couldn’t go to a dance, student council, band, anything like that. They would not be allowed to go because of their truancy issues.”
The school board also agreed to crackdown on students taking a half-day for mental health reasons and then coming back to school for a nighttime activity. The only time that will be allowed next year is if something like a doctor’s appointment is involved.
The school board approved it’s finalized budget for the fiscal year ending July first. Superintendent Kerry Herdes says the district finished with a $293,000 deficit, down from the $330,000 deficit projected at the start of the year. Reserves are available to cover the shortfall, but Herdes is concerned about tougher times ahead for schools with the state’s declining budget situation.
Herdes reported damage to the Administration Building from a tree falling it during a storm has now been repaired. All new electrical panels have been installed at South Central Middle School. Herdes reported with the old 1950 breaker system they were never sure if power would come back on if it was turned off. Purcell Electric of Salem completed that project at a cost of $143,000.
Herdes reported they received a $70,000 payment from the insurance carrier for the school bus that caught fire and burned on a morning route earlier this year. With the cost of new buses now about $100,000, Herdes is looking at purchasing one or two used buses with the proceeds.
