Kennett High School's head basketball coach Jim Vaughn and head football coach Kirk Welch addresses the school board regarding a request that the board implement a student drug testing policy and a performance enhancement drug ban policy. [Click to enlarge]

Two issues dominated discussion at the meeting of the Kennett School Board Tuesday night. One of those issues was apparently discussed in closed executive session; the other issue was discussed in the open meeting of the board.

Detailed information about the discussions in the closed executive meetings of the board had not been made available to the newspaper as of press time. According to Superintendent Jerry Noble, the issues discussed in the first closed session of the board meeting, while not being personnel issues, do involve possible legal action and, consequently, the school's counsel advised the board going into closed session.

Reports are that areas of concern have arisen between at least two district principals and one board member, Linda Kelly.

There were approximately 100 people filling the hallway at the high school during the first of two closed executive sessions of the board, one at the beginning of the regularly scheduled meeting and one at the end.

One of those individuals addressed this reporter by saying; "We want everyone to know that we're here to show our support for Kim Lowry. We were not asked by anyone to be here and we are here because we simply want to show the board that we support her [Lowry]."

According to those attending the meeting, there was a representative from the Missouri State Teacher's Association present at the first closed session of the board, apparently discussing concerns with the board.

If information regarding the first closed session of the board meeting is made available to the newspaper another story about that meeting will follow.

During the open session meeting of the board, one particular issue received a majority of the discussion: Weighted classes.

Superintendent Jerry Noble recommended to the board approving the graduating class of 2010 being allowed to take all seven weighted classes offered by the district, if a student wished to do so, but that the number of classes which would be weighted would be limited to six.

Although Noble made the recommendation, no board member moved to accept the recommendation and there was no second. Still, the board opened the meeting for discussion of the issue.

Apparently, one student in the class of 2010 was allowed as a freshman to take biology, which is a sophomore level class, in addition to freshman level physical science. This apparently allowed that student to take Advanced Placement biology as a sophomore, giving that student the opportunity to take a weighted class as a sophomore when no other member of that class had that opportunity.

Also, according to Noble, as sophomores, two students were allowed to take junior level classes and other students were either denied permission or discouraged from taking the classes.

Noble said he thought the problem became apparent since the district increased the number of weighted courses from four to seven this year. Before that happened, he said, there were no concerns, but afterwards concerns arose.

Reportedly, other parents had asked for the opportunity for their children to take the classes but were not given permission to pursue it. Consequently, one student will have three years to get seven weighted classes and the other members of the class of 2010 will have two years to get seven weighted classes.

Principal Ed Siebenhuener addressed the issue with the board, explaining that a mistake had been made. Siebenhuener said the mistake was his and that the recommendation to the board was an attempt to resolve the issue to the satisfaction of everyone involved.

"There was a mistake made," Jerry Noble said, "and we're having trouble figuring out how some were permitted to take the classes and some were not. We're trying to level the playing field for that one class."

The board disagreed that Noble's recommendation would level the playing field, however, and, since there was no second to the recommendation, the issue was not even voted on.

In other board discussion, the Director of Health Services for the district, Deb Cook, head basketball coach Jim Vaughn, and head football coach Kirk Welch addressed the board concerning random student drug testing and a performance enhancing supplement drug ban.

Vaughn said he believes there is a drug problem that exists with the athletes at KHS and that action should be taken to clean it up. He said he had observed obvious behavioral changes occurring with athletes that, in his opinion, could only be accounted for by their use of drugs.

Welch echoed the sentiments of Vaughn and said, "this issue [drugs] needs to be addressed so we can try to save some of these kids."

Welch also said he believed between 60 and 70 percent of the athletes at KHS use some kind of drugs, mostly marijuana and alcohol.

The board asked Cook to bring to the next meeting a policy regarding drug testing and the performance enhancing drug ban for it to consider.

In other action, the board:

Approved changing the date of the April board meeting to April 21

Approved the Extended Contract List for the 2008-2009 school year

Approved the appointment of members to serve on the 2007-2008 Trovillion Scholarship Committee

Approved the Title I Parent Involvement Policy submitted by Misse Turner, Director of Special Services

Approved the 2008 Summer School Application

Approved an amendment to the 2007-2008 Budget for Title I Preschool

Approved dual enrollment courses to not be counted as weighted classes

Approved board commendations be presented to Jane Cook, Valerie Turner, and Scottie Landess

Approved a request made by Alicia Bridges to use the last portion of the Trovillion Scholarship to pay for summer courses.