Lisbon schools approved changes to the 2024-25 course curriculum for the schools.
With the career and technical education classroom opening for industrial arts at Lisbon next fall, Kirk Wischmeyer is adding a few more electives in those classes.
One of the fields of study being added that students have been clamoring for is welding and a follow-up course in advanced welding.
Thanks to a donation from Dan Light, the school has welding equipment for the new classroom to allow the expansion of CTE offerings.
One of the changes made to the handbook was spelling out what happens when students fail a Kirkwood Community College class.
“Students who do fail can still take Kirkwood classes in the future,” said superintendent Autumn Pino. “They have to have a meeting with parents, guidance counselor, teachers and administrators to review what the issue was for them to have failed the class.”
If they do fail the class, the school will not help pay for the class a second time. If students attempt to retake a class to improve their grade point average, especially for valedictorians, the second grade will not be adjusted to their transcript.
“It’s expected you would do better if you were to retake the same class,” Pino said.
The changes also addressed wording to certain classes in the math, English and science departments to indicate what was previously communicated to students.
Lisbon approves continued contract with Night Shift cleaningLisbon Schools has continued their contract with Night Shift cleaning for another year.
Superintendent Autumn Pino said the renewal comes after an in-depth discussion with Night Shift about cost increases for the contract and what the school could afford.
“They were very honest that they had underbid their original contract with the school, as this was the first school they had signed up as a client for cleaning,” said Laurie Maher, business manager. “They added quite a bit to their first bid with this contract renewal, and in our conversations we found a great middle ground for both of us.”
Pino and Maher said the district has struggled finding people who want to work as a custodian at the school on their own, which is why they contracted with Night Shift for evening cleanings.
“It very much was a ‘we need you, you need us,’ conversation,” Pino said. “We had an honest discussion on what we could do to maintain quality and how we’re able to do that.”
Part of the discussions also accounted for the new square footage that will be added with the recent building additions, including the new science classroom, career and technical education room and weight room.
Pino said that one of the benefits of Night Shift was that when they have staffing shortages, they are able to find replacements and make sure they are doing what they need to for the contract.
Board president Jen Caspers said her work in insurance gave her insight into workers compensation claims.
“The second highest number of claims we have in insurance are workers compensation claims for janitorial staff,” Caspers said. “I don’t think we could take on that now.”