School board emphasizes pride

Patricia Rengifo
Hamburg Reporter

The Hamburg School Board discussed ways to encourage its students and show community pride during a work session last week.

“There is nothing out in the public that says we are proud of our students,” member MaryAnn Gregg said.

Board members discussed a variety of ways to promote student achievement from bumper stickers for parents to academic letters for students to put on their letterman’s jackets.

The board also discussed expanding the school newspaper and having students write articles for the school web page.

Board member Hilary Christiansen volunteered to take the idea to the teachers during the professional development day for it to be expanded upon.

The board also discussed the possibility of creating a new “dean of students” position at the high school to alleviate some burdens faced by the principal in areas such as discipline.

Superintendent Paul Sellon said that this position is often seen in bigger schools.

Moving detention to Saturdays was also discussed as a way to remedy discipline problems at the high school. Saturday school would be held once or twice a month in place of in-school detention.

The possibility of sharing a guidance counselor with Farragut was also discussed and is in the works.

During the May 19 or June 16 meeting the board will discuss the boiler at the high school.

Sellon said he contacted two different companies to look at it and will have more information next week.

“There are a variety of options,” he said. “Certainly by the June meeting we’ll have more information.”