Parents vote status quo

Parents from the four air-conditioned Carson City elementary schools voted to remain on their current calendars.

Votes were tallied last Friday and the results were reported at Tuesday's school board meeting.

Last month, ballots were sent home with each student. The ballots were then sent to a designated member of the school board.

A ballot not returned was counted in favor of the status quo of that school.

Parents from Seeliger, Mark Twain and Empire Elementary Schools were in favor of remaining on the same traditional calendar of 180 days in school followed by a long summer vacation.

Parents from Fremont Elementary voted in favor of remaining on the single-track calendar with 45 days in school and 15 out of school.

The Carson City School Board met in the Sierra Room of the Carson City Community Center. Other items discussed were:

-- Principals are being sought at Eagle Valley Middle School and Empire Elementary School.

-- Evaluation of the Success for All program at Bordewich-Bray, Mark Twain and Empire elementary schools. Dave Leitner, an independent evaluator said Carson City schools are on target.

"The schools are on track to implementing a positive Success for All program," he said.

-- Superintendent Jim Parry said the district will listen to brief presentations from each principal and department head listing needs from the budget during March and April. He said a tentative hearing will be set up for May 17.

-- A new proposal would change graduation requirements for entering freshmen in 2000. In order to earn a basic diploma, three math credits would be required instead of the existing two. In order to earn an advanced diploma, a student would have to take an extra core class and seven electives, totaling 24.

-- A policy stating that physical, chemical or emotional force cannot be used to control special-education students.