“I’m amazed at the

“I’m amazed at the courage these young people have shown in coming to talk to us,” said Nancy Reeve. “It speaks highly of them that they’re willing to take a stand and tell us what they think we need to know.” she said, adding, however, that the current school board does not have the same members who determined the punishment for the student involved in case A.

Noting that he might find it “intimidating" to speak in open session, Eastham invited Ron Dougherty to address the board further in executive session where the young man and the board members could both speak more freely and specifically.

Dougherty and his parents met with the board for a part of the long executive session that lasted from 8:30 to 10:45. Returning to open meeting, in an apparently related vote, the board instructed the superintendent to bring them further information on a former discipline case.

Gifted And Talented

Earlier in the meeting, Mrs. Massie read a letter from Dawn and Bradford Fisher of Washington, praising the recently expanded gifted and talented program.

Using their child's experience as an example, the Fishers said, teacher Laurie Marshall’s program is challenging, stimulating and develops problem solving skills. They wrote that they were impressed with Marshall's enthusiastic and professional approach to individual students in the "almost overwhelming” job of designing curriculum and running the new program for students from first grade to seniors in high school. In a second letter, high school coach and physical education teacher Ann Spieker noted that the high school track is still unusable and requires a surface of rock dust. Her offer to donate SI00 to surface the track was "accepted with appreciation" by the school board. In other action, the school board voted unanimously to contract with Whiting Oil Company for delivery of fuel oil and kerosene. Whiting was selected over Quarles on the basis of lower bids.