School Board Budgets For Resource Officer

By Editor | June 28, 2023

By Mike Scott

The Clark County R-1 School District is partnering with the Clark County Sheriff’s Department to place a school resource officer in the schools.

“If the kids see you and respect you, they’re less likely to go out and do something silly,” Sheriff Shawn Webster told board members during their June 13 meeting.

“The biggest challenge will be finding someone,” said CCR-1 Superintendent Dr. Ritchie Kracht.

Webster said that while he is at the Middle School nearly every morning, he knows that isn’t enough.

“We’re seeing things work down to the elementary level,” said Black Hawk Principal Betsy Parrish. Parrish said that Black Hawk students have been involved with selling drugs and involved with the Juvenile Office.

Webster said, “The sole job (of a new officer) will be Resource Officer. They will be in the schools all the time, unless there is an emergency in the county or school is not in session.”

Webster noted that while he will work closely with the school district, a resource officer will work for the county, not the school district.

“I won’t put the wrong person in her, and I won’t bring anyone in without having you meet them first,” Webster said.

The program will cost the school district $32,500, and will be paid to the county. The county will pay the rest of the officer’s wages.

“It may take several months to find the right person,” Webster said.

Clark County resident Brad Nelson thanked the board for moving forward with a resource officer, and again discussed a School Protection Officer plan, which would allow certain staff members to carry firearms.

“Our consensus is toe go with the School Resource Officer,” said board president Jason Acklie. “As far as arming teachers, we’re not comfortable with that at this time.”

“We have some teachers with reservations about it, and some that want to do it,” added board member Mark Plenge.

In other business, the board:

•Approved a nearly $14 million dollar budget for the 2023-2024 school year. The budget includes a 5.59 percent average increase in pay for all certified and non certified staff, and a 5.0 percent increase for administration.

“Overall, we’re going to be fine with this budget,” said Kracht. “I think we have one more good year of having money.”

Kracht is concerned about state funding, enrollment and attendance rates, increasing prices, federal and DESE mandates and maintaining a competitive teacher salary.

•Running Fox Principal Heather Holstead reported that summer school was going very well, with approximately 80% attendance.

•Kracht expressed concerns with new education legislation which passed in Jefferson City concerning reading programs.

“Our reading teachers will spend more time doing paperwork and less time teaching,” Kracht said.

•Discussed baseball. The district received all “4” ratings in the Clarence Cannon Conference Sportsmanship ratings, except for fans in attendance at the district championship at South Shelby. An incident following that game led to the resignation of Coach Jerry Jerome.

Several members of the public were concerned that the district might eliminate baseball, but board members and administrators expressed strong support for continuing baseball at Clark County.