Garrison school closing school lunch hour
Garrison school closing school lunch hour
By JILL DENNING GACKLE
Newsflash! It will be possible to get a sandwich at a Garrison fast food stop at noon without dodging teenage drivers and long lines at the checkout counter.
Administration offered up the idea at a school board meeting Monday evening, and when given the green light by school board members, it was decided to close the campus for a two-month trial beginning Nov. 2.
Superintendent Steve Brannan said, “I’m struggling with open campus.”
The board liked the closed lunch hour idea, particularly after the drug task force sweep of the school Monday. (See related story.) Although the search only netted one arrest, sheriff’s officers said there was a residual drug odor on coats, backpacks and vehicles, Brannan noted.
Board Member Daryl Engel said, “We gave ‘em the chance to police themselves and they blew it.”
Brannan began talking to faculty and students the next day. “It’s kind of a somber day,” he told Chamber members Tuesday noon.
“I think we’ve got a serious drug and alcohol problem among students at our school,” he said. “I’m not naive. Noon hour is a prime time to get some food, have a smoke, maybe take a drag or to get some alcohol.”
Chamber President Bruce Schreiner said the civic organization supports the steps. Also backing the plan was Manager Paul Schlichting of Cenex whose business will probably be impacted the most.
Also at the school board meeting Monday evening, the board:
• Set a meeting with Garrison teachers for 7 p.m. Nov. 16 to discuss salary negotiations.
Deb Youngs, co-president of Garrison Education Association (the faculty negotiating organization) said in a letter to the board that outstanding issues remain unresolved. She said, “The GEA would welcome the opportunity to meet with board negotiators or the board, as required, to discuss the unresolved issue relating to the negotiation process.” She said the meeting would not be a reopening of negotiations and instead will include the current unresolved issue that has been negotiated.
The unresolved issue is when contracts can be issued: before teachers have signed off (which complies with state law) or after teachers have signed off.
