A Full House at the Jan. 18 Hazelwood School District Board of Education Meeting

School Board Recognition week is celebrated each year in January, and at the first Hazelwood School District Board of Education meeting of the year, HSD Superintendent Dr. Steve Price acknowledged the board members' commitment to the school district.

"At this meeting we wanted to do something special in recognition of our board of education that has given tirelessly of their time," he said. "Until you've been in this seat, I don't think you fully realize the dedication and time it takes."

There was standing room only at the meeting. Students from across the district presented the board members with custom artwork which they designed along with and certificates of recognition, as parents looked on.

Desiree Whitlock, the school board's president was quite pleased, along with the entirety of the board.

"Hazelwood has the best students," she said after accepting her gifts. "We would certainly like to say thank you."

During Tuesday's meeting bullying was also a hot topic. Julia Thorpe, assistant superintendent of student services, along with Dr. Maxine Valdez, director of Safe Schools Healthy Students, gave presentations regarding statistics on bullying in the district and students' perspective on the subject.

The Shakespeare St. Louis Festival Bullying Program also performed an act from its play, which tours schools showing the history and affects of bullying. The play also shows how to positively deal with and address bullying.

"To learn you have to feel safe and that's why we created a play about bullying," said Christopher Limber, education director of Shakespeare St. Louis.

Dwight Lindhorst, assistant superintendent of finances and facilities, explained a quarterly report on the district's minority supplier program, which ensures the district hires minority owned businesses and women owned businesses to supply and perform bid services.

"The purpose of our program is to seek and establish meaningful opportunities for minority owned business enterprises and women owned enterprises to conduct business with the Hazelwood School District," he said.

In the first quarter of the fiscal year, Lindhorst reported some trouble hiring women owned businesses. The district did however exceed its goal in the area of MBEs providing services significantly. Lindhorst said for the most part, the district always comes close to its goals.

"On a whole, this is pretty consistent with since we started the program in '06," he said. "We have a little trouble finding WBEs and getting business with them, but on the whole we are usually pretty close to our goals."

In fact, the district has been nominated two years in a row for two St. Louis Minority Business Council awards–Institution of the Year Award, and Buyer/Coordinator of the Year Award. The district won the first of the two nominations in '08.

In other news Hazelwood School District Board of Education approved:

• the consent agenda which included the 2011 - 12 high school course registration guide, the monthly financial report and drawing of the board candidate ballot order.
  • It also included approval of a classroom rental agreement for the Special School District, approval of the Bullies and Boundaries Education Tour 2011 contract and approval of the Student Guidance and Counseling policy.

The next board of education meeting is scheduled for Feb. 15.