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BY MARTY PRIMEAU Bulletin Editor BURNET — A_ delegation of concerned parents plans to attend the Burnet School Board meeting Tuesday night to protest last month's decision by the board to cut back the kindergarten program. Until now, the local school district has been carrying all the kindergarten students for a full 180-day term despite a state education bill which provides full term funding only for underprivi leged and educationally handicapped children. All other students are funded for 90 days. Superintendent Robert Wilkin said that after studying the kindergarten enrollment figures for the coming year, the board determined that it would cost 25,000 to continue the present policy, and voted at the June meeting to follow the guidelines set by the state. Mrs. L. C. Landon of Buchanan Dam, ne of the mothers leading the protest, ad the delegation will ask that the school continued to provide full-term kindergarten for all children because ‘‘it is necessary that they get a good education at the beginning of their school year.”’ “I think the school board’s priorities are out of order—if the students get a good start they won't have as many problems with reading and other basic skills later on,’’ said Mrs. Landon. She added that she doesn’t agree with the $25,000 additional cost estimate set by Wilkin. “I believe that they only need one more teacher than they had last year,” she said. Even if the kindergarten program does cost more, Mrs. Landon said she felt that a good kindergarten program “would be worth a raise in taxes,”’ but added that that was her own opinion and not necessarily the feeling of all the parents. She has personally contacted several mothers and anticipates that more than 40 per cent will attend the school board meeting to express their concern. Besides the kindergarten issue, Mayor Ken Odiorne will probably be at the meeting to discuss the proposed sale of the school property in Bertram. Mayor Odiorne said thursday that no definite offer will be made since the city is still attempting to determine ways of financing such a purchase. He added that the purpose of attending the meeting would be to establish definite boundaries for the property sale, which would include the old school buildings and at least three acres of land. The board will also take action on letters of resignation submitted by Miss Janice Caswell, kindergarten teacher; Mrs. Carol Sue Rauscher, remedial reading teacher; and Mrs. Monette, who teaches third grade. Wilkin said he has at least seven personnel recommendations to make to the board, which will be discussed in executive session. In other action, the board will discuss a letter from the Texas Education Agency concerning special education plan . The Burnet and Marble Falls school districts were approved for this cooperative special education program which Wilkin said will “provide for a greatly expanded special education program, including two new aides and four new teachers for Burnet. The school district is currently under plan B, which is not as extensive as the new plan Wilkin will also propose a change in grading procedure for the school district, recommending that the board implement 60 as a passing grade instead of 70. He will present several reasons to the board, based on consultations with the student council, which researched the proposal with members of the school staff ‘Most colleges use 60 as a passing grade as do several schools surrounding Burnet,” said Wilkin The board will set dates for the budget hearings, which will probably begin next month.
Newspaper Details
Burnet County Bulletin
Burnet, Texas, US
Mon, Jul 19, 1976
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Dana H.
USA 19 Aug 2025
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