Ellsworth Independent-Reporter

Ellsworth boys rescued from train car
Two five-year-old Ellsworth boys were rescued from the inside of a coal car July 28 on the rairoad tracks in Ellsworth. No injuries were reported.

Friday July 30

After Harvest Czech Festival

Wilson
Wilson celebrates its 50th annual festival this year. The festival continues Saturday, July 30, and include a large parade and many other activities.

Superintendent Ken Arnhold, right, listens to audience members during Monday night's meeting of the Ellsworth-Kanopolis-Geneseo School Board.

Music students address board
By Mark McCoy
Last Updated: November 11, 2009

After spending almost an hour in two executive sessions, members of the Ellsworth-Geneseo-Kanopolis School Board approved a vaguely-worded motion that accepted the recommendation of superintendent Ken Arnhold concerning non-elected personnel and directed him to take any action necessary to implement the recommendations.

The action came after more than 40 district patrons and staff crowded into the district office for the board's Monday night meeting. Several of the students in attendance were there as part of a government class assignment, but the vast majority wanted to talk to board members about the EHS music program.
On a motion by Gregory Hoffman, board members agreed to suspend the requirement that seven days notice be given to have an item placed on the agenda. After the motion passed, another motion was made to meet in executive session with Arnhold and board attorney John Sherman to discuss matters of non-elected personnel.

When the meeting resumed 10 minutes later, board president Cory Rathbun asked whether students had representatives or leaders to address the board. Olivia Soukup, Billy Caanan and Kyli McGreevy approached the panel. Soukup began to read from a prepared statement when Rathbun stopped her.

“I need to interrupt you here," Rathbun said, “The public forum is not an appropriate place to talk about personnel matters or an individual as an instructor or employee.

“What we can do is, I'm going to make a motion to go into executive session, and if it is approved by board members, we'll ask everyone to leave and you three spokespersons can stay in here," he said.
The board went into executive session for about 15 minutes with the students.

When the meeting resumed at 7:30 p.m., Deborah Rojas asked whether parents were allowed to address the board. The board went into another executive session with Rojas until 7:40 p.m.

Following the session with Rojas, Rathbun thanked the students and patrons for attending the meeting.
“I really do appreciate everybody that came tonight. I know you all feel very deeply about your school. I just want to assure you that what we talked about, we are going to take seriously for consideration." he said.

Read the Nov. 12 edition of the I-R for more on the Ellsworth-Kanopolis-Geneseo School Board meeting.

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