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Jack Siddle, left, was named Oracle School Board Clerk and Nellie Doran, right, was named President.
The Oracle School District elected new officers for the year. Jack Siddle was named Board Clerk and Nellie Doran is the new Board President.
Mountain Vista science teacher Verdean Smith introduced the winners of the school’s Science Fair. The sixth grade winner was Tessa Kissick with her experiment, “Does the color of a liquid change a person’s taste perception?” Keefer Gagnon was the seventh grade winner for his study, “Will a bean plant grow taller when there is a magnetic field around it?” The eighth grade winner was Jessica Vickery with her experiment, “Does metal rust faster in salt water or plain water?”
All of the winners were returning champions from last year and each of them got up in front of the Board and spoke about their experiment.
They will be representing their school at the Southern Arizona Regional Science and Engineering Fair to be held at the Tucson Convention Center from March 11 to 15.
School safety was a major topic and Board member Linda Thomas asked about safety procedures at the Oracle District schools in the wake of the recent shooting in Newtown, Connecticut.
After the shootings, Superintendent Todd Kissick said that there was more police presence on campus as the Pinal County Sheriff’s Department had officers visit. A few law enforcement officers have children in the district and stop by regularly.
Mr. Kissick said that he and Principal Dennis Blauser have been meeting on a weekly basis reviewing security and lockdown procedures. They will be increasing the frequency of lockdown drills and plans are in the works for PCSO to participate and observe one of their lockdown drills to provide advice for improved safety.
During the call to the public, Dan McHenry of the Patriots of SaddleBrooke group brought up the Head Start Program. Citing statistics, he said that the program did not work and that the board should take a look at eliminating the program. School Superintendent Todd Kissick said the Oracle School District does not have a Head Start Program although they have applied a couple of times.
Mountain Vista science teacher Verdean Smith introduced the winners of the school’s Science Fair: Tessa Kissick, Keefer Gagnon and Jessica Vickery.
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