By Lori Ehde
Luverne 10th-graders excelled on the writing version of the Basic Skills Tests they took in January.
Curriculum Coordinator Jan Olson told School Board members at their May 9 meeting that Luverne students scored significantly higher than the state average, according to results released last week.
Of the 100 students who took the test, 95.24 passed, compared with 90.74 percent of students statewide who took the test.
"Our students did very well," Olson said. "We can all be very proud."
Results on the writing portion of the BST are based on the overall quality of students' compositions.
Scoring focuses on the clarity of the central idea, organization and support for ideas, as well as spelling, grammar, punctuation and other language skills.
This is the fourth year that 10th graders have taken the written composition BST. Minnesota public school students need to pass this test along with BST's in reading and math to graduate.
More information is available at the Minnesota Department of Children Families and Learning Web site: www.cfl.state.mn.us.
In other business Thursday, the boardÉ
Adopted a name for the athletic fields west of the school campus. They are now called "Cardinal Baseball/Softball Complex," as recommended by the Athletic Advisory Board.
Approved a new policy for administering medication to students. The old policy hadn't been revised since 1988.
School nurse Deb Vander Kooi told board members she won't give any prescriptions without a doctor's signature. Before, the medication could be sent from the pharmacy and as long as it was in the pharmacy bottle, she would administer it.
Also, parent signatures are needed in order for Vander Kooi to give Tylenol or Advil.
The new policy will outlined in the 2002-03 student handbook.
Accepted the low bid from Design Craft of Luverne for the middle school-high school lighting project. The bid came in at $97,300.
Approved a summer school program for special education.
Approved the Blue Cross/Blue Shield renewal. The rates did not increase.
Accepted the retirement of school bus driver Duane Klosterbuer, effective May 31.
Baccalaureate is 2 p.m. May 19, the last day of school is May 30, employee recognition will be May 31, and graduation is scheduled for 2 p.m. June 2.