BY CAROL MOSLEY
Special to the Telegraph
The Brooker Community School Board had news as the new school year got underway.
This is the second year that the public charter school has been up and running, and sixth grade was a new addition this year. The enrollment has nearly doubled from the starting year and now has 80 students enrolled, with room to grow.
The new principal, Thomas Lashley, addressed the importance of following legally required safety protocols and detailed the measures that will be implemented. All adults entering the campus must be identified and screened. The board agreed to the purchase of Raptor, a system that scans an ID and does a background check. It instantly identifies any outstanding felony warrants or past sexual predator list convictions.
The program makes the decision about access based on legal parameters, absolving school staff from having to decide where the laws apply. Parents will be notified to bring ID with them to events. Parents can prescreen through the office, if desired, and then the process of scanning identification is smooth and rapid at any school visits or special events.
In other safety areas, Lashley said all staff must have a “hot button” to call 911. The estimated cost for the system is $4,068. The school has already conducted a crisis drill and fire drill that both went smoothly. The board agreed to construct an official policy statement saying the school will follow the Bradford County School District’s policies regarding safety regulations.
There have been recent changes to the school’s board members. The resignation of William Harrell left an opening that will be filled by Michelle Green of Belle Oaks Barn. Green is the volunteer art instructor and is a welcome addition to the board.
Recently joined board member and volunteer John Eagle will consider filling the roll of Diversity Committee chair. That role focuses on recruiting new students through visits to local churches and organizations, especially in the Monteocha area of Alachua County, to let them know the school is free and open to any students from any locale.
Volunteer Patsy Pullen is well underway with planning for the Oct. 26 Fall Festival. Raffle prizes are already coming in from local vendors. Pullen set a goal of $20,000 for a “Banner Fundraiser” that gets a business or family a banner hanging on the school fence. The banner could advertise a local business or send a personal family message for a $1,000 donation.
Pullen is expecting other physical items to be donated for the raffles and more funds raised from the ticket sales. She said the students themselves sold about $2,500 worth of raffle tickets last year.
Meanwhile, grant items are beginning to arrive from the Charter School Program grant such as smart boards and intercom capabilities. The PTO will need to wait until next year to get up and running. That will allow time to get all the legal requirements in place. And, as with schools everywhere, Brooker Community School is desperately in search of a bus driver. It seems the required training programs for obtaining the special licensing are backed up and contributing to the shortage everywhere.
