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Chester County Press

Varied slate of issues addressed by Oxford School Board

02/19/2018 03:48PM ● By Steven Hoffman

The Oxford School Board discussed a variety of items at the Feb. 13 work session, including a review of new course selection guides, a proposed school calendar for the 2018-2019 school year, an honorary diploma request, a discussion about the possibility of starting a Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Program, and a request for new drumline equipment.

Erin Kauppila, the band director at the high school, addressed the school board about a request to purchase new instruments for the marching band's drumline. The new equipment is estimated to cost $15,000. Kauppila explained that the marching band has been using the same drumline equipment since it was purchased in 2003. The equipment was purchased from West Chester University, and was already four years old when Oxford acquired the equipment for the band. Kauppila said that the equipment has been well-used through the years, and many of the instruments have been kept in working condition by using replacement parts from other instruments.

“The equipment takes a beating—literally, we beat them with sticks,” Kauppila said.

Superintendent David Woods informed the school board about a request that has been made for an honorary high school diploma. A family member has requested that an honorary high school diploma be awarded to a gentleman who attended Oxford Area High School but left school before he graduated and entered the U.S. military. The gentleman served during World War II. Woods said that he was still researching the request, but was in favor of awarding the honorary to the man, who is now in his nineties. The school board could vote to approve the honorary diploma as early as its next meeting.

Woods also presented new course selection guides and a draft school calendar for the 2018-2019 school year for the school board to review.

The superintendent also provided some background information to the school board about the possibility of starting a Navy Junior Reserve Officer Training Program for students at the high school. There is some funding made available to schools that have Junior Reserve Officer Training programs, but it is competitive, and a school district would need to be fully prepared to fund the program on its own. Woods said that the costs of the program would be approximately $150,000, would serve anywhere from 25 to 125 students in a year. Woods said that the next step for the district is to evaluate the level of interest that Oxford students have in such a program. He will continue to research the programs that are available as well.

The Oxford School Board has upcoming meetings on Tuesday, March 13 and Tuesday, March 20. Both meetings will take place at 7 p.m. at the administration building.