The USD 327 Ellsworth-Kanopolis-Geneseo Board of Education adopted a policy for the administration of emergency opioid antagonists during Monday night’s meeting.
Superintendent Deena Hilbig reminded the board it heard a presentation about a possible Narcan policy during the February meeting.
“Since that time, there has been a great deal of development,” she said. “Naloxone is now available over-the-counter. It is no longer necessary for a physician to sign off.”
The board reviewed and ultimately approved the policy drafted by the Kansas Association of School Boards in order to allow staff to have adequate time to train before the school year begins.
“It needs to be administered by a school nurse or someone who is properly trained,” Hilbig said.
The policy states the medication, which is intended to quickly reverse an opioid overdose, will be available during the regularly scheduled school day. It may, by board direction, be available outside of school hours.
“I start thinking of availability,” Hilbig said. “If we’re at football field, we’re not able to get that. It would be more appropriate to call EMS instead.”
Board member Brian Rush expressed support for the policy.
“We’re taking action because there could be a drug problem,” he said.
“It’s not just here. It’s everywhere,” board member Ashley Bohl said.
Rush asked what the school is doing about vaping and nicotine.
“We’re turning a blind eye to other things that we know are a problem,” he said. “Drugs are happening in high school. When was the last time we sent the drug dog down Ellsworth High School? This is important. If we are serious about this drug thing, we need to have serious conversations.”
In other items, the board:
• Elected Cynthia Edgerle as president and Gina McGowan as vice president.
• Acknowledged the work of Lane Rolfs of painting the limestone sign in front of the district office.
• Approved board appointments for the 2023-24 school year: Dina Rankin as board clerk; Kim Whetzel and Natasha Florian as deputy clerks;  Florian as treasurer; KASB/Melissa Miller/John Sherman as board attorney; Summers, Spencer & Company, P.A. as auditor; Rankin as KPERS representative; building principals as attendance officers; Hilbig as homeless liaison; Rankin for freedom of information; Ellsworth County Independent-Reporter as the official newspaper; McGowan and Rush as policy review reps; McGowan as Smoky Hill Representative.
• Approved 11 resolutions for the start of the school’s fiscal year. Content of the resolutions included time/date of meetings; depositories/payroll; application for title funding; food service representative; public utility payments; petty cash; activities funds; disciplinary hearings; destruction of records according to Kansas statutes; cash basis/budget laws and home rule.
• Approved utilizing hours as the measure of education attendance. The board approved 1,116 hours of instruction for the school year.
“It allows more flexibility,” Hilbig said, rather than counting full days. “We are above the required numbers and are in good shape.”
• Approved expunging the minutes of the previous fiscal year.
• Approved membership to Schools for Quality Education for $400.
“They are committed to rural school districts,” Hilbig said. “They do a really nice job during the legislative session. They speak about the impact on rural schools.”
• Discussed, but ultimately tabled by consent, discussion on capital outlay projects because board members Steve Shepherd, Jake Svaty and David Hand were absent.
“I expect about $400,000 next year,” Hilbig said.
The board will bring the issue up at a future work session.
• Briefly discussed the 2023-24 budget. The budget hearing will happen after Aug. 20.
• Approved the resignation of Tony Aspiranti as director of maintenance/operations.
• Approved the seasonal hiring of Bill Parsons and Braden Holecek as seasonal groundskeepers and the transfer of Christy Romero from Ellsworth Elementary School office/teacher to KMS teacher aide.
The next meeting of the USD 327 board of education will take place at 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 7, at the district office.