Haskell to leave Cheney School Board

Cheney School Board member Larry Haskell announced his resignation at the board’s regular meeting Wednesday, Oct. 10.

Haskell said he and his wife had been looking for a new home over the last couple of years, and they weren’t able to find a house within the district. By moving outside the district, Haskell would make himself ineligible to serve on the Cheney School Board.

Haskell has served on the board since his election in 2007 as the representative for District 3—covering part of Four Lakes and the areas north of Four Lakes and west of Spotted Road, including part of Airway Heights.

He said he would resign effective Oct. 24, and he did so “with great sadness.”

“It has been a great pleasure for me to serve our kids,” he said.

Superintendent Deb Clemens said the district would begin a process of requesting applications to fill Haskell’s seat on the board.

The board held its meeting at the new Cheney Middle School following a dedication of the building. The agenda was relatively light, with the board approving policy updates, including a new policy regarding student absences.

The draft policy established a list of valid excuses for absences, including participation in a school activity, illness, family emergency, cultural observations and more. The policy gives the school principal authority to decide if an absence meets the criteria for a valid excuse. The policy also delineates district procedures for unexcused absences.

Associate superintendent Sean Dotson said school staff worked to keep in contact with a student’s parent or guardian.

“After every unexcused absence, the parent gets a call,” he said.

Also at the meeting, the board approved an agreement with the city of Cheney for the school resource officer. An officer from the Cheney Police Department works in the school district to handle law enforcement in a cooperative program between the school district and the city. Clemens said the district payment had increased this year by $20,000. The district will reimburse the city for the officer’s time and resources up to $70,722 through May 2013.

“We planned on that and it’s within our budget,” she said.

The board next meets Oct. 24 at Cheney High School starting at 6:45 p.m. following a community roundtable meeting at 5:30 p.m.

Becky Thomas can be reached at [email protected].