GEORGETOWN — The Georgetown-Ridge Farm school board welcomed Illinois State Board of Education member Dr. David Fields on Tuesday who came to present an award.

Pine Crest Elementary teacher Thelma Grave was the recipient of the special recognition direct from the ISBE for her dedicated service to the school and district.

Fields said Illinois has 871 school districts, all with outstanding employees, but too often they go unnoticed. Grave was recommended for the award by Superintendent Kevin Tate and Pine Crest Principal Cindy Gilliland.

“This is a recognition for special service, for all the hats that she wears,” said Gilliland. “She just spends countless hours.”

Grave began as a teacher’s aide and went on to earn her degree. She began the first south county Children at Risk for Education program at Bethel Baptist beginning in 1986 and then moved with it when there was room at Pine Crest.

She has been serving as a developmental kindergarten teacher since 1994, and also is the head teacher at Pine Crest.

Much of her time though is spent in her roles as the Positive Behavior Intervention System building coach, the ASPIRE grant coach and the person in charge of the school’s response to intervention. She fills out a lot of paperwork and facilitates meetings in these roles, but also acts as a cheerleader for the building.

“I’m very proud of her and it is well deserved,” said Gilliland.

Grave said she was really surprised by the award. She just learned of the honor Tuesday night. She also recently won the nomination for Pine Crest Teacher of Year, a Georgetown-Ridge Farm Education Association award.

“You know you always hope that somebody recognizes what you do and now I know,” said Grave. “My heart has always been at Pine Crest and this is just icing on the cake.”

In other business, board members:

-- Approved changes to the Georgetown-Ridge Farm High School and Mary Miller Junior High handbooks.

At the high school, physical education students will now be required to wear T-shirts purchased through the school for $7. Matching shorts also will be available for sale, but will not be a required purchase. Students who do not buy the matching shorts must either wear black, gold, grey or purple shorts.

High school vice principal Terri Tate said the switch to uniforms would give officials more control over what students wear in physical education classes.

“I think it will be something that is beneficial in the long run,” said physical education teacher Jim Mills.

About 220 students will be affected by the uniform change next year, mostly incoming freshman, sophomores and a few juniors and seniors. Administrators said they were one of only a few left in the county that did not have an issued uniform code in place for physical education classes.

Changes to the MMJH handbook were minor. One main change is that once a student misses 12 days of school, a doctor’s excuse will be required for future absences.

-- Approved the 2008-09 school calendar, which will follow the county cooperative calendar except for Veterans Day. Students in the district will not be in school on Veteran’s Day on Nov. 11. Instead, they will make-up the day by attending school the Monday after Easter, which was originally scheduled as a day off for students.

-- Heard a presentation from high school math teacher Esther Rhodes about the nanotechnology class she teaches and the future prospects for the program.

-- Approved the resignations of high school assistant softball coach Danette Williamson, MMJH cross country coach Matt Ryan and high school assistant scholastic bowl coach Alice Corbin.

-- Renewed its membership with the Illinois Association of School Boards for $3,115.

WHAT’S NEXT

The Georgetown-Ridge Farm School Board canceled its next meeting. They will meet next at 7 p.m. June 23 at the superintendent’s office.