In other news, the Medford VFW’s golf outing is set for Oct. 9
Medford Board of Education discusses changing attendance policy
The Medford Board of Education last Monday night discussed changing its position on attendance policy to combat chronic absenteeism.
According to Tom Olson, the school district’s administrative director of programming and planning, the federal government has seen chronic absenteeism at schools become “a growing problem.” The state’s definition of chronic absenteeism is 18 missed days of school.
Olson said all schools must have three “performance indicators,” and two of them must be tests and the percentage of students taking the tests, which must be over 95 percent. For its third performance indicator, Olson said the district will revise its attendance policy to combat chronic absenteeism, however, Olson and the district have yet to determine what the specific revisions will be.
Cops and religious leaders unite
Medford Police Chief Rich Meder introduced the department’s new Police Chaplain program at the town’s council meeting last Monday night. The program is aimed at utilizing the police to connect representatives from local religious institutions with those who are victims of crime and their loved ones.
Meder acknowledged “there are things that we have to handle and there are things that we’re not good at,” referring to the counseling that goes into helping those who are the victims of crime.
Meder feels the religious leaders can help provide “guidance” to those who need it, while the police can focus on police duties.
“We have more of the police duties to do and they can handle some of the spiritual and the social aspects of things that we come across,” he said. “So it’s really a partnership between the churches and the police department to better serve our community and victims that we come across.”
Medford VFW Post 7677 Annual Golf Outing set for Oct. 9
Join the Medford VFW Post 7677 for its Annual Golf Outing. The $95 registration fee covers green fees, a cart, prizes, breakfast and a buffet dinner at the Post. The event takes place on Columbus Day, Oct. 9, at 9:30 a.m. for breakfast at the Medford VFW, then on to The Golden Pheasant Country Club for a noon start.
Contact 609–654–9823 for more information. Just east of Kirby’s Mill.
