BERNE — Interest in agriculture at Berne-Knox-Westerlo is growing like corn in August.

Michaela Kehrer, the district’s agricultural science teacher and Future Farmers of America advisor, spoke to the school board Monday night about the fledgling FFA program and agriculture science courses. She was accompanied by a group of her students and chapter members, who spoke about the program after its running for half a year.

Courses in agriculture science touch on a variety of other sciences, such as biology, engineering, and physics, Kehrer said. When interviewing students about what courses would most interest them, she said that pre-veterinary studies and wilderness navigation were chosen.

Kehrer hopes an ag course can be taught in the eighth grade as an option instead of Earth science and that courses can be taught in the high school through the Career and Technical Education program or with the State University of New York College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill.

Her students also talked about job shadowing and internship opportunities. Kaley Reynolds Flynn, a junior, described how she took a course in equine science, and was just recently offered a job involving breeding thoroughbred racehorses; she said her classes helped prepare her for this work. She also was offered an internship with a wildlife veterinarian where she would travel for a month in Alaska.

Morgan Leatham, a senior, doesn’t want to become a farmer or a veterinarian, but instead will go to school this coming fall for nursing. But she said the program had also benefited her in many ways.

With some assistance from her parents, who work for agricultural divisions in the state and federal government, Leatham helped the BKW program secure a grant for a greenhouse. Kehrer said that technology students are currently building raised beds inside, and that she hopes her students as well as elementary school students will use it.

Kehrer and her students discussed coursework that included visiting a horse farm and hearing from a variety of guest speakers, such as a veterinarian, an Environmental Conservation Officer, a State Trooper who works witha trained dog, and local farmers.

She said that students also attended SUNY Cobleskill’s competition “High School Days,” and that they hope to attend the Capital Region “Envirothon” competition.

FFA

The FFA club takes place in the classroom in the midst of agriculture classes, said Kehrer. Amber Gebe, the chapter president, said club members meet twice a month, and the officers meet once a month.

Their chapter has worked with chapters from both the Greenville and Schoharie school districts; they even held a bonfire in November, she said. They have participated in leadership events, and are maintaining the U’hai trail behind the school.

In May, there will be career-building and job-shadowing opportunities for the members, said Kehrer, and students are also able to apply for scholarships as FFA members.

Liz Lendrum, a sophomore, discussed a project she had been working on in class, helping on her family’s farm. She described it as challenging, but also interesting, opening her mind to the possibilities of what she can do in the future.

Kehrer concluded that she has worked with great students, faculty, and staff. She added that the subject of agriculture will always remain relevant.

“Agriculture is here … the population is going to be 9 billion by 2050,” she said, noting that food production will be a much-needed industry.

Policy changes

Also at its Monday meeting, the board revised some of its policies. The changes included specifying how the public is notified of meetings and including the board president along with the superintendent as someone who will prepare the meeting agenda.

The agenda format was also updated to include new items such as board members’ comments; “unfinished business,” referring to items that were tabled or require further work or research; and future dates of importance.

Board President Matthew Tedeschi asked that “future dates of importance”  apply only to board-related events, rather than holidays or events like Parent-Teacher Association meetings that the board has no control over scheduling.

The board also approved changes that address technology use by students and staff.

Other business

In other business, the board:

— Viewed a presentation from BKW Transportation Director Amy Santandrea. She said that the department in this school year has created a new form to register those who have parental permission to pick a student up from the bus, created bus passes for athletes who ride home later in the day, and moved emergency drills to the afternoon so that all students must participate.

Santandrea also said that the department is considering options to reduce the number of students who cross the road when exiting the bus, and possibly reducing the number of years a vehicle is used before being replaced;

— Approved an increase in the rate paid to substitutes who are retired teachers, from $100 a day to $110 a day, with the hope that it will encourage more substitutes, particularly those living locally, to work as substitutes for the district;

— Discussed an upcoming after-school program. Elementary school principal Annette Landry said that there had been an “overwhelming” number of students signing up, about 47 in total, prompting Mundell to suggest capping the number of participants at 30 and choosing students through a lottery. Mundell said that the school could only accommodate that many with the staff it could afford; and

— Discussed plans for establishing full-day pre-kindergarten through the Head Start program through the United States Department of Health.