Ten fun things the Joplin R-8 Board is spending your tax money on

In November, when the Joplin R-8 Board of Education wanted to figure out what it was doing right, it naturally turned to the Missouri School Boards Association, took some surveys and did some reflection on how it could improve its performance.

Apparently, that type of help is not covered by the school district's MSBA dues. The Board is scheduled to approve the payment of $475 for "MSBA Self-Evaluation Surveys" when it meets Tuesday night.

The MSBA met with the board during a special session and the board left that meeting feeling it needed to communicate better with the public.

Many members of the public could have offered the board members that advice and saved the taxpayers $475.

Some other fun expenditures the board is scheduled to approve:

-$32.22 for Food for the Coaches (Teaching/Learning Coaches) Retreat

-$40 for kaleidoscopes for the Coaches Retreat.

-$910 for Kiwanis International dues

-$245 to Burrito Concepts for food for the Bright Futures Leadership Academy

-$137.95 to the Red Onion Cafe for meal for Board of Education meeting

-$388.45 for a baked potato salad bar for a Board of Education work session

-$1,000 to Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce for Leadership Joplin

--$5,418.92 to Target for "various Christmas needs" for Bright Futures

-$2,528.52 to Wal-Mart for "various Christmas needs" for Bright Futures