Superintendent Mike Looney's short-term improvement plan for the Butler County School System is nearing completion, he told the Board of Education during its first meeting of the new year on Thursday night.

Looney said 13 out of the 21 objectives he wanted to achieve for the school year have been completed. The ones remaining, he said, are just a few steps away from being finished.

&#8220We're working very diligently to complete the process,” he said.

And teachers, parents and students have responded to the improvements, said Looney.

A college assistance program, said Special Services Director Gerry Adair, has drawn positive reaction from parents. She reported that 75 percent of all high school seniors and their parents in Butler County had worked with Program Specialist Regina Eggleston this year. The program is designed to assist students with financial aid for college.

&#8220There's not a day goes by where a parent has told me they wished they had had a college assistance program in school,” she said.

Other objectives, said Looney, will require additional attention. For example, he said schools still need substitute bus drivers.

&#8220 We had zero to start with,” he said. &#8220Now we're up to five, but we need 10.”

But all objectives, Looney said, weren't met with favor.

&#8220We removed all deep fried foods from the schools. I don't think the children liked that too much,” Looney said. &#8220But that was state mandated.”

In other business, the board:

n Approved a contract for Carol Teague to remain principal at W.O. Parmer Elementary School.

n Approved a parent involvement policy as required by No Child Left Behind.

n Approved a request for permission to advertise for bids for the school bus parking lot at R.L. Austin Elementary School in Georgiana.

n Reported on bids received for a project to add restroom facilities to McKenzie High School's gymnasium. The low bid received was $338,915, but Looney asked that the board look into building a new gymnasium at McKenzie in the future because the current facility does not meet standards as set by the Alabama High School Athletic Association.

n Approved a request to sell school bus No. 93-64 as surplus property to the Greenville YMCA for $700.

n Elected board member Terry Williams as president of the board for 2006. Elected board member Billy Jones as vice-president.