DeKalb High School will begin the task of figuring out exactly what the phrase “core values” means to the school.

An administrative race task force presented recommendations on how to address racial tensions at DeKalb High School, 1515 S. Fourth St., during the Jan. 18 school board meeting.

Principal Larry Stinson detailed actions to be taken on the recommendations at Tuesday night’s school board work session.

The 15 recommendations have been divided into five categories, Stinson said. The categories are core values, curriculum, discipline, athletics and policies.

Each category will be addressed by a separate committee made up of students, parents and teachers, he said.

The first committee, core values, will begin work this week.

“[The committee] will meet twice a week through February, gathering information as we go,” Stinson said.

Some board members were concerned they were not given adequate time to discuss the recommendations.

“We haven’t had any dialogue about this,” board member Tia Robinson said. “We haven’t said ‘these are our expectations.’”

Board Vice President Suzanne Lambrecht agreed with Robinson.

The meeting did not include expected discussion on the specific recommendations of the task force, Lambrecht said.

In other business the board received an update on the progress of Clinton Rosette Middle School’s, 650 N. First St., School Improvement Plan.

“Our goals and activities were a continuation of what had worked in the past,” Clinton Rosette Principal Sheila Conrad said.

The plan stated the goals as improving student reading and writing skills and improving the overall climate of the school through reduced disciplinary referrals.

“Reading had to be our number one priority,” Conrad said.