The Kimball Board of Education approved stiffening the requirements for high school graduation in future years. The board took this action at their April 13 meeting.The graduating class of 2009 is required to take a third year of science courses. Physical science and biology must be two of the three year’s course work. Previous graduates were required to take only two years of science.A fourth year of social sciences will be required of the 2011 and 2012 graduates. The social science courses will be geography, American history, world history and civics.Only three years of social science are required at present.Students graduating in the 2011 and 2012 years will be required to have 110 credits in elective subjects, compared to 95 for 2009 graduates.Some 240 credits are required for graduation in 2009. This will rise to 260 for the 2011 and 2012 years.Other minor changes occur in the areas of physical education, life skills and computer education.These changes were drafted by Superintendent Troy Unzicker and were approved by a 4-0 board vote. Board member Cornils was absent and excused from the meeting.The board also accepted the resignations of four teachers: Amber Engel second grade, Carrie Hansel resource specialist, Bud Pettigrew (English) and Elaine Riegel science.The resignations of Sharon Williams, Food Service Director, and Patrick Casimiro, custodial staff, were also accepted. Unzicker said several candidates for the food service director position have already been interviewed.High School Principal Eugene Hanks announced that there are eight students enrolled in the GED class and there was 62 percent participation in  the most recent Parent/Teacher conferences.Grade School Principal Robert Alderson said the elementary grade Parent/Teacher conferences were 92 percent attended.In answer to a question from  the Observer, Unzicker said the school district will likely realize about $59,000 of the $71,388 granted the school through the recent American Recovery and Rehabilitation Act. The state will skim the balance off the top.The board approved becoming a partner with the Chamber of Commerce in a Building Entrepreneurial Communities Agreement. This is a program that provides a summer workshop experience for grades 7-9 in organizing, managing and assuming the risks of business.The meeting had opened with a filmed presentation of State FFA Secretary Lauren Perry’s retiring address. It was delivered in the Cornhusker Hotel in Lincoln at a recent state FFA gathering. Perry stressed the importance of reflecting, deciding and starting, with the operative time being now.She is a KHS graduate and is the daughter of board of education member Rick Perry.The meeting ended with a closed session to discuss scholarship applications. No formal action was taken when the board emerged from closed session.Next meeting will be May 11 at 7:30 p.m.