USD 231 Board Briefs

The Board of Education recognized employees who earned the Kansas Service Award. The University of Kansas School of Education and Human Sciences awards Certificates of Service to teachers and administrators who have completed 25 years of service in the field of education. The following USD 231 employees have served in the field of education for 25 years or more:

Edgerton Elementary School
Elizabeth Long, Second Grade

Angelina Herridge, Occupational Therapist

Grand Star Elementary School
Jennifer Becker, English Language Learner Teacher

Nike Elementary School
Christine Byard, Third Grade Teacher

Robbie Smith, Fourth Grade Teacher

Pioneer Ridge Middle School
Tiffany Fanning, Sixth Grade Teacher

Wheatridge Middle School
Robert Pickett, Sixth Grade Teacher

Gardner Edgerton High School
Brett Misse, Counselor

Kristin Sechler, Special Education Teacher

The Board of Education recognized employees who intend to retire at the end of the school year. This year, the Board recognized 30 individuals from across the district, certified and classified staff, who have given, in aggregate, over 596 years of service to our excellent school district. They include:

Edgerton Elementary School
Marilyn Reed, Paraeducator
2011-2022, 11 years

Lisa Reinoehl, Kindergarten Teacher
1992-2022, 30 years

Brenda Schmidtberger, Lead Secretary
2004-2022, 18 years

Gardner Elementary School
Karen Winkler, Paraeducator
2004-2021, 17 years

Grand Star Elementary School
Rosella Billick, Kindergarten Teacher
2008-2022, 15 years

Connie Mikelait, Paraeducator
2016-2021, 5 years

Nike Elementary School
Christa Gipson, Library Media Specialist
1999-2022, 23 years

Pioneer Ridge Middle School
Kevin Collins, Counselor
1993-2022, 29 years

Paul Fibelkorn, Vocal Music Teacher
2002-2021, 19 years

Mary Neal, Paraeducator
2005-2022, 17 years

Monica Perbeck, Bookkeeper/Ath Secretary
2003-2022, 19 years

Tony Peyton, Physical Education Teacher

1995-2022, 27 years

Donna Shearer, Paraeducator
1996-2022, 26 years

Stanley Watchous, Social Studies Teacher
1984-2022, 38 years

David Webb, Assistant Principal
2003-2022, 19 years

Trail Ridge Middle School
Jeanette LaFalce, Nutrition Services Assistant
2001-2022, 21 years

Kim Loring, Counselor
1992-2022, 30 years

Wheatridge Middle School
Darcy Mikesich, Counselor
1999-2022, 23 years

Robert Pickett, Sixth Grade Teacher
2015-2022, 7 years

Gardner Edgerton High School

Cynthia Bettge, At-Risk Teacher
1992-2022, 30 years

Karla Eggleston, Paraeducator
1999-2022, 23 years

Kent Muyskens, Science Teacher
2017-2022, 5 years

Thane Nonamaker, Mathematics Teacher
1995-2022, 27 years

Curtis Pahls, Mathematics Teacher
2015-2022, 7 years

Becky Pyle, Counseling Secretary
2001-2022, 21 years

Barb Wright, Registrar
1998-2022, 24 years

Michael Zegers, Forensics/Debate Teacher
2004-2022, 18 years

Terry Zerr, Business Teacher
2004-2022, 18 years

Administrative Offices
Bruce Kracl, Director of Operations
2015-2022, 7 years

District
Donald Hare, Maintenance
2000-2022, 22 years

Christi Whitter, Director of Elementary Educational Services, provided an overview of this summer's "Kick-Start" program designed to assist students that have gaps in learning. The focus will be to assist students by refreshing academic and social skills prior to the first day of school.

The slide deck for the presentation can be found HERE.

Safety and Security Committee. Dr. Sutton reviewed information that had been requested by the Board of Education as it related to the formation of a Safety and Security Committee. The district currently has a Safety Committee who's work is primarily focused on workplace safety (use of ladders, reporting injuries, etc.). The district also has a Crisis Team (school safety, intruders, etc.).

The Board agreed a work session may be necessary to move forward with the development of this committee as well as a restructuring of the current committee system.

December 2021 KASB Recommended Policy Updates. Slight changes were made to the KASB-recommended policy GAAD (Child Abuse Policy) which addressed allowing officers in uniform to interact with students when investigating child abuse. The Board agreed with these changes.

Policy Pertaining to School Board Vacancies. Dr. Sutton provided a recommendation related to the procedures for selecting new board members in the instance of a vacancy. The Board agreed to this practice:

“The Board of Education (BOE) shall follow current statutory provisions regarding vacancies of the BOE. Should statute permit, the Board shall request applications, review all applications by the Board or an appointed committee of the Board. A selected number of applicants shall be selected by the Board or committee and interviewed by the Board. Following the interviews and any other background information deemed necessary by the Board, a candidate will be selected to fill the vacancy.”

Amy Droegemeier, Director of Nutrition Services, presented information related to school meal prices. The approved meal prices can be found below:

Breakfast

Full price elementary student $1.55
Full price middle school student $1.65
Full price high school student $1.65
Reduced price student (all levels) FREE
Full price adult / visitor meal $2.35 (up $0.10 from 21-22)

Lunch

Full price elementary student $2.85
Full price middle school student $2.90
Full price high school student $3.00
Reduced price student (all levels) $0.40 (set by USDA)
Full price adult/visitor meal $4.25 (up $0.25 from 21-22)

Milk

A la carte / extra milk $0.60 (up $0.05 from 21-22)

This item was tabled until June 2022.

The district’s current policy states that every administrator (after the initial first four years) will be evaluated at least annually. The administration’s past and current practice was/is to evaluate directors as required in the first four years, then move to evaluations at least once every three years. Building principals are evaluated annually. The Board agreed that district administrators should be evaluated at least once, annually - which is the current practice.

Dr. Sutton reviewed information related to district bonds and the board agreed that a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) be created and send to various firms. This is being done to ensure the district saves the most amount of money with the district's bonds, past and future.

Dr. Sutton shared information related to the district's educational foundation. The foundation was created in 2019 and then fell dormant during the pandemic. Dr. Sutton plans to meet with a firm that invests foundation funds in order to obtain additional guidance and recommendations.

• 5.1 - 5.4 - Approved Consent Agenda consisting of: Minutes of the regular meeting held on April 4, 2022, and special meeting on April 19, 2022; Financial Statements; Approval of carpet replacement bid at Wheatridge Middle School; and Approval of Claims.
• 8.3 - Approved GAAD Child Abuse Policy updated for May 2, 2022.
• 8.4 - Approved School Board Vacancy Policy (BZ).
• 9.1 - Approved paid meal prices for 2022-23 school year as presented.
  
• 9.9 - Approved personnel report.

A Special Meeting will be held on Monday, May 9, 2022 - 6:30 p.m. USD 231 budgeting is the slated agenda topic.

The regularly scheduled June board meeting will take place on Monday, June 6, 2022 - 6:00 p.m.