At the July 13 meeting, attended by four of the seven members, contracts for the 2006-07 school year were approved for Krystal Bruce to teach science and Gary Nesser to be district technology director.

At the July 10 meeting, attended by all seven members, the following contracts were approved: E. Gene Green as junior-senior high library aide; Marjorie Morgan as part-time nurse; and Krishyn Caldwell as junior-senior high school secretary and bookkeeper.

In other personnel matters, the board accepted the resignation of Brian Simmonds as head track coach for the junior high, and the other supplemental assignments as presented. It also approved a comparable salary for Les Loucks to oversee the Burns summer weight program.

The board also approved emergency substitute certificates for the coming year to Beth Ethridge, Connie Olmstead, Jim Pohlman, Lorrie Reynolds and Verna Unruh.

The approval of contracts came after consecutive executive sessions with the superintendent and high school administrator totaling 47 minutes to discuss matters regarding non-elected personnel.

The board organized itself for the upcoming school year during its July 10 meeting.

Doe Ann Hague was elected president by a 7-0 vote and Gary Jones was elected vice president by a 6-1 margin.

Also, board members unanimously appointed Thomas Alstrom as superintendent, Sharlene Brooks as clerk and Patti Gaines as treasurer.

In other matters, the board:

-- approved, as part of its consent agenda, the Classified Handbook for the 2006-07 school year, the amended bleacher bids and the superintendent's recommendation to purchase from Century Industries, the reappointment of Beth Peter to a four-year term on the Peabody-Burns Recreation Commission, the bid from Hiland Dairy Foods to provide milk for the food-service program, and the high bid from Douglas Koehn for the sale of a bus.

-- agreed to continue discussing the district's structure and boundaries at its regular August meeting. A new state bill requires local boards to review its districts; if the population within a district is more than 5 percent above or below the mean population of the other districts, boundaries will need to be adjusted.

-- met with the superintendent, high school building administrator and Police Chief Pohlman in a 10-minute executive session to discuss "matters relating to the security of the board, the school, school buildings or facilities or the information system of the school." No action was taken in public session.

-- met with the superintendent in consecutive executive sessions totaling 23 minutes to discuss "acquisition of real property." No action was taken in public session.

-- met with the superintendent and high school building administrator in consecutive executive sessions totaling 28 minutes to discuss "actions adversely or favorably affecting" a student. No action was taken in public session.

-- agreed to change workers compensation insurance coverage to Peoples/Commercial Insurance Group.

-- heard from Hague that auditors report the district is out of compliance on the meal reimbursement issue; the issue will be discussed at negotiations.

-- heard from the board's negotiation team that an agreement with teachers will not be reached until after school is in session.

-- heard Alstrom's report on the following items: cabinets for the family and consumer sciences classroom; the delivery schedule for a new bus; carpet in the elementary school; a roof evaluation by EMC; special-education staffing.

-- designated 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 15, for a catered picnic for district staff. The event will be in the city park.