The Goessel school board met June 9 and approved the hiring of two more teachers: Susan Saunders as the high school math teacher, and Susie Bedford as the family and consumer science teacher.
“That will round out our staff,” Superintendent John Fast said, noting that all teaching positions for the coming school year are now filled. “There are a lot of schools with a lot of open positions.”
Fast said Saunders and her family live in Lehigh, and she is excited about teaching at Goessel. She has been a researcher at Hospira for the past several years and is currently finishing some course work at Wichita State University to renew her teaching certificate. She has been a math teacher and coach in the past.
Fast said Bedford is certified as a FACS teacher, as well as a K-12 counselor and special education teacher. She has taught FACS and special education in the past. She is the mother of Kelli Merritt, who is a special education teacher at Goessel.
Marc Grout, junior/senior high school principal, said that in addition to FACS, Bedford will work with students who are struggling academically. Bedford comes from north central Kansas.
The only supplemental position left to fill is junior class sponsor. Board member Mary Rosfeld thanked Fast and Grout for their hard work in recruiting and hiring teachers.
In other business, the board:
n approved a request from band teacher Mike Connell concerning the Hillsboro parade in conjunction with the Marion County Fair. Since the parade will be earlier this year and a number of students will not be available, Connell asked for the board’s permission to not march in that parade this year.
Fast emphasized that Goessel’s non-participation is not meant as a slight on the county or other schools.
“It’s just a matter of availability of students in July,” he said. “Some of the other schools will not be there either.”
n heard Grout list recent sports accomplishments: the high school golf team placed second May 19 at the Class 1A state golf tournament in Dodge City and the boys’ track team tied for second place in 1A at the state track meet in Wichita. He noted new personal and school records set during the season.
n heard Fast’s report on summer projects that custodian Londell Duerksen has been working on: The third-grade room will receive new carpet, and work is progressing in the nature area.
n heard that elementary teachers Sheri Janzen and Barb Goering will teach summer school, starting July 7. It is scheduled for three weeks, four days a week.
n heard the east driveway project at the high school has begun.
n heard Fast say that the school’s breakfast waiver request had been approved.
n approved a request from Bethesda Home to use the elementary school in case of a major disaster if the Bethesda Home facility is not available.
“We would make every effort to accommodate them the best we can,” Fast said.
n heard Fast report on the recent Marion County Special Education Cooperative meeting he attended. He said the KLASS sessions will be offered at Peabody. He also said the Oasis school had some challenging students and discipline issues. Consequently, the special education board is looking for an administrator or resource person. Oasis does not currently have such a person.
n heard the board’s The Learning Consortium representative, Dewayne Voth, report that the TLC board had its last meeting of the fiscal year. TLC’s organizational meeting for the 2008-09 school year will be in August. Fast said Hesston’s new superintendent would attend the next consortium meeting.
n heard that high school teacher/coach Justin Coup had taken Student Council representatives and athletes to a leadership academy.
n heard that staff training for the new computer management system would begin the next week.
n decided to wait until the July meeting to consider computer technician Lee Buller’s request for more laptop computers, noting that a bus needs to be purchased first.
n heard that the junior high gym project is nearing completion. The new bleachers should arrive in July. The new gym floor has already been used for basketball camps.
n listened to Fast review the month’s expenditures. He noted the $4,000 fuel bill and the $3,300 Westar bill. He said it will cost $1,700 to oil the junior high gym floor. He mentioned the master clock at the high school had been damaged during a recent storm.
n heard business manager Chet Roberts explain various budget items. He said $30,000 had been budgeted for motor fuel the previous year, and $10,000 was left over. Consequently, not as much was budgeted for the 2007-08 school year, but fuel prices increased. Roberts said the annual audit would begin soon.
