Goessel board welcomes re-elected incumbents

ORIGINALLY WRITTEN CYNTHIA GOERZEN
Goessel superintendent Chet Roberts told the school board at the April 14 meeting that all four school board incumbents were re-elected by a landslide.

The four were Maynard Knepp, Dan Miller, Richard Drake and Mary Rosfeld. The other school board members are Lynel Unrau, Lynette Duerksen and Dewayne Voth.

Elementary school principal John Fast shared a letter he had received from Alexa Pochowski, assistant commissioner of the Kansas State Department of Education.

“Congratulations to you, your staff, and community on the excellent performance your students attained on the 2001-2002 state assessments,” Pochowski wrote.

This high level is only attained by a small percentage of schools. According to Pochowski, 81 out of 860 schools attained the “high level of achievement” in fifth-grade reading, 27 out of 523 schools in eighth-grade reading, 29 out of 390 schools in 11th-grade reading, 176 out of 860 schools in fourth-grade math, 46 out of 523 schools in seventh-grade math, 26 out of 390 schools in 10th grade math, 82 out of 860 schools in fifth-grade writing, 46 out of 523 schools in eighth-grade writing, and 30 out of 390 schools in 11th-grade writing.

Fast reported the two sixth-grade robotics teams participated in the Wichita State University Mindstorms competition March 15. Both Goessel teams came home with trophies. One team finished in second-place overall, and the other team finished third.

One Goessel team also won first place in oral presentation and judges choice award for one of the “missions.” The other Goessel team also won a judges’ choice award. John Fast and Karl Brubaker were the Goessel coaches.

Fast also said Goessel students placed first, second and third in all three divisions of the Marion County Farm Bureau Safety Poster Contest.

Junior/senior high school principal Stuart Holmes commended junior high Quiz Bowl coach Bruce Stucky and his students. The seventh-grade team placed third and the eighth-grade first in league competition.

Goessel’s representative at the state spelling bee in Topeka placed 23rd out of the 105 counties represented.

Holmes said the high school agricultural mechanics team placed first in electrical systems, the environmental systems team placed second, and the mechanics team placed fourth at the district FFA competition.

Goessel students brought home the second place plaque overall and will compete at the state level at the end of April. Justin Schrag is the teacher.

Holmes also reported junior high students came home with 22 “I” ratings and six “2” ratings, while high school students earned 24 “I’s” and five “II’s” at regional competition.

According to Holmes, five Goessel students received honorable mention for basketball in the Wichita Eagle and Hutchinson News.

The school board spent considerable time discussing a request to include wrestling as a school sport. The board finally approved by a 5-2 vote a motion by Knepp to have a cooperative wrestling agreement with Hillsboro schools.

Board chairman Lynel Unrau said, “What looks on the surface to be an easy decision is not that easy.”

The board also discussed, but made no decision, on a request for adding debate as a school activity. Roberts said Goessel has not had a debate program since 1971.

Holmes said debate requires a “tremendous time commitment for the kids. It’s real difficult for kids at a school this size…. It’s a great activity, but it’s a challenge.”

Holmes will check to see how many students are interested in debate, and Roberts will check with other schools. He said Remington and Moundridge in the Heart of America League offer debate.

Holmes reported the following change for the student handbook: “Once at school, students are to remain in the building unless they are directly supervised by a teacher or directly in front of the southeast doors during high school lunch. Students may not go outside and/or to their vehicles without direct supervision or permission from the office once the school day begins.”

Holmes said three lunch supervisors are assigned for each day, and one is assigned to the southeast door-that’s why that area was chosen as a place students are allowed to go during their lunch break.

Holmes also said seniors are allowed two college visits that must be approved in advance by the counselor and principal. He said this has been the practice for years, but it had not been stated in writing in the handbook.

In other business:

The board accepted the resignation of Haley Abbot, junior high English teacher, who plans to move to Phoenix. Unrau expressed appreciation for Abbot’s teaching and successful eighth-grade play.

The board also accepted the resignation of Crysta Guhr as assistant high school girls’ basketball coach. Unrau expressed appreciation for her coaching.

Gary Duerksen resigned as treasurer and Unrau thanked him for his four years of service.

The board unanimously approved the appointment of Stacy King as cheerleading sponsor. King will be a sophomore at Wichita State University next year and lives in Newton. Holmes said she received excellent recommendations.

The board accepted a scholarship donation from Ken Selzer, a Goessel High School graduate. Roberts expressed appreciation for Selzer’s generosity.

The board also accepted a donation for books from Ron and Patsy Dirksen.

Fast reported on his doctoral program work and noted, “I’m getting a lot of broad experiences.” As part of his course work he has studied consolidation.

Fast reported that the K-3 musical is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. May 1. It will include a medley of children’s songs from nursery rhymes.

Holmes said the video “Just Call Me Crash” was shown to junior and senior high school students April 4. The video encourages students to think about the consequences of drinking and driving.

Roberts said curtain replacement is now completed, and the high school door-replacement project is done. Work on the football fence should begin Wednesday or Thursday.

Roberts listed projects that need to be addressed: music instruments need repair, some computers need to be replaced, and the graphic arts department needs a computer.

The board discussed hiring a pianist accompanist for next year but made no decision.

Nancy Thomas, Marion County Extended Learning program teacher, and Mary Rosfeld, Goessel’s para educator, described the gifted program. Fourteen Goessel students are enrolled in the program.

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