The Goessel school board heard Superintendent John Fast report at the Nov. 11 meeting that the Goessel Ministerial Alliance, comprised of local pastors, ?literally buys hundreds of dollars worth of school supplies for our school children.?
Tables had been loaded with school supplies before school began, Fast said. The ministerial alliance bought more supplies when those were gone.
The board expressed appreciation to the alliance for its assistance to those children who might not have adequate supplies without help from the alliance.
The ministerial alliance invited the public to a Thanksgiving celebration Nov. 17, with a meal and a program. Music would be provided by Elbiata, the Goessel High School singing group, and the Unruly Rascals.
Bids delayed
The school board met for a special meeting Oct. 29 to meet with Josh Walker of Loyd Builders. The plan had been to approve a list of bidders at the meeting.
However, even though sub-contractors had shown much interest when they visited the site, an inadequate number of bids were submitted. Walker said the bidders were interested, but they could not fit the project into the proposed timeline; they were already scheduled for the rest of this calendar year.
Consequently, Walker recommended asking for bids again later, with work to begin March 1. Walker said most of the work would occur in the months that school is not in session and would be completed in fall.
?Our ultimate goal is to get a quality facility and improvements…at the price our patrons approved,? said Dan Miller, board president.
As for waiting for bids, he added, ?If this means we need to be patient…then?then we will be patient.?
Walker said that in the meantime, work will begin to move utilities. The old metal shop building can also be removed.
The board was able to approve three bids at the Nov. 11 regular meeting. They approved the Funk Electric bid for electrical demolition and construction, McPherson Wrecking for the metal building, and Steven Construction to relocate the sewer line.
Board member Maynard Knepp asked, ?What happens to the demolition material??
Fast said McPherson Wrecking will salvage what it can.
City contract
The board also approved a contract with the city for sewer maintenance. Rather than rerouting the sewer line to accommodate the new construction, which would be quite expensive, Fast said working with the city for sewer maintenance would be a better option.
The city plans to continue regular maintenance as it has been doing. However, if the city?s equipment cannot reach far enough under the school building for maintenance or for emergency repair, the school will pay to hire someone for that work; that will not be the city?s responsibility.
New teacher presentation
The board heard a presentation by new teacher Alyssa Kroeker, who teaches high school math. Kroeker said her grandmother, Lillian Unruh Voth, attended school at Goessel and is delighted Kroeker is teaching here now.
Kroeker grew up in Hess?ton and attended Tabor College. She taught at Great Bend for three years. Then she and her husband found teaching jobs in this area.
?We?re loving it,? she said.
Kroeker?s husband teaches and coaches basketball at Remington High School.
?I really enjoy helping people and teaching people,? Kroeker said. ?Math was my favorite subject.?
Asked how she helps students, Kroeker said, ?One thing that helps the most is a positive relationship. That helps with motivation a lot.?
Board member Dan Miller affirmed her work. Kroeker also is the junior high girls? volleyball coach.
Other business
In other business, the board:
? heard from Fast that the district had ?excellent participation in our parent/teacher conferences,? with nearly 100 percent at every grade level.
? heard that third-grade teacher Dale Wiens plans to host his annual Grand?parents Day Tuesday, Nov. 26, for his students. Grand?parents come to school for the morning and for lunch. Fast said they experience what school is like now and tell the students what school was like for them.
Fast said 40 to 50 grandparents usually come.
? heard from Scott Boden, junior high/high school principal, about student involvement in winter sports.
He said the junior high girls? basketball team has 27 players and four managers. The junior high boys? basketball team has 17 players and three managers.
At the high school level, the girls? basketball team has 22 players and four or five managers, while the boys team has 20 players, two managers and two statisticians.
? approved a contract for Tom Zogelman as assistant junior high boys? basketball coach. Fast said he has been a substitute teacher at Goessel for three years. He has three children in district schools.
Board member Darla Meysing said, ?He?s a good teacher. The kids like when he?s a sub.?
? approved an out-of-state trip to Family Career and Community Leaders of America ?cluster? meetings in Nebraska Nov. 22 to 24.
Four students presented their case and asked to use the school?s white Suburban. FCCLA sponsor Gina Bergin said, ?The students are paying their own expenses.?
? heard from Fast that the entire grade school will attend a free jazz concert for young people at Bethel College Nov. 21.
? heard Boden commend the students who participated in fall sports. He said Scholars? Bowl competition is under way. Community service activities are planned for Nov. 26. The high school play is called ?The Election.?
? heard there likely will be changes in state assessments.
? approved continuing membership with Educa?tional Services and Staff Development Association of Central Kansas. Fast said ESSDACK offers in-service training, group health insurance, technology support, crisis team service, career and technical training, and e-rate services, plus many others.
?They?ve done extremely well,? Fast said, expressing appreciation for the services. He said ESSDACK offices are in the Hutchinson mall.
? heard the Marion County Special Education Cooperative report from board member Kelly Booton. He said the MCSEC board heard a presentation on early childhood education.
More progress has been made on more areas of the MCSEC building. The sprinkler system has been removed, and preparations are being made for winter.
? heard from Fast that Goessel has three students in the county?s Oasis program. For many years, Goessel did not have students in that program.
?The need is going up in the county,? Fast said, adding that Ann Thiessen makes three trips to Marion and Hillsboro every day for the special services for students. Fast commended Thiessen for her work.
? was encouraged to attend Kansas Association of School Boards meetings Dec. 7 and 8 in Wichita.
? approved a letter of intent to work with Knud?sen, Monroe & Co. again. Fast said, ?They do excellent work for us.? This past year, the company?s auditing services cost $9,000.
? heard from Meysing that The Learning Consor?tium is functioning as usual.
? heard there will be no school Nov. 27 to 29 for Thanksgiving break.
Goessel board recognizes ministerial aid
