The Goessel school board met on July 10 and voted on annual appointments. Kelly Booton will continue as president of the board with Ben Schrag asvice president. Pat Flaming and Bryant Miller will continue as Kansas Association of School Boards representatives, and Maynard Knepp will continue as the Goessel representative for the Marion County Special Education Cooperative. Schrag and Kyle Funk will be meet and confer representatives.
The board also reviewed and approved the consent agenda, which included appointing personnel to various positions. Bonnie Gaeddert will be the freshman class sponsor. Joni Smith will continue as board clerk, with Libby Schrag and Missy Wonders as the alternate clerks. Leslie Duerksen will be the district treasurer. Brian Bina of Karstetter and Klenda will continue as the school board attorney. The official school district spokesperson will be Superintendent Mark Crawford or Booton.
Regular board meetings will be the second Monday of the month at 7 p.m. in the board room at the grade school. The board adopted the usual 1,116-hour school year.
The board set meal prices for the 2023-2024 school year. Preschool through high school breakfast will cost $2.00 (reduced price: 30 cents). Lunch for preschool through grade 5 will be $3.10, grades 6-12 $3.30, and reduced: 40 cents. Seconds for grades one through 12 will be 55 cents for milk, 60 cents for a roll, and $1.60 for the entree. Breakfast for adults will cost $2.75, and lunch will be $4.20.
The rate for student fees will be as follows — preschool and kindergarten books and materials: $30, book rental for grades 1-5: $40, PE skate fee: $7, and elementary yearbook: $14.
Junior high and high school student fees were also set — book rental: $45, art: $15/semester, high school nutrition/wellness: $15/semester, food science: $15/semester, culinary essentials: $15/semester, principles of illustration: $15, photo imaging: $15, floral land design: $20, calculator: $15, high school chemistry (goggles): $6, animal science: $20, agricultural mechanics: $30, physics: $20, freshman health/physical education: $7, band: $10, choir: $10, Elbiata: $10, laptop computer (optional for high school students to take home): $25.
Turning their attention to another matter, the board viewed enrollment projections for the 2023-2024 school year. Current numbers show 14 students for kindergarten, 1st grade: 13, 2nd grade: 20, 3rd grade: 15, 4th grade, 20, 5th grade: 24, 6th grade: 21, 7th grade: 25, 8th grade: 19, freshmen: 26, sophomores: 23, juniors: 23, and seniors: 26, for a total of 269. Current enrollment projections for preschool include 26 students, which increases the student count to 295.
In other business, the board:
* approved a 3% raise for certified teaching staff.
* held a special board meeting on June 13. At that meeting, the board approved Derek Webb as the 4th grade teacher and Nathan Graber as agriculture teacher.
* heard about open positions for paras at both buildings. The assistant preschool teacher position has not been filled yet either.
* approved an agreement with Prairie View for a clinical therapist and a case manager.
* approved athletic trainer services from Newton Medical Center Health Orthopedic and Sports Specialists. The trainer will come on Wednesdays.
* discussed at-risk funding and encouraged families to fill out the free and reduced lunch form. The textbook fee will be waived for families that qualify for free and reduced lunches. Crawford noted that last year the school received $62,000 in at-risk funding.
* approved $1,000 for the Goessel Community Foundation’s sidewalk project, noting that part of the sidewalk will go through school property and will benefit the school. Crawford noted: “I think this will be a nice addition.”
* heard about maintenance projects and roofing work.
* heard about the recent financial audit. Crawford said Smith did an excellent job. “We feel good about our cash balances,” he said.
