The USD 410 Board met on Monday, March 13 and the bulk of the meeting was spent in executive session regarding personnel. After almost an hour of executive sessions, the board took the following actions:
- placed band director Bruce Major on paid administrative leave for the remainder of the 2022-2023 school year. No additional comments or explanations were given.
- approved the issuance of a contract to Dustin Dalke to serve as Hillsboro High School Assistant Golf Coach for the 2022 – 2023 school year.
- approved the issuance of a contract to Bailey Kaufman to serve as Hillsboro Middle/High School Assistant Track Coach for the 2022 – 2023 school year.
- approved the issuance of a contract to Wes Shaw to serve as Hillsboro Middle/High School Assistant Track Coach for the 2022-2023 school year.
- approved the issuance of a supplemental contract to Kyle Kroeker to serve as Hillsboro High School Head Boys’ Basketball Coach for the 2023 – 2024 school year.
- approved the issuance of a supplemental contract to Rustyn Kerbs to serve as Hillsboro Middle School Head Boys’ Basketball Coach for the 2023 – 2024 school year.
- approved the issuance of a supplemental contract to David Loewen Sr. to serve as Hillsboro Middle School Assistant Boys’ Basketball coach for the 2023 – 2024 school year.
- approved the resignation of Amy Clements from her position at Hillsboro Elementary School Title I Teacher effective at the end of the 2022 – 2023 school year.
The board also approved a proposal for Technology Excellence in Education Network (TEEN) Schools Recruiting Teachers Proposal.
Superintendent Clint Corby explained that the goal of the proposal is to promote teaching as a career and to recruit high-quality teachers back to their graduating district or neighboring TEEN Consortium district. The TEEN schools in the consortium are Herington, Centre, Marion, Hillsboro and Peabody.
“Across the board, schools have multiple openings. So we’ve had multiple conversations about what we can do as a consortium to draw people in and get them to come back to, if not their hometown, at least their hometown area. The thought process is that it gives us more options,” said Corby. “I think it directly aligns with the mission of what the City of Hillsboro does in terms of wanting to get our folks to come back. And with the complete lack of applicants we have for every position that we post, we have to do something different.”
He explained that the proposal offers an incentive if a student returns back to their graduating district within three years of obtaining their teaching degree, they will receive up to a $10,000 stipend from that district. The stipend will be paid in two payments, $5,000 at the conclusion of their first year of teaching in the district and $5,000 at the conclusion of their second year of teaching in the district.
If the student returns back to a TEEN Consortium district that is not their graduating district within three years of obtaining their teaching degree, they will receive up to a $5,000 stipend from that district. The stipend will be paid in two payments, $2,500 at the conclusion of their first year of teaching in the district and $2,500 at the conclusion of their second year of teaching in the district.
Corby also said that if the student returns back to their graduating district within three years of obtaining their teaching degree and moves to another TEEN Consortium district for their second year of teaching, then they will receive up to a $7,500 stipend. $5,000 at the conclusion of their first year of teaching and $2,500 at the conclusion of their second year of teaching.
If the student returns back to a TEEN Consortium district that is not their graduating district within three years of obtaining their teaching degree and moves to their graduating district for their second year of teaching, then they will receive up to a $7,500 stipend. $2,500 at the conclusion of their first year of teaching and $5,000 at the conclusion of their second year of teaching.
If the student returns back to a TEEN Consortium district that is not their graduating district within three years of obtaining their teaching degree and moves to another TEEN Consortium district that also is not their graduating district, then they will receive up to a $5,000 stipend. $2,500 at the conclusion of their first year of teaching and $2,500 at the conclusion of their second year of teaching.
“So essentially they are committed to two years, but the idea is that once someone comes to work here, they generally want to stay. The proposal allows us to compete with those initial salaries of Wichita and Kansas City,” said Corby. “Our retention rates are fantastic. Once we get a teacher, they stay. We have a great school system and a great community and once people get here they realize that.”
Corby stated that the funds would come out of the reserve rather than the general fund.
The board approved the proposal.
In other business, the board:
- approved April 24 as a day off school for students and a paid day off for all USD 410 staff in honor of Hillsboro Elementary School receiving the ESEA Distinguished School Award
- set a special meeting at 5 p.m. at the USD 410 District Office.
- approved the purchase of updated curriculum supplies and equipment from Project Lead The Way (PLTW) for a total cost of $28,910.25. Corby explained to the board that the PLTW program contributes to higher test scores and is worth the additional cost.
- learned that Elanor Klenda was hired as a TEEN Virtual academy teacher for the remainder of the 2022-2023 school year and heard TEEN updates.
- heard an update from the Marion County Special Education Cooperative Board.
