The Goessel school board met Nov. 13 and listened as Scott Boden, junior high/ high school principal, read excerpts of three letters he had received in support of Goessel’s volleyball and football teams and coaches and the music department.
The first letter was from a “Valley Heights fan” who watched the Goessel volleyball team play at the State 2A tournament. The letter was written to the “Volleyball team, Coaches, Community.”
The fan wrote: “Congratulations on a great wow year! I know lots of hours of work and focus went into such a great season. The final scores may have said you took second at state, but in many of our eyes you took first—you were the winners in the lessons you can learn and be proud of in team sports—play hard, play together, show sportsmanship-like conduct on and off the court, act professional… and when the season is over, go on knowing in ‘the big picture’ you were created and designed to do and give lots more than sports in the ‘game of life!’”
The writer went on to express best wishes for the remainder of the school year.
Boden noted that volleyball Coach Crysta Guhr was named 2A Coach of the Year, and three Goessel volleyball players were named to the volleyball honor team.
Boden also shared a card commending the Goessel football team, signed by many people from Central Plains High School. Goessel football players had participated in a plan to allow a Central Plains student with disabilities to make a touchdown. That had been a dream of the student, and the school commended the Goessel players for their sportsmanship in allowing that to happen.
Boden shared excerpts from a third letter commending the Goessel music department for the recent concert.
Vice-president Maynard Knepp said, “We really do appreciate that.” He said Boden and John Fast, elementary principal and superintendent, go to “all these events.” He mentioned the “amazing accomplishments” and thanked all the staff who “work so hard for our students.”
Turning its attention to the recent parent-teacher conferences, the board heard of excellent participation: Fast said the elementary school had 100 percent participation.
“Every grade level classroom teacher was able to have contact with each child’s parent or parents,” Fast said. Boden reported that 98 percent of junior high/high school students had parents at the conferences.
Other business
In other business, the board:
• listened to the comments of three parents. Marc Knowles mentioned concerns about volleyball.
Angie Duerksen mentioned a picture that she felt was “unethical.” She also expressed appreciation for Fast’s support during her two years as a speech-language pathologist at Goessel.
Kristy Turner expressed sadness that the school is losing a great coach and teacher. The parents did not mention the name of the teacher/coach. Television personnel from KWCH and KSN were present at the meeting.
• met in executive session. In open session, the board accepted the resignation of Patrick Loganbill.
• amended basketball supplemental contracts. The board voted to approve Kyle Huxman as the high school boys second assistant coach, Brian Lightner as the high school girls second assistant coach, and Brittany Hiebert as the junior high boys assistant coach.
• heard of recent accomplishments in cross country, Scholars Bowl, and Kansas Music Educator’s Association district band and choir auditions.
• heard participation numbers for basketball: 23 junior high girls, 29 junior high boys, 23 high school girls, 23 high school boys.
• heard from Boden that high school basketball players are again connecting with younger students as buddies and role models. Goessel Recreation Commission also will be involved.
• heard that the school’s food drive would begin right after Thanksgiving for the Tabor Mennonite Church Food Pantry.
• heard high school students had attended a Career Expo in Hutchinson Nov. 8.
• heard that junior high and high school teachers are setting goals in the area of family engagement.
• briefly viewed the school’s old scanning machine that had been used for more than 20 years and didn’t work well anymore; it was obsolete, and parts are no longer available for that machine. Fast showed the new scanning machine that had been purchased recently. Knepp expressed appreciation that the new machine had been purchased.
• heard that board member Kyle Funk had attended the recent Marion County Special Education Cooperative meeting.
• approved an “engagement letter” for the auditing services of Knudson and Monroe of Newton. Fast said the school has worked with Knudson and Monroe for 11 years.
“They’ve done good work for us,” he said.
• heard a reminder that the Kansas Association of School Boards annual meeting would be Dec. 2-3.
