USD 410 Board of Educa?tion accepted resignations from two administrators at its April 13 meeting.
Max Heinrichs, Hillsboro High School principal, and Greg Brown, Hillsboro Middle School principal and district activities director, will leave their positions at the end of the school year.
After meeting in executive session with Evan Yoder, Hillsboro Elementary School principal, and Jared Jost, board member-elect, the board approved a contract to hire Robert Rempel as HMS/HHS assistant to the principal and district activities director.
Previously, Rempel was activities director for USD 410 for six years before that position was combined with the HMS principal. This year he has taught business at Hesston High School.
Superintendent Steve Noble said applications for HHS principal will close April 22. A search committee comprised of Noble, a parent, a teacher and BOE member Chad Nowak will interview three to four candidates April 27 and 28. Candidates also will be interviewed by students and site council representatives.
Lori Soo Hoo, coordinator, gave a brief update to the board about the work of Parents as Teachers in Marion County as well as the costs for next year.
In USD 410, 28 families received services, Soo Hoo said, including personal visits, developmental screenings, group connections such as Truck Night in Hillsboro, and resource networking that helps families meet their goals.
She reported PAT of Marion County was chosen to participate in the first cohort of an intensive quality endorsement process.
Because the program is meeting standards, the local PAT was chosen, she said, adding that eventually all PAT programs will be required to go through the evaluation process.
While district families will receive the same level of service by PAT next year, costs to USD 410 will increase by $1,000 because a substantial grant that subsidized services was lost, Soo Hoo said.
Superintendent Steve Noble affirmed PAT for its positive impact on children and families.
Following Soo Hoo?s report, the board approved $9,200 for PAT participation with USD 410 in 2015-16.
The board discussed a recommendation from Noble that the district pay travel expenses to national competition for club sponsors.
Currently, the district provides vehicles for transportation but all other expenses for such events are covered by the organizations.
He suggested those expenses could be funded from Career and Technical Education money.
Consensus by the board indicated the need to clarify qualifying criteria for such a policy. Noble said he would bring a proposal to the board?s next meeting.
Following Noble?s recommendation, the board approved publishing a capital outlay resolution that would make an annual tax levy at a mill rate not to exceed the rate prescribed by statute upon the assessed taxable tangible property. This resolution would provide the board of education up to 8 mills of continuous and permanent capital outlay budget authority.
Noble reported that Technology Excellence in Education Network, a shared video teaching network between five area high schools, has received tentative approval to become a virtual program in Kansas.
?We want to start a virtual program…approved for grades nine through 12 and adults for this year,? Noble said.
Instruction would be delivered by TEEN teachers using Edgenuity, a research-based video course curriculum, he said.
?Our goal is to expand our enrollment statewide and provide a solid teacher-supported virtual program for all students,? Noble said, adding that the idea would be TEEN becomes self-sufficient.
The proposed program would bring in additional funding that is based on the number of hours students are online?$5,000 per full-time virtual student, Noble said, which would be ?on top of brick-and-mortar? (traditional) students.
The block grant from the state only counts toward brick-and-mortar schools, he added.
?Virtual funding is a racket,? Noble said. ?But we might as well get some of that money for our kids, so we?re going to go for it.?
The board took first steps by approving motions to close its current affiliation with ESSDACK Virtual Learning Program and for USD 410 to join the TEEN Virtual Academy for College and Career Readiness.
Other business
In other business, the board:
? approved an out-of-state trip to Dallas for TSA qualifiers to attend a national competition.
? approved disposal of a 1995 Ford van to David Orcutt at the high bid of $411.
? approved disposal of two timpani drums from HHS/HMS band room.
? approved demo, disposal and site prep for the HES north playground area by Dalke Construction at $18,900.
? approved $158,730 to Athco / Landscape Struc?tures for installation of all equipment and surfacing in the HES north playground.
?I think this is something we need to get going on this,? Noble said.
He said about $118,000 has been raised for the project, and the playground committee is still waiting to hear whether it will be awarded the KDHE grant of $50,000.
? approved resignations by Janet Whisenhunt as Wiebe Media Center Library/Media coordinator, Deloris Hiebert as ESOL aide, and Malinda Just as assistant coach for HHS volleyball.
? approved a supplemental contract for Kathy Klein as HHS cheerleading sponsor.
? heard BOE election results?Timothy Kaufman, Rod Koons, Jared Jost, John O. Dalke (name drawn) and Kimberly Klein?were elected to the board during the April 7 elections.
Noble said ballots will be mailed out and are due back by April 28 regarding author?ization for the board to increase its local option budget authority by an additional 2 percent (from 31 percent to 33 percent).
