Staff writer
USD 411 Board of Education members approved two staff resignations, a junior high locker upgrade, and calendar changes in preparation for next school year, at their Tuesday meeting.
Superintendent John Fast expressed appreciation for junior high language arts teacher Derrick Birdsell while recommending the board accept his resignation.
“He has been here for three years and we have always appreciated his hard work as a teacher and in a number of supplemental roles,” Fast said. “He worked with the high school plays, served as a forensics coach, and led our cross country teams in addition to teaching.”
Birdsell will finish out the current school year, as will school van driver Frank Ashley, who also resigned his position. Ashley drove Goessel students involved with vocational studies to Newton Area Vocational Technology School on a daily basis. Applications for both position openings are available at the district office.
The board approved a contract with Total/Kimball Office Supply to replace the student lockers in the hallway of the junior high building.
“The current lockers have been in use since the building was constructed in the mid-1930s,” Fast said. “Many of the latches are non-functional so this will be a big improvement.”
Fast said the agriculture shop or the maintenance department would likely ‘re-home’ the old lockers for storage use.
Fast anticipated the locker changes would take place late May or early June and new lockers would be ready for students when the next school year starts in August 2012.
The board approved the 2012-2013 school calendar, noting an increased requirement for teacher inservice days.
“We approved a $215 salary increase for each teacher to accommodate for the increased time,” Fast said.
In other business:
- Board members approved an out-of-state junior high field trip to Steamship Arabia in Kansas City, Mo.
- Principal Scott Boden reported that junior high music students performed well at Wheat State League Music Contest on March 4 in White City, earning many top ratings.