Staff writer
Board of education members took the final step toward non-renewal of non-tenured and tenured positions in the Peabody-Burns school district effective Aug. 31.
Resolutions for final action to non-renew contracts for non-tenured teachers Danielle Retzlaff, Debra Tyson, and Rita Voth, due to budgetary restraints and declining enrollment, passed unanimously.
The resolution to not renew a contract for tenured teacher, Katie Pankratz, also due to budgetary constraints and declining enrollment, was approved unanimously.
An offer of teaching contracts for the 2009-10 school year to Brenda Bartel as part-time vocal music instructor, Brian Lightner as math instructor, and to Cassey Marshall as science teacher were approved. Board member Rhonda Loucks cast a vote opposing the motion to hire Lightner and Marshall.
All board members voted in favor of approving contract offerings for remaining certified personnel.
The board also spent about an hour in executive sessions discussing matters relating to employer-employee relations. The superintendent remained in each of the five sessions. No action was taken on return to open meeting.
In other business:
- An emergency substitute certificate for Judith Wegerer for the 2008-09 school year was approved as were summer school contracts for Steven Reiner and Patty Savage, and summer weight program contracts for Darren Schroeder and David Pickens.
- Preliminary district-wide state assessment results for reading and math from 2002 to the present were reviewed, the FACS improvement plan was approved, and the 2008-09 Site Council annual report was accepted.
- Awards for the 2009 graduates and eligible alumni were reviewed by the board and approved.
- The history of busing junior and senior high students to Burns after athletic practices was reviewed. Board members voted 4 to 3 to offer bus service following practice during first semester of the 2009-10 school year and evaluate the plan at the December 2009 school board meeting. Members voting against the proposal were Gary Jones, Terry Eberhard, and Julia Ensminger.
- Administrators were given until July 30, to use vacation days for the 2009-10 school year.
- Board members heard an update on changes and improvements to the Marion County Special Education Cooperative building in Marion, heard a staff appreciation steak feed was to be held May 13, received a certificate of appreciation from the FFA chapter, and keys to the USD 398 hot rod from the Hot Rod Car Club.
- Business Professionals of America club members will attend the national convention June 17 through 21 in Dallas. The dates were changed due to early concerns about swine flu.