School district hires new middle school principal
After reviewing four candidates for the position of middle school principal this past week, Hillsboro USD 410 board of education offered a contract May 8 to Greg Brown at the regular school board meeting.
Brown has been principal at Minneapolis junior-senior high school for the past 20 years. He has four children. Two will attend Tabor College and two are in middle school.
The district also offered a contract to Sonya Roberts to teach agriculture education and assume the position of FFA adviser and to Lori SooHoo, to work 10 hours per week as Parents as Teachers educator.
Five resignations were accepted. Eileen Butler will retire after 38 years of teaching in the district. Elementary school teacher Sherry Fields has resigned after 26 years. Melissa Stenfors resigned as girls' basketball coach. Joan Jost will retire as bus driver after 33 years. Tisha Bielefeld resigned as Parents as Teachers educator. Sara Graham offered her resignation from Title I paraprofessional and lunchroom computer clerk.
Superintendent Gordon Mohn said he planned to meet with Marion County Special Education Cooperative director Chris Cesar about the potential of moving the special education facilities and OASIS to Hillsboro.
"This has the potential to become very divisive in the county," Mohn said.
Hillsboro High School principal Dale Honeck presented recommended changes to the 2006-07 student handbook.
A new policy will require students eligible for valedictorian and salutatorian honors to be enrolled at HHS at the beginning of their senior year and complete eight credits in addition to the required courses for graduation.
Other changes include adding Algebra 1.5 and Geometry 1.5 to the curriculum; no school activities after 6 p.m. on church nights; and changes to the dance, locker, honor roll, library, grade reporting, listening device, parking, and clothing policies.
The handbook will be approved at the August board meeting.
A revision to the district's policy on admittance of out-of-district students was approved.
The new policy requires non-resident students should not be absent from school for more than 15 days in the past year or six days in the previous grading period; the student must have maintained a 2.0 grade point average; the student has not been suspended or expelled from school during the past year; the student doesn't have adjudicated offender status; and the student does not require services beyond the current scope of services provided by the district.
The board reviewed a contract with architect Howard and Helmer of Wichita, the firm selected last month for facilities improvements in the district. The contract related to billing and pay schematics and was approved.
In other business:
— The board approved a revised curriculum map for social studies.
— Watched a slide show of the HHS choir trip to Kansas City, presented by director Lynn Just.
— Heard from superintendent Gordon Mohn that a team had been appointed to do MAPS leadership for the testing program.
— Was invited to attend a meeting at Parkside church to discuss childcare needs in the community.
— Agreed to allow Mohn to continue reviewing costs for a well and sprinkler system for the elementary school playground.
— Heard from Mark Rooker, USD 410 representative on the TEEN board of directors, that TEEN had been awarded a $25,000 grant to bring high-speed Internet service.
USD 410 holds the contract for the TEEN director's position and is in the process of hiring a new director.
— Heard from Hillsboro Middle School principal Corey Burton that the block schedule for next year had been reorganized to allow students a broader range of elective courses.
Burton said a celebration will be held today (Wednesday) to reward students for their performance in the state assessments. Students had exceeded their target in math.
The middle school site-based council concluded its fund-raising efforts. Burton said the council had purchased Ping-Pong and foosball tables, benches, T-shirts, math workbooks, and made donations to various causes.
— Activities director Max Heinrichs brought the board up to speed on upcoming end-of-school activities and athletic events.
— The board accepted gifts totaling $1,206.77.
The next meeting will be at 7 p.m. June 12 at the HHS technology center.
