The oldest portion of Washington School, now more than 100 years old, will be torn down in the next year, Assistant Superintendent John Popp told Great Bend School Board members on Monday.
“We had a walk-through with the architect,” Popp said. “We’re going to try to leave the Parent-Teacher Resource Center and the former Helping Hands Preschool.” The district does not yet have a cost estimate.
Popp’s report on project updates included a request to purchase new cameras for Great Bend Middle School. It is time to update the cameras and the district received a grant that will pay almost half of the cost. The quote for 67 Verkada-brand cameras and licenses was $106,392. The cameras will be installed over the summer.
Personnel
The school board accepted the following resignations and appointments for the next school year:
• Beth Rein, principal of Riley Elementary School, is leaving that position to become a math teacher at Great Bend Middle School.
• Grant Mathews has resigned as band director of Great Bend High School.
• Cheyenne Rowe has resigned as the vocal music teacher at GBMS.
• Richard Koshgarian has resigned. He is a sixth-grade teacher at Riley Elementary School.
• Ashtyn Esposito was hired to teach second grade at Eisenhower Elementary.
The board discussed the need for more teachers and substitute teachers.
The Registered Teacher Apprenticeship Program is a four-year program designed for unlicensed staff such as teacher-aides and paras to become teachers. They can pursue their bachelor’s degree in education while gaining hands-on experience. HR Director Tonya Miller said the district has 24 applicants for this.
Contributions and grants
The district has received a $20,000 grant from the Kansas Preschool Pilot Program of the Children’s Initiative Fund. Little Panthers Preschool must use the funds by June 30.
The board approved this and other contributions. Park Elementary School received $486.35 from the Park Booster Club for fundraiser prizes.
Kroger Community Awards were accepted, with Riley Elementary receiving $240.22 and Lincoln Elementary receiving $376.85.
Meeting at a glance
Here’s a quick look at Monday’s Great Bend USD 428 Board of Ed meeting:
• Tonya Miller, director of Humane Resources, provided this month’s Director’s Report. She noted the district has 675 full-time employees.
• Danielle Hollingshead, CPA with AdamsBrown, gave the audit report and the board approved it. It was a “clean” audit with no internal control deficiencies. There was a minor violation when the drama club fund was overspent by $183 before it was covered.
• The board was asked to make the CTE elective classes in graphic design and production methods eligible to count as fine arts credits. This was approved.
• The board was shown the recommended new curriculum for PreK-12 Healthy Living and its costs. This was a first reading and no action was taken.
• E-rate funding was approved for internet access, wide area network (WAN), Wi-fi on buses and network items. The total cost is about $122,000 but E-rate pays 80%, making the district cost about $24,000. Services are provided through Nex-Tech.
• A change order was approved for the HVAC project at Great Bend Middle School. It will reduce the cost of the project.
• Superintendent Khris Thexton reported that the Great Bend Recreation Commission director has approached him about an opportunity to add basketball courts in the park across from Eisenhower Elementary School at no cost to the district. The park is owned jointly by the city and the school district. This comes from the plans for basketball courts at Brit Spaugh Park being placed on hold. Thexton said private donors have asked if the district wants it.
“I don’t see the downside to this,” Thexton said, adding more details will come later.
