El Dorado Springs R-II Board rehires all administrators

In the executive session of the R-II School Board’s Feb. 13 meeting, the board rehired all administrators and received the resignations, effective at the end of the school year, of Becky Cooper and Phillip Martin.

Ashley Rogers introduced five of her volleyball players to the board who had received district honors. They are Reese Schaaf, Tevi Gurley, Dani Ogle and Brooke Ehlers.  She also introduced four players who made academic all state.

Rogers then called up seven students  who had earned FBLA honors: Reese Schaaf, Tevi Gurley, Morgan Mitchell, Preston Robison, Trevyn Garringger, Gaven Morgan and Katelyn Herbst.

The band instructor, Jordan White, called up four of his students who had advanced to state. Each carried a new musical instrument the school had purchased for them.  The students were Blake Carnahan, Kenli Rader, Alex Posey and Brooke Ehlers.

In new business, Debbi Marsh addressed the board asking them to cover the $2,500 deductible on health insurance. The board voted to do that.

The board discussed a change in the contract requested by OPAA! because they had not anticipated the increase in the minimum wage.

After considerable discussion, the board voted to not change the contract this year. They said they anticipate that OPAA! will want to rebid the contract for next year.

Dr. Teresa Christian, assistant superintendent, present a final version of CSIP, a school improvement plan. The board voted to adopt the plan.

The board reset the March meeting to avoid spring break which will fall on the second Thursday, their normal meeting night. They set the March open session to begin at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 17.

The board heard the list of Foundation Grants to teachers. The most popular item, for which Dr. Tracy Barger has waited three years, was the announcement that she will get a grant to buy a dog for her classroom. She doesn’t know the breed of the dog or what it will do, she said, but likely it will be trained as a therapy dog. Not only her class but other classes are excited about getting a furry friend.

All board members were at the meeting except Josh Floyd. Present were Chad Whitesell, Benny Brower, Mark Burley, Terry Shepard, Nathan Murry and Darrell Eason – presiding. The new superintendent, as of July 1, Heath Oates, attended the meeting.