GENTRY -- At its regular meeting on May 15, the Gentry School Board approved offering contracts to the school district's classified staff for the 2023-2024 school year, numerous personnel changes, and a salary schedule for administrative staff.
After an executive session to discuss personnel matters, the school board approved offering contracts to 92 classified personnel in the district.
The board also approved the following personnel changes for the upcoming school year:
Hired were Scott McCollum as the high school registrar, Megan Ibarra as a paraprofessional, Pamela Sims and Barbara Eubanks as special education teachers, Kendra Crouse as a science and sports medicine teacher, Haylee Hawbaker and Leah Scott as second-grade teachers, Ruby Espinoza as the head band director at the high school and middle school, Derek Wood as the assistant band and choir teacher at the high school and middle school, Stephanie Hoyle as the high school art teacher.
The resignations of Scott McCollum as a bus route driver, Tiffany Jones as the high school drama and forensics teacher, Blake Vetetoe as the high school band director, Josh Blew as a coach and ALE teacher, Scott McCollum as a middle school teacher, Donna Cope as a speech-language pathologist.
The transfer of Cody Forga to be a physical education teacher.
Coaching assignments for next year were approved by the board, but it was noted that changes were upcoming due to resignations and hirings.
The board approved new styles for the junior high girls' basketball uniforms.
Terrie DePaola submitted a salary schedule for classified personnel to the board for a first reading and review. She pointed out that the schedule, if approved, would give all classified personnel at least a $1 per hour raise in the coming school year. The salary schedule will be returned for board action at a future meeting.
On its second and final reading, the board approved a policy setting salaries for the school district's administrative staff.
Revised policies for the school board, certified personnel, classified personnel, students, curriculum, community relations and business and financial were presented to the board for review and consideration. These policies are available on the school district website under school board materials for May 2023.
Also approved by the board were a preliminary federal budget proposal, a federal assurances resolution, an enhanced student achievement plan, a vision and mission strategic plan and a schedule of proposed board meeting dates for the 2023-2024 school board meetings.
It was reported by assistant superintendent Christie Toland that the school district has been approved to offer a fireman pathway program to allow students interested in becoming a firefighter to take classes in preparation for a career as a firefighter. Toland said that Vester Cripps, chief of the Gentry Fire Department and also the holder of a doctorate degree in fire science, has been approved by the state department of education to teach a fall class in Emergency Medical Responder and a spring Fire 1 class. She said the state would give him a teaching permit for the program.
Toland reported low responses on a Family and Community Engagement survey but said some of the participants' suggestions were helpful.
Anthony Herbaugh, a high school science teacher, talked to the board about the school district's gifted and talented program, pointing out that students learn in different ways and could be nominated for participation in the program.