The Houston board of education hired eight teachers for positions within the district for the 2015-’16 school year at Tuesday’s monthly meeting.
Along with naming Amber Stephens the middle school principal, the board also unanimously extended contracts to:
- Michelle “Mickie” Drake, Amber Clinton and Kaitlyn Kell as elementary teachers.
- Angie Jester as special education process coordinator.
- Tyann Nettleton and Lindsey James as speech language pathologists at the Exceptional Child Cooperative.
- Jessica Yonkers as secretary at the Exceptional Child Cooperative.
Drake and Arthur Thomas were approved as substitute teachers for the remainder of the 2014-’15 school year. Tim Malam was approved as a substitute bus driver.
Six teachers resigned their positions effective the end of the current school year. Rob Coffey, a high school business teacher and head boys’ basketball coach, is leaving the district to return to his hometown of Springfield.
The board also accepted resignations from: Garth Minnick (high school communications arts); Victoria Narancich (assistant high school volleyball coach); Kayla Sloan (middle school math and middle school girls’ basketball coach); Stephanie Homeyer (middle school communication arts); and Robert Hart (custodian).
Also at the board meeting, members:
- Witnessed the swearing in of new board members Leon Slape and Stacie Ely. Both were selected by voters to three-year terms during the April 7 election.
- Elected board officers. Jo Holland remained the president. Sam Kelley is the new vice president and Slape is secretary/treasurer.
- Received an update from John McNabb, of Sapp Design Associates Architects P.C. in Springfield, related to construction on campus.
- Heard information from Lonnie Lee regarding a proposal to construct a high tunnel on the elementary campus with funds from the Missouri Foundation for Health grant. The issue was tabled.
- Granted permission to agriculture instructor Josh Roehers to investigate acquisition of property for a school farm.
- Approved health insurance rates for the 2015-’16 fiscal year: base plan, $458.93; buy up plan, $498.98; and HAS, $458.93. The base plan increased by 7.32 percent.
- Rewarded a bid for summer mowing services to Rob Haney.
- Approved a benefit modification allowing the district to continue offering health insurance to bus drivers.
- Heard 10 students have enrolled at the middle school the past 30 days. One student has left.
- OK’d enrollment in the BuyBoard purchasing consortium.
The next regular school board meeting is 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 12, at the Exceptional Child Cooperative.