Students at Eisenhower Elementary School played an active role in Thursday’s USD 428 Board of Education meeting at their learning center.
As board member sat down to lunch in the school library, they used placemats made for the occasion by Eisenhower fifth graders. Kindergartners read to them from their reading books, and third graders presented a play based on a book they had recently read, “Sarah, Plain and Tall.”
Kindergarten readers were Ayven Andre, Sophia Hermanson, Ryleigh Meyers, Reese VonFeldt and Illiana Ibarra.
Third graders in the play were Kourtnee Leech, Kaydence Demel, Camdyn Post, Jackson Young, Damian Perez and Kendra Schneiedman.
Principal Laurie Hardwood said the school has unofficially changed its name from “Eisenhower” to “Eisen-POWER,” which stands for "Partnership, Outstanding, ‘Withitness,’ Excellence and Relationships.”

Contributions and personnel
In action items, the board approved the following contributions:
• Great Bend High School received a donation of $100 from Barton County Farm Bureau Association to be used for the Future Farmers of America club.
• Great Bend Middle School received a donation of $100 to be used for student lunches and enrollment fees for students in need. The donor wishes to remain anonymous.
• GBHS received a $250 donation from Murphy Tractor for the FFA Club.
The board also approved personnel changes. Superintendent Khris Thexton noted most of the resignations are due to people leaving the area. First-grade teacher Anne Cook has accepted a job teaching at the secondary level in Hoisington. Thexton also noted that two school psychologists with Barton County Special Services have resigned, and those will be the most difficult positions to fill.

Resignations were from:
• Melissa Watson, teacher of elementary art for all USD 428 elementary schools
• Jodi Schumacher, teacher of grade 3 at Eisenhower Elementary
• Anne Cook, teacher of Grade 1 at Riley Elementary
• Cassie Chesney, school nurse at GBHS and Park Elementary
• Aaron Scott, school psychologist
• Catherine Thielenhaus, school psychologist
For appointments, Thexton noted that there aren’t always a lot of applications for vacancies. “The pool is not deep but so far we’ve been very happy with our new hires.”

Licensed teacher appointments:
• Kristine Kramer, instructional technology coach at Eisenhower Elementary
• Miranda Burton, teacher of grade 4 at Jefferson Elementary
• Tammy Cline, teacher of special education at Lincoln Elementary
• Hannah Laurin, teacher of grade 6 at Riley Elementary
• Megan McGuire, teacher of special education at Eisenhower Elementary
• Kaitlynn Tuey, teacher of grade 1 at Eisenhower Elementary