ELLINWOOD — At a special meeting on Thursday, USD 355 Board of Education accepted the resignation of  Board Member Taunya Schlessiger and appointed Darren Beckwith in her place.
Beckwith has had two daughters graduate from Ellinwood High School and still has one in school. He was one the school board from 2005-09. He also has been on the site council, Fire Escape board and several church boards.
“I like doing that kind of (service),” said Beckwith. He likes technology, and said he has no agendas but to help the district as a whole.
“I’ll look out for everybody’s kids,” he said.
The board considered two candidates in open session. Also interested in the position was Mickey Hoskins. Although he had no experience on a school board, he had been on the board of a church, the site council and the accreditation council.
Board members encouraged Hoskins to run for the school board at a later date, and said Beckwith was chosen because of his experience. They said they have a lot of hard decisions coming up with school funding, and needed someone who understood school funding.
In other business, the board:
•Hired Deidra Schlotthauer as financial secretary and district treasurer.
•Hired John Thorson as district custodian.
•Terminated at-will custodian Linda Ewing.