ELLINWOOD — USD 355 Ellinwood Board of Education has purchased property, 901 E. Santa Fe, in Ellinwood to begin building a bus barn. The property was purchased from the City of Ellinwood for $15,000 and dirt work is done, the BOE heard at its regular meeting.
Superintendent Ben Jacobs said that the building will be beige and blue. He also reported that vandalism had recently occurred on the interior of a school bus. In light of the damage, Jacobs is pleased that the barn will soon be done to prevent future vandalism.
The schedule on the completion of construction of the barn is tentative, but current plans are that construction will start in three weeks and then be finished in mid-July.
In other business, future school board member Bob Baker was present to explain the new 4th- and 5th-grade club football team. "Most of the surrounding communities have one," Baker told the board. Baker and Richard Doll will coach the team, and they are raising funds to buy equipment. They anticipate starting this summer. The cost to play is $35.
It will be full-fledged tackle football complete with padding. There will be three games played as a part of the Western Kansas Football League. So far, 27 kids have signed up, Baker said.
Jacobs was supportive of the idea. "They will learn a lot of basics such as learning to put on equipment," he said. The group will use the school practice field and football field on Saturday mornings.
In his report, Jacobs said that the Ellinwood iHigh website received the top hits in schools in Kansas.
The Future Business Leaders of America has repaid all of the money that was borrowed for the trip this summer to the national conference.
Ellinwood Grade School is going to the Multi Tiered System of Support for reading. Five staff members were approved to prepare curriculum material. MTSS is a learning system where, after an assessment test, the student will receive intensive study in areas of weakness. The program is slated to begin next fall at EGS.
Jacobs reported that the district has received applications for the athletic director position with some interview possibilities.
In additional business, the board:
•Looked at the fee schedule for next year for first read. The only increase is in the price of a second container of milk.
•Voted 7-0 to cut the Parents As Teachers program.
•Approved the permanent Eagle Logo. Jacobs said the logo was chosen because it is timeless and unique. It was chosen by the students.
•Approved the Barton County Multijurisdictional Hazardous Mitigation Plan.
•Adopted the resolution to non-renew William Duncan.
•Approved supplemental contracts. They are high school: cross country Lyles Lashley, asst. Lisa Phillips; girls tennis Lyle Stickney, asst. Leroy Thill; head cheer/dance, Shelby Ringering; head football, Dusty Beam, asst. Mark Penka; head volleyball Laurie Feist, asst. Sharon Gatton; girls head basketball Ryan Mountain, asst. Sharon Gatton; head boys basketball Shane Duncan, asst. boys basketball Chad Petz, head track, Lyles Lashley, asst. track, Mark Penka, Lisa Phillips and Monte Doll; head golf Greg Maxwell, asst. Bill Maddy; summer weightlifting Dusty Beam;
and middle school: head football, Greg Maxwell; head volleyball, Katherine Mountain; head boys basketball Mark Penka, asst. Lyles Lashley; scholar’s bowl Connie Mitchum; track head coach Sharon Gatton; and stipends: Title I stipend Evelyn Stegman; debate/forensic asst. Angela Peterson; scholar’s bowl, high school Lisa Phillips; National Honor Society and student council Bill Maddy; FBLA Lorie Betts; co-junior class sponsors, Julie Jacobs and Rachel Sieker; stage production manager Leon Sobba; Kay Club sponsor Julie Blakeslee and Kelsie Harmon; musical staging director Sharon Sturgis; foreign language club Kayla Springer; musical director Meredith Duling; and curriculum extension: Kent Blakeslee FFA, Rachel Sieker yearbook, Don Regehr instrumental music, Meredith Duling vocal music EHS, Debbie Lebbin vocal music EGS, Meredith Duling vocal music EGS, Julie Jacobs debate/forensics.
