HOISINGTON — At the school board meeting this week, USD 431 approved pole vaulting as a new sport for track next year. The sport will be funded by a private donation of $18,000.
The coach of the track team, Mike Richter, said that they have 35 kids out for track, and nine high school students expressed interest in pole vaulting. He said that he strongly supports pole vaulting because some teams from other schools will not come to Hoisington for meets because there has been no pole vaulting.
Superintendent Bill Lowry reported that the pole vaulters can use the existing runway. The motion passed 5-0.
In other business, members of the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America group requested permission to travel to Anaheim, Calif. this summer. The district approved paying travel expenses and allowing the group to travel out-of-state. The group is raising money for their other expenses.
Karla Reisner, faculty sponsor, also requested permission for the group to travel to Georgia in November for a conference. The board tabled the request for more information about the cost of attending the same conference in Denver and to look for other area clubs that are interested in sharing expenses.
The school board has one open board position after the April election. Mike Kaiser, current board president, was a write-in candidate. However, he declined the position. USD 431 will take letters of interest in the position.
When the Head Start program closed its doors earlier this year, they left owing the district funds for lunches. The board decided to leave the amounts due on the books.
The board approved new courses for the new Career Pathway’s classes. Some are the same classes, but they are just named differently. Career Pathways is a workforce development strategy to aid in transition from education into the workforce.
In final business, the board:
•Adopted the Barton County Hazard Mitigation Plan.
•Approved the following middle school supplemental positions: Bob Rome, head football coach, with assistants Anthony Leiker and Rex Kern; Joe Cotten, head volleyball coach, with assistants Lana Kephart and Carla Richards.
•Approved the following high school supplemental positions: Jason Ingram, head football coach, and assistants Zach Baird, Kyle Haxton, Matt Koelsch and Tim Woodcock; Tina Johnson, head volleyball coach with assistant Bobby Brungardt; Krisa Ubelaker, head cross-country coach; Kerry Mooney, head high school tennis coach; Bruce Cooper, girls’ golf; Kim Specht, head cheerleading coach, with assistant Dana Seybert; Diane Harmon and Tammy Steinert, Cardinal crew; and Della Boxberger and Leslie Klug, danceline.
