At Monday’s USD 428 BOE meeting, board member Dwight Young presented retiring Superintendent Tom Vernon with a plaque recognizing him for his years of service.  
“I truly appreciate the community and the Board of Education for allowing me to serve,” Vernon said. “The time I’ve been the most proud have been when I could stand in front of a group and introduce myself as Tom Vernon, Superintendent of Schools for USD 428.”

Self-insuring gets thumbs up
At the May meeting, the board requested Khris Thexton bring back detailed information about costs associated with the district’s health care plan.  The district is self-insured, and members wondered if the district would be better served looking into a state-run plan.  Thexton recommended the district continue to be self-insured.
“In order for a state plan to pay off, you need to have 73 percent participation,” he said.  “The district has around 50 percent participation, and we save a lot of money by not needing to pick up the cost of people not taking part in the plan.”  
Currently, the district offers both a low and a high-deductible plan.  For single persons, it covers 95% of the premium for the low-deductible plan, and 100 percent of the high deductible

No more tails
Before the end of the school year, a group of Great Bend High School students came to Vernon to ask for a clarification about an rule in the student handbook.  Their complaint-- that the handbook states it is against the school rules to wear hats in school, however it does not have any rules disallowing tails.  Vernon told the board he promised to bring their concern to the board.  Vernon asked the board to consider taking one of three actions.  First, they could maintain the status quo, and continue to not allow hats, but allow tails.  Second, they could allow both hats and tails.  Third, they could not allow either.  Board president Joyce Carter was quick to respond.
“I prefer option three,” she said.  
Board member Wade Babcock agreed, citing that the tail wearing was a distraction, and other board members spoke up also, stating they too had been questioned by patrons about the trend.  Rather than making a change to the student handbook, however, the board made a point of record that tail wearing is considered disruptive, which is also outlawed in the student handbook.  The board moved that tails are indeed disruptive.  
Board member Dwight Young inquired if anyone could explain the ideology behind the tails, but there was no answer forthcoming.  A few years ago, wearing ears had been a trend, leading to the clarification that ears were not allowed, Vernon said.  
 
New reading program approved
John Popp, Director of Curriculum, asked the board to approve new reading curriculum teachers will implement with the new Multi-tiered System of Supports in the coming year, and asked for approval of training materials to be used by building leadership teams.  Students in both middle school and high school will take part in a general curriculum, and those in need will get additional support through reading labs at the middle school, or at literacy labs at the high school.  Students will be brought up to grade level and then move back into the general program.
“This is a missing link that the high school has needed for a long time,” Carter said.  
The board approved the request unanimously, and board member Cheryl Rugan stated it was money well spent.
The board entered into a 20-minute executive session to discuss nonelected personnel.  The board then took action, approving a two-percent increase for administrators and a 20-cent raise for classified employees.  
A special meeting of the board will take place at 7:30 a.m. on June 27 at the district offices to approve ending budget balances and transfers of the 2012-2013 year and to make transfers as necessary for closing the budget year.  The next regular meeting will be on July 14 at 5 p.m. at the district offices.  
Other items of discussion and actions taken include:
•    Received thank you messages for the recent retirement dinner from Donna Rusco and Janet Schremmer.
•    Popp presented the drop-out report for 2013-2014.
•    Thexton updated the board on developments with the Riley HVAC upgrade and a water leaking issue at Great Bend Middle School’s gymnasium.  
•    Heard a technology update.
•    Held a brief Budget hearing prior to the regular meeting and approved republishing the USD 428’or Supports 2013-2014 budget to include increased weighting for full time enrolled students.  This will allow the district to include an increase in state aid of $42,288, with no increase in the local effort.
•    Approved the 2014-2015 Licensed Employees Agreement announced by the GB-NEA May 23.  
•    Approved bid for Multi-peril and liability insurance premiums.
•    Thanks to lower average gas prices over the 2013-2014 school year, according to KansasGasPrices.com, the board approved a decrease in mileage reimbursement for student who live further than 2.5 miles from their approved learning center.  The rate is dropping from $.52 per mile to $.46 per mile.  This brings it back to the same price as the 2011-2012 school year.  
•    Approved USD 428 school fees and meals prices for 2014-2015.
•    Approved the appointment of Mr. Myron Ellegood, Assistant Principal / Activities Director at GB Middle School.  He will replace ……………, who is retiring ?)
•    Approved resignations of the following licensed teachers:  Mr. Erik Dobbins, Special Education Teacher at GB High School; Ms. Alisha Frazer, Teacher of ¬Art at GB Middle School; Mrs. Bobbi Jo Grieb, Teacher of Social Science at GB Middle School; Mr. Tom Grieb, Teacher of Physical Education at Park Elementary School; Ms. Melissa Hittle, Teacher of Grade 3 at Lincoln Elementary School; Mr. Pedro Ibarra, Teacher of Social Studies at GB Middle School; Ms. Margaret Leidig, Teacher of Science at GB High School; Mrs. Kristi Mason, Teacher of ¬Science at GB High School; Mrs. Amy Stein, Teacher of Math at GB Middle School; Mrs. Stephanie Stremel (Weber), Teacher of -Grade 1 at Park Elementary School.
•    Approved the appointments of the following licensed teachers:  Mr. Tony Crough, Strength and Conditioning  at GB High School,  Juan Torres, Teacher of Math at GBHS,  Mrs. Kelly Clark, Teacher of Grade 1 at Park Elementary School; Mrs. Miriam Cotterill, Reading Facilitator at Lincoln Elementary School; Mr. Christian Haupt, Teacher of ¬Grade 6 at Riley Elementary School; Mr. Brian Hutchinson, Teacher of Art at GB Middle School; Ms. Libbie Merritt, School Nurse at Eisenhower, Jefferson, and Riley Schools; Mr. Jennifer Oborny, Teacher of Early Childhood Special Education; Mr. Sergio Ramirez, Teacher of ¬Art at GB High School; Ms. Abigail Sandmann, Teacher of ¬English at GB High School; Ms. Samantha Teri, Teacher of ¬Grade 2 at Riley Elementary  School.

The next meeting of the USD 428 BOE will be at 7:30 a.m., on June 27 at the District Education Center, to approve ending budget balances and transfers of the 2012-2013 year and to make transfers as necessary for closing the budget year.  The next regular meeting will be Monday, July 14 at 5 p.m. at the District Education Center.