By JACKIE TAYLOR | August 16, 2023

The board met for their second meeting under new Superintendent Don Epps. They discussed bills and asked about a $300 charge from Dreamscape Solutions for the football field.
Epps, and Board member Tanner Ogden, said the field is now in much better shape for the upcoming football season. They both chimed in that the grass is now green, the correct height, and the field is safe to play on.
Principal Nathan Meik said he enjoyed his month off and said enrollment went well; the elementary has 188 students enrolled with a potential of three more students. He said pre-school has made a nice impact on enrollment.
To celebrate good math scores last year, Meik said the district is taking students to an Olathe water park to swim Oct. 13.
He mentioned he is excited about new paras Teresa Williams and Addie Mead working for the district.
Meik and the board then discussed class sizes and he said he will sit down with Epps to decide on a method they want to use to determine when a class is split into two classes. He said both pre-school and kindergarten have approximately 10 students each in them.
Epps complimented Meik and High School Principal Sarah Conley for their work bringing in good employees over the summer.
Conley then addressed the board and said they had 168 students enroll from 7th grade to 12th grade.
Epps spoke next and said the district wants to remember teacher Donna Crockett who recently passed away from cancer. He asked that teachers honor Crockett at her funeral Thursday in Butler by attending the service.
He continued that the budget hearing will be held next month.
Epps said STARS faculty is ready for students; and the facility is ready after a remodel. He said 52 students are enrolled, to date.
After going through a plan to determine where all students in the district are and how to reach them, he said he wants to focus on ‘Strategic Thinking’. With that the district will provide a safe environment where people love the kids. See separate story in this edition.
Epps gave three points with the first being how the district treats each other; second, how they take care of the school, and third, “how do we tell our story.”
Truly Insurance quoted insurance for the district at $116,797; see separate story in this edition.
Hiland Milk’s bid was accepted; it was the only bid.
Executive session was held with the following actions taken: the board hired Amanda Goddard as K-12 music instructor, Melinda Gee as bus driver, Becky Grant as SPED driver, Marc Ballinger as head High School Basketball Coach, Christy Cutshaw as Sophomore Class sponsor, Derek Brown as FCA Sponsor, Colleen Sweat as Asst. High School Cheer Coach, Wendy Conley as High School STUCO sponsor, and Ann Johnson as Junior Class sponsor.
They also accepted the resignation of Darick Chapman as Junior Class Sponsor and Cathy Sherman as SPED driver.