By BARBARA PROFFITT | July 13, 2022

The USD 346 Board met in regular session on Monday, July 11, with the first order of business being the appointment of a board president and vice president with board members Max Krull and Tracy Springer retaining those positions respectively.

The board then approved the consent agenda which included the minutes of the last meeting, the final financial reports from June and the July bills, and multiple appointments, including:

- District Treasurer: Carla Leavitt

- District Discipline Hearing Officer: Genea Bruner

- Hearing Officer for Free/Reduced lunches: Shawn Thomas

- Truancy Officers: Mark Proffitt, Bob Beckham, and Kris Holt

- District FOI Officer: Shawn Thomas

Superintendent Shawn Thomas invited the board to the kickoff meeting for the upcoming school year on Aug. 15.

Thomas then reported on summer maintenance noting that the elementary gym floor will not be repaired until September due to a lack of supplies.

“Both buildings look good and are ready to roll for the first day,” Thomas stated.

Thomas told the board they are working on the budget and the previous year had been closed out and cash carryovers are in good shape.

He added that the business accounting software training is going well and asked board secretary Kayla McGrew to speak to that.

McGrew stated that the software would help tremendously with a good deal of what Thomas does and once all data is entered it will roll over from year to year and should make the district more productive.

Thomas noted it should be fully up and running by October and McGrew added that though initial data entry is slow, once done it, will track everything that is done and who did it.

Thomas reported that OPAA! had begun training the school cooks and that process is underway. He then added that the company is working with the district to see if they can aid in reducing the cost of adult meals.

Thomas reported that KASB convention registration is open and will be held in Wichita Nov. 11-13 and that McGrew had made reservations.

Newly hired football coach Dustin Johnson thanked the board for the opportunity to coach for them and spoke briefly about his experience and his plans.

Thomas then noted that the newly required needs assessment must be included in the budget. He stated that KASB and Greenbush had collaborated to create a form to use and he had tweaked it to suit the district, adding that the form must be on the website during budgeting and the district must assess needs, actions and a time frame for dealing with them.

Discussion then turned to the board’s thoughts for district goals with several suggestions made by board members including communication.

Earnest stated the junior high football camp was only listed on Facebook and he didn’t know about it until the day before. Other members mentioned the district app available for download and board member Tracy Springer suggested setting up an “app table” at enrollment to show parents how to use it and help them download it.