School board approves personnel changes
GENTRY — The school board in Gentry, at a meeting July 16, approved numerous personnel changes to ready the district for the new school year.
According to draft minutes, the board accepted the resignation of Jeff Nix, grounds maintenance, Dawn Mabry, high school secretary, and Jo Simmons, special education teacher.
Hired were John Barlow, assistant football coach and physical education teacher at the middle school; Jamie McDougal as althletic trainer and sports medicine teacher; and Emily Hodges as high school secretary. Katina Frederick was transferred from her post as high school secretary to be the attendance aide for the middle school and high school.
Athletic changes include the resignation of Daniel Ramsey as head junior high football coach and John Madding being assigned to that role. Ethan Ramsey was approved as the seventhgrade head football coach, Jennifer Ellis-Lundholm as the girls’ soccer coach and assistant boys’ soccer coach, Jamie Johnson as the boys’ soccer coach and assistant girls’ soccer coach, and Andrew Tingley as the volunteer wrestling coach.
Terri Metz, school district superintendent, asked the board to move the district treasurer’s salary from the Classified Salary Schedule and place it under the “set by board action” positions at $60,000, according to meeting notes. She asked the board to approve this as an emergency change to the salary policy for the current school year. Her recommendation was approved.
Jason Barrett, the district’s transportation and maintenance supervisor, said the bus tunnel roof at the intermediate school was off and half-way finished. He said metalwork, the trim and lighting should all be completed by July 31.
He said the stadium lighting project was moving forward, with the poles going up and electrical work soon to be underway and lights to be sighted in for coverage of the field.
“The poles are all standing and the electricians are working to connect power today, Barrett said in a followup email on Monday. “MusCo Sports Lighting, the lighting manufacturer, will be here early next week to use laser alignment to aim the lights on the field and track. Cleanup will also begin next week. Target completion of the project, weather permitting, is July 31st.”
He reported the sales on Govdeals.com of youth baseball field baskets and other lighting for $4,503, and the old stadium light poles, which were cut half for scrap, to Siloam Metal for $595, according to meeting notes.
According to meeting notes, Metz asked if the board wanted to change Gentry’s school election date from spring to fall to coincide with the 2020 primary election. Board member Melissa Holland made a motion to change the election to November for a larger election turnout. Board member Randall Bolinger said he preferred the spring date to separate the school election from the national election negativity.
“It affects us when we are asking for millage,” Bolinger said.
Board member David Williamson said that voter turnout for the school election is consistently low in spring or fall.
Holland’s motion died for lack of a second and the school election date remains in May.
The Athletic Handbook FY20 was approved with no real changes, according to meeting notes.
The board was reminded that the first student day of school is Aug. 14. The next regular board meeting is at 7 p.m. on Aug. 19, in the Pioneer Activities Center.