Along with recognition of retirees on May 21, the School Board presented its Community Service Awards. Community Memorial Hospital representatives Bill Bester, Patricia Kashmerick and Kerry Freiberg were recognized for sponsorship of the district’s Community Calendar, participation in Hamilton AWARE and Healthy Communities committee, and opportunities that allow students to learn about the hospital setting.
Deborah Coon also was presented with the annual award for her role in implementing Parent Press, a newsletter written by and for Hamilton High School parents.
High school students Shawna Plesnik and Alison Furrer were presented gifts for being student representatives to the School Board during 2000-2001.
Parents, students and staff members spoke to the board to share their concerns about the reassignment of high school band director to the fifth grade band.
The School Board directed administrators to enter into an offer-to-purchase agreement to purchase 80 acres of land. With the development that is occurring in the district, school officials hope to secure a site for future needs.
A three-year secretarial salary and benefit package was approved. With the agreement, the title of each secretary will change to “administrative assistant.”
Educational Services and Human Resources Assistant Superintendent Dean Schultz reported on the K-12 staffing plan for 2001-2002. A large fifth grade class will move to Templeton and which may mean a small reduction in grades K-5. The 4K program continues to grow. Templeton’s enrollment is expected to increase by 30 students and the high school should remain stable or decrease slightly. The district is predicting an increase of 12 students next year.
Additional full-time equivalency (FTE) positions approved by the School Board at previous meetings are: elementary band, .63 FTE; Hamilton gifted & talented – Academic Decathlon, .33 FTE; high school Honors Program class, .67 FTE; secondary level guidance counselor to implement PLAN and EXPLORE tests, 1 FTE; Templeton teachers to reduce class size, 1.5 FTE; and district assessment-technology coordinator, 1 FTE.
In personnel matters, the School Board:
- accepted resignations from Marcy teacher aides Patricia Damato and Jodi Wiesneski and Maple Avenue library-media specialist Judy Hoeppner;
- granted leaves of absence for the 2001-2002 school year to Lannon teachers Jodi Bowe and Angela Kattman; and
- appointed Janna Hassler as Woodside associate kitchen employee, Bejamin Nysse as Hamilton communication arts teacher, Jon Waite as Hamilton band director, Jean Jackson as Maple Avenue first grade teacher, Ellen Klasen as Templeton Spanish teacher, Kara Ecoff as Templeton science teacher, and Edward Hay as Hamilton business education teacher.