Here’s a quick look at Monday’s Great Bend USD 428 Board of Education meeting:
• Recognitions/presentations – The ROSE (Recognizing Outstanding Support of Education) Award was presented to GBHS teacher Bill Madding and GBHS school nurse Emily Young, who saved the life of a student during a medical emergency. The board also extended a special note of appreciation to Karen Shaner, Jane Isern and several local donors and volunteers for providing 29 bicycles to the Perfect Attendance Bike Giveaway Program.
• The board approved a trip to Orlando, Florida, for approximately 60 GBHS Band students and eight sponsors during the 2023-2024 spring break.
• The contract premium for worker compensation insurance was approved for $113,819, an increase of $13,933 from last year.
• Board members received copies of 12 policies for a “first reading.” Most are revisions of existing policies. New policies deal with overnight accommodations of students on school trips, ensuring separation by biological gender; enrollment of nonresident students; and the administration of emergency opioid antagonists such as Naloxone, a medication used to reverse an opioid overdose.
• A consent agenda was approved that included 2023-2024 fees; 2003-2024 meal prices; the 2022-2023 mileage reimbursement rate for district parents/guardians; and personnel changes
• Assistant Superintendents John Popp and Tricia Reiser gave reports on:
- an Outside Visitation Team report recently completed by KESA
- district inventory being undertaken over the next two weeks
- 2023 summer school
- trends in student withdrawals and dropouts
- the 2023-2028 Professional Development Plan, which was approved; and national professional development conferences
- personnel (a personnel report for the most recent changes was approved later in the consent agenda)
- the calendar for the beginning of the next school year
• Superintendent Khris Thexton gave updates on the budget, student meals, insurance and district projects. He also shared recent contributions for board approval and proposed a special board meeting for approving final expenditures, transfers and closing balances for the 2022-2023 budget. That meeting was set for 7:30 a.m. on June 29 at the District Education Center. The gifts to the district included a $5,000 grant from COPE (Communities Organizing to Promote Equity) for the Little Panthers Preschool Playground.
