The Hennessey Board of Education voted to rehire high and mid-high principal Angela Avila; elementary school principal Barry Crosswhite; early-childhood principal Stacey (Lee-Schovanec) Mack at its Monday night meeting.

They also rehired Matt Means as a school counselor and federal programs director after their 90-minute executive session.

Avila is in her fifth year as principal and in her third year as both the middle and high school’s top administrator. She also coached girls basketball her first year.

Crosswhite, a 1987 Hennessey grad, is in his eighth year as principal. Mack, a 1988 Hennessey grad, is in her seventh year in Hennessey and her third year as the early childhood principal. She was the middle school principal for the previous four years.

Means was the only administrator at the meeting, and Superintendent Dr. Mike Woods said the principals will be at the March meeting.

The board also approved Woods and teachers Beth Berkenbile, Tammie Broomfield and Kathi Reilly for an early retirement incentive program. They may decide on a 40 % lump sum payment of current salary, or 50 % paid out over two years, plus $100 for each year of work at the district.

Who attended?

All board members braved icy road conditions to attend Monday night’s Matthew Matousek, Vice President Joe Garrison, Luke Lough, Clerk Choate, and Patrick Griffin.

Also at the board table were TimberlyJech, business manager and recording clerk, and Woods.

In the audience were Means and David Tillman, newly-elected board member, who takes Matousek’s seat on the board in April. Tillman also attended the executive session.

Distance Learning on Hold

Woods told the Times Sc Free Press that administrators thought the ice storm wouldn’t hit until Monday night so students in grades five and down were not sent home with their computers Friday and couldn’t pivot to distance learning.

“It’s frustrating that you have them (computers) right there, but can’t get them to the kids,” he said.

School was closed Monday and Tuesday due to the icy roads and cold conditions.

Superintendent’s Report

In his monthly report, Woods said the school had not gotten its monthly allocation yet, but the school is scheduled to get $1.3 million in federal COVID stimulus money.

Choate said he was surprised they’d gotten so much when others, such as Kingfisher, didn’t get as much.

Lough asked what those funds would be used for, and Woods said, “mostly salaries.”

Lough also questioned a fundraiser request for T-shirt sales for the Early Childhood Center. Woods said teachers Carol Roller and Teresa Hugaboom want to create an outdoor learning space behind the center that would include benches.

“Why is this not being funded by the school?” asked Lough.

Woods said they were trying to be conservative due to losses in funding.

“So we’re going to have four-year-olds out selling T-shirts,” said Lough.

The T-shirt sale was approved along with two other fundraisers: Golf (sleeve of imprinted golf balls) and yearbook (photo packages of sports).

Woods reported that Beth Berkenbile rescheduled the chorus trip for the spring of 2022 due to COVID. Also, the trip to Washington, D.C., planned by Kim Fehring this year was canceled.

He said the school received a check of $534 from Eagle Mart. Its owner has pledged to donate one cent for every gallon of gas sold there to the school.