Hennessey’s school board approved a purchase for 14 thermal imaging cameras due to the COVID-19 virus to detect someone with a high temperature.

The school has had two staffers confirmed to have the COVID-19 virus this month. One worked this summer for three days before testing positive early this month, and co-workers tested negative, Superintendent Dr. Mike Woods said.

The temperature scanners include six “mass” cameras and eight “single person” cameras, said Woods during a special board meeting at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday.

He said a camera immediately sends a photo of the person with a fever to the nurse, administration office and the athletic director. That way someone with a fever can be stopped from entering any of the classrooms, gym, vo-ag, or other facilities, Woods said.

When asked if this is a state requirement due to the COVID virus, Woods said, “Yes, it’s recommended to use masks, social distancing and temperature checks,” but he came up with the scanner plan.

“So this is just to see if they are asymptomatic to the virus,” said Dr. James Matousek, board president.

“We don’t need someone who is sick to get through our doors,” Woods said. “Right now students aren’t allowed to come to school if they are running a temperature so this isn’t something new. … There is a difference between being scared, and being cautious.”

“If this is just temporary I just think it’s a lot of money when we may not use it for a long time,” Matousek said.

“What about flu season?” asked Luke Lough, board member.

“It would be good for that, too, not just for the COVID,” said Patrick Griffin, another board member.

“Last year another team brought the flu in with their athletes during a basketball game,” Griffin said. “Cashion had closed their school that day, but sent their team that night,” he said. That caused some of Hen-nessey’s team members to be out with the flu for a couple of games, Griffin said.

Cristopher Choate, board member and clerk, all favored the detectors. He said he was concerned for not only the children, but also older staff members since research shows they are at a greater risk to have serious issues due to the virus.

Woods said classrooms will also be cleaned more often “and we’ve built in added days so if we have to take a day off for cleaning, we can.”

Matousek later cast the only no vote to approve July 1 purchase orders and warrants which included the cameras supplied by Sentry Security Solutions of Burleson, Texas.

Those cameras are similar to those used at Walmart, said Jack Quirk, the school’s videographer, from the audience. He said there is someone at a table looking at a screen when you walk through the doors.

Also in the audience was Athletic Director Paul Hix, and Early Childhood Center Principal Stacey Schovanec.

Vice President Joe Garrison attended the meeting from his home via videoconference, but all other members were at the meeting site: Matousek, Lough, Griffin and Choate.

In addition to Woods, also at the board table was Timberly Jech, recording secretary and office manager.

School resource officer

Woods said he would bring names of suggested resource officer candidates to the next meeting, but the board would need to decide if they want to hire someone through the police or sheriff departments, or an individual, or a company.

There was discussion about the need for an officer during the regular school time and during athletic and other school functions in the evenings.

Griffin said it only made sense to have two different people to do the jobs.

Choate said he wanted to hear from the building principals about what they thought since they’d worked with a system with a retired police officer, and another with a Hennessey police officer.

Woods said the principals have never been shy about voicing their opinions to him.

Coaching Assignments

The board voted to go into executive session at 6:05 p.m. in a 4-1 vote with Griffin casting the no vote. They came out at about 7 p.m. and voted to approve 2020-21 coaching assignments listed below. Note: This item had been continued from their June10 meeting.

Football — Varsity head, Hix, $6,500; assistants (offensive coordinator), Hix, and (defensive coordinator) Sprayberry, $4,500 each; assistants Redus and Rapp, $3,000 each. JH, head, Sprayberry, $1,500; assistants, Hix, Redus and Walker $1,000; Summer, head, Hix, $2,000; assistant, Warne, $1,500.

Cross Country Girls and Boys — Varsity head, Baxter, $2,500; Girls — JH head, Baxter, $1,500; Boys — JH head, TBD, $1,500.

Softball (FP/SP) — Varsity head, Linsenmeyer, $6,500, and assistants, Fuksa and Bossa, $1,500; JH head, Bossa, $3,000; assistant, Linsenmeyer, $1,000; Summer head, Linsenmeyer, $2,000; Bossa, $1,000.

Cheerleading — Varsity head, Curran, $1,800; JH, Hardison, $850; Summer, Curran, $1,000.

Volleyball — Varsity head, Matousek, $2,500; assistant, Rodriquez, $1,500; JH head, Means, $1,500; Summer, Matousek, $2,000. Basketball Boys —Varsity head, Brady Page, $6,500; assistant, Johnson, $1,500; JH, Johnson, $1,500; Sixth grade, Johnson, $1,000; Summer, Page, $2,000; Johnson, $1,500.

Basketball Girls —Varsity head, Seng, $6,500; assistant, Streck, $1,500; JH, Streck, $1,500; Sixth grade, (TBD), $800; Summer, Seng, $2,000, and assistant (no one listed), $1,500.

Wrestling Boys and Girls — Varsity head, Walker $2,500; assistant, Sprayberry, $1,500; JH, Walker, $1,500.

Wrestling/Football — Summer, Walker, $2,000. Baseball —Varsity head, Fuksa, $6,500; assistant, Rapp, $1,500; JH, Johnson, $1,500; Summer, Fuksa, $2,000 and Rapp, $1,500.

Track Boys — Varsity head, Sprayberry, $2,500 and assistant, Walker, $1,500; JH, Sprayberry, $1,500; 6, Sprayberry, $800; Summer, Sprayberry, $2,000.

Track Girls — Varsity head, Baxter, $2,500; JH, Baxter, $1,500; 6, Baxter, $800; Summer, Baxter, $2,000.

Golf (Boys) — Varsity, Courtney, $1,250. (Girls) — Varsity, Courtney, $1,250. Athletic Trainer (District)— Warne, $3,500.

Athletic Director (District) — Hix, $9,000.

2020-21 athletic extra duty assignments total: $145,850 (last year $141,250).