A motion to hire head football coach Paul Hix as the 2021-22 athletic/activities director for the Hennessey Public Schools failed in a 3-2 vote Monday night in a crowded room of interested parents and others.

Hix has been a coach and athletic director for the past two years on a temporary contract, and has not yet been rehired as a coach and teacher for this fall.

Board members voting against the hiring were Vice President Joe Garrison, Clerk Cristopher Choate and Luke Lough while President Dr. James Matthew Matousek and Patrick Griffin voted to hire him.

Then a motion to postpone the hiring passed 3-1-1 with Matousek voting no and Griffin abstaining.

The votes followed a twohour executive session in which Hix joined the board for about an hour.

The extra duty pay for the AD is $9,000 a year, and Superintendent Dr. Mike Woods recommended Hix be rehired for that job.

Woods told the Times & Free Press on Tuesday that the the AD contract is the only position required by board policy to be included on the March agenda.

Following the closed session the board heard about 30 minutes of complaints about Hix from parents and school patrons.

315 Sign Petition

Some parents had mailed school board members, and signed a petition asking that “the extra duty assignment for the athletic director” not be approved.

“We got 315 signatures,” said Chandra Seiger from the audience, “and that was in just 48 hours (after your agenda was posted).”

Seiger was among the more than 30 parents and other patrons who attended the start of the meeting, but that number went to about 25 after the two-hour wait in the auditorium foyer.

Parents’ main complaint was that Hix wanted to delete some of the sports, mainly those for girls.

Parents Speak Out

“I have several issues with Mr. Hix,” said Pene Cline. “The AD should be behind our school system and its parents. Sports is the AD’s domain and why he’d want to get rid of some sports, some that we didn’t have when I was in school, but parents and others worked hard to get them going.”

Matousek said board members don’t conduct interviews or evaluations unless there are allegations of misconduct He said a parent’s first time complaint shouldn’t come before the board and advised speakers following Cline not to refer to the AD by name.

Cline said some parents didn’t realize there is a “chain of command,” and that she had talked with the superintendent first, and he told her to talk to the board.

Others who signed up to address the board on that subject were Marla Fipps Smith, Tina Gilliland, Amanda Tyree, Lacy Vadder, Amy Shelite and Misty Copeland.

One of the parents said that athletes are “forced to participate in multiple sports” and “boys versus girls and parents versus parents.”

Another speaker said it’s “frustrating” because parents are afraid there will be retaliation against their child, and asked the board to table the hiring so that the superintendent could talk to the head coaches about the matter.

Copeland said she talked “to an individual about a problem. I think there was a confrontation, but I don’t think it went any further.”

Vadder suggested theboard investigate the complaints before deciding on the hiring.

“Give parents the opportunity to talk with Dr. Woods,” said another parent

In addition to the athletic director hiring, there were seven other employment items on the agenda for the board to discuss in closed session, and act on in the open meeting.

Other Personnel Matters

The board’s executive session also included employment of Rita Huntsberger, certified personnel and other extra duty assignments. The agenda did not (-All for action about Huntsberger, anon-certified employee, and none was taken on that item, but were approved on those listed below.

Certified Faculty Rehirings

The 46 certified teachers/ staff rehired: Erica Beckner, Lisa Bossa, Linzie Briley, Debbie Choate, Flo Conway, Beth Curran, Kim Gritz, Rachel Franks, Matt Fuksa, Raeanna Fuksa, Stephanie Guinn, Melissa Hardison, Shaven Heidlage, Debbie Hladik, Amy Hochstrasser, Teresa Hugaboom, Jorge Huizar, Priya Humphries, Allison Hurst, Dawn Jones, Patti Jones, Allyssa Knight, Elizabeth Marin, Courtney Markes, Katie Matthews, Jessica Melendy, Jill Moery, Shelley Muzny, Kaitlyn Norton, Brady Page, Marie Parrish, Chelli Rapp, Amy Rawlings, Janell Riddle, Carol Roller, Gerri Russell, Valerie Shamburg, Denise Shimanek, Kim Simunek, Lissette Sosa, Christy Streck, Craig Ullery, Jennifer Ullery, Karla VanGee, Lisa Weaver, and Cindy Woods. Note: Only career teachers are listed above. The board will vote to rehire teachers on temporary contracts next month.

Other Hirings

Administrative rehirings: Timberly Jech, business manager, and Todd Cameron, computer technician/network administrator.

Student intern at $8.50 an hour: Evelyn Ramirez

Extra Duty Contracts

Certified teachers as after school and Saturday school tutors at $20 an hour: Linzie Briley, Tammie Broomfield, Jackie Buchanan, Rachel Franks, Raeanna Fuksa, Stephanie Guinn, Lezlie Hardin, Shaven Heidlage, Priya Humphries, Jenna Matousek, Katie Matthews, Chelsey McArthur, Matt Means, Nathaniel Parker, Valerie Shamburg, Randi Simpson, and Craig Ullery.

Certified teachers for Elementary Spring Break Camp at $20 an hour: Flo Conway, Barry Crosswhite, Shaven Heidlage, Amy Hochstrasser, Priya Humphries, Katie Matthews, Jessica Melendy, and Kaitlyn Norton.

Support staff for after school detention and/or Saturday school: Lindsey Jones.