A policy approved by the Hennessey Board of Education will allow trained school personnel designated by the superintendent to carry a handgun onto school property.

Names of those school district employees “may be kept confidential,” according to the three-page “Armed School Employees” policy approved at last Monday night’s board meeting.

It was unanimously approved after about 30 minutes in executive session to discuss the matter.

Superintendent Jason Sternberger told the KT&FP reporter after the meeting that Garber Public School Superintendent Dusty Torrey was invited into the closed session.

He said Torrey is familiar with the implementation of that policy there and at other schools. ( Ed. note: Torrey was the HHS girls basketball and softball coach in the early 2000s. He returned to Garber this year where he had coached in the 2000s. He most-recently was superintendent at Locust Grove.)

Before the board went into the closed session, Sternberger said the district’s attorney, Phyllis Walta of Hennessey, told members that agenda topic, and a “Misuse of Bathrooms” policy, met the state open meeting laws because they involved the “safety of students.”Misuse of Bathrooms This second policy is “Disciplinary Action for Misuse of School Bathrooms and Changing Facilities.”

The adopted policy calls for disciplinary action to individuals who refuse:

• To use the multiple-occupancy restroom or changing area designated for their sex;

• To designate multiple- occupancy restrooms or changing areas for the exclusive use of one sex; or

• To provide access to a single-occupancy restroom or changing area to an individual who does not wish to utilize the multiple-occupancy restroom or changing area designed for their sex; provided that such individual is authorized to be on the school premises.

Sternberger said that policy is in line with Gov. Kevin Stitt’s recommendations and state law for schools to make reasonable accommodations.

“So we are making those arrangements,” said Lough.

“We are making reasonable accommodations,” Sternberger said.

Policies will be posted

Both of those policies will be posted on the school’s website this week under school administration/ HPS Board Policy/ Armed School Employees and GFK-Bathrooms.

Board sets election

Hennessey’s board also called for the annual election of a board member during the regular October meeting.

Filing for the five-year seat now held by President Luke Lough is Dec. 5-7 at the Kingfisher County Election Board from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. (Note: The courthouse closes at 4:30 p.m.)

A primary election (only needed if three or more candidates file) is Tuesday, Feb. 14, and the general election is Tuesday, April 4.

At the meeting

In addition to Lough, other board members present were Clerk David Tillman, Patrick Griffin and Dr. James Matthew Matousek.

Absent was Vice President Cristopher Choate. Staff at the board table were Sternberger and Timberly Jech, administrative office manager who also serves as minutes clerk. Staff in the audience were principals Ricardo Tarango (middle school), Barry Crosswhite (elementary), and Stacy Mack (early childhood center), and Rae Fuksa, tech advisor and middle school teacher.

A visitor was Dusty Torrey, Garber Public School Superintendent.

Personnel

Sternberger announced the resignation of Christina Holguin as a teacher’s aide in the elementary school.

The board approved professional development/ training stipends for teachers with $1,500 for certified and $750 for non-certified personnel. They hired Jacob Stauffer as an elementary paraprofessional and Kim Hallmark as a middle school counselor on a temporary contract for the remainder of the school year.

Hallmark is also the director of the high school internship program.