The hot topic of Bibles in the classrooms wasn’t discussed during the Monday evening Hennessey Board of Education meeting.

However, the board voted to update its policies on prayer.

“We have done the moment of silence for years,” Superintendent Jason Sternberger told the Times and Free Press after the meeting.

“What changed is what we are supposed to announce before we start. We also have to indicate when the Moment of Silence will be each day.

“These are minor changes but something we had to do,” he said.

Voluntary Private Prayer and Moment of Silence Policy:

• The minute of silence will be held every morning. The minute of silence will be announced from the main office as follows: “We now pause for a minute of silence in which students may reflect, meditate, pray, or engage in any other silent activity that does not interfere with, distract, or impede other students in the exercise of their individual choices.

• School employees are free to engage in private religious prayer during school events, including sporting events and graduation ceremonies when employees are free to attend briefly to personal matters and students are engaged in other activities in accordance with the holding in Kennedy v. Bremerton School District, 142 S Ct. 2407 (2022)

• Individuals who wish to file a complaint regarding a violation of 70 O.S 11-101.1 or 11-101.2 should notify the building principal in writing of the specific issue that has occurred. The building principal will notify the superintendent that a complaint has been received. The building principal shall investigate the issue and determine whether a violation of the law has occurred. If the law has been violated, a plan of corrective action should be taken to address the issue.

Other Updated policies were: (425) Suspension, Demotion or Termination of Support Employees and (527) Graduation Requirements.

New policies are (433) Suspension of Certified Personnel and (532) Released Time Courses.

All HPS policies are on the school’s website, or users can Google Hennessey Public Schools/policies.

Superintendent’s Report

The sports complex parking lot project is complete, except for the light poles, said Sternberger during the board’s 17-minute meeting.

“We shouldn’t need the lights for the first few games because it will still be light for a while,” he said.

Dirt work on the town’s Mitchell Road waterline project continues, he said, “and it shouldn’t be a traffi c problem (when school starts Thursday) because they are doing the dirt work in the ditches now.”

At the Meeting

All board members were present: President Patrick Griffin, Vice President Dr. James Matthew Matousek, Clerk Luke Lough and members Amy Charmasson and Dakota Semrad.

In addition to the superintendent, also at the board table was Timberly Jech, business manager and minutes clerk.

In the audience were Principals Ricardo Tarango (middle school), Barry Crosswhite (elementary) and Stacey Mack (early childhood center).

Extra-Duty Assignments

Todd Cameron, head JH volleyball $2,000; Alondra Portillo, assistant volleyball, $1,500; Nathan Hill, concession stand, $1,500; Beth Curran, yearbook, $2,500; Daniel Powers, senior class sponsor, $100, and Jacob Bullis, junior class, $500.

Sternberger said all of those amounts were “pre-approved,” except for the concession stand and “Hill was the only one who volunteered.”

Teacher Hiring

Dallas Hunt, who was hired earlier as the new boys basketball coach, was approved as an adjunct teacher in the high school.

He will teach U.S. history, Oklahoma history, Government and economics.