Hennessey’s Board of Education had a light agenda again this month, then learned the school’s recent gross production was only $64,000.

Superintendent Jason Sternberger also told the board Monday, Jan. 12, that it “jumped back up to $200,000,” but meanwhile “it will be difficult to develop a pattern for the next five months.”

He added: “We got a state aid increase of $110,000, but we’re still going to eat into our carryover... So a little bit of good news.”

Another Bond Sale

The board scheduled the sale of $1.215 million in taxable building bonds for a special meeting at noon Wednesday, Feb. 25, at The Eagle Event Center meeting room.

There was no discussion about what kind of major capital projects, such as constructing new buildings or renovating others, or purchasing transportation vehicles, etc.

The school sold $1.7 million in taxable building bonds in March 2025. That’s when The Bank of Oklahoma was awarded the best and lowest bid at 4.498%.

That interest is due May 1, 2026, according to an earlier Times & Free Press story.

“This is the second-tolast sale that we have on the bonds for ‘The Dome,’” Sternberger told the board. “Next year we’ll be doing this for the last time and that will be the last issuance. It’s a three-year term, so it was originally scheduled to pay off in 2030.

“One thing really good on the valuation, if you’ll remember, is that we’re still on track to pay off everything around 2028.”

State Question Eliminating Property Taxes

“Another thing to keep your eye on that I wanted to just bring to your attention State Question 842 about the elimination of property taxes,” said the superintendent.

“That could definitely impact this, so just something that, once again, as we move through the session, keep your eyes on it.”

Bid Opening Next Month

The bids are due at 11:45 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 25. The board will open the bids and a bidder will be recommended.

What Will Legislators Do?

The board approved the school calendar for the 2026-27 year after comments from the superintendent.

Sternberger said they would continue a week off at Thanksgiving and two weeks at Christmas and “changing the dates of the Easter, not taking off both Friday and Monday and moving the Monday to later.”

That action was after Sternberger said, “Our state superintendent has suggested adding up to 15 days to the calendar next year. Now, you know, everything I’ve heard, but they could meet in the middle somewhere, possibly. So, I think we need to go ahead and adopt this calendar now and then see how it plays out in the next session if there are any days added.

“Because there’ll be a lot of negotiations with that on teacher pay and everything else. So that’s a big topic.

“That’s not only days, but hours of instruction as well...But they could set a minimum and so it could eliminate the hours. There’s just a lot of what else right now.

Cameron is Thanked

“Todd Cameron has turned in his letter of retirement,” said Sternberger. “Not his resignation, but his letter of retirement.

“I think everybody knows how valuable he is in this district and I’m afraid to sit down with him when we actually start saying: now what is your job description?

“That’s true of all the things he does and his historical knowledge where all the bodies are hidden here at Hennessey,” the superintendent added. “It’s going to be very hard to replace Todd.

“Thank you for making my five years here very good and I appreciate everything you’ve done,” the superintendent said, and board members echoed their thanks for his service.

The board covered a lot of ground at this month’s meeting, and did it in under eight minutes.

At the Meeting

All board members were present: President Dr. James M. Matousek, Vice President Dakota Semrad, Clerk Amy Charmasson, Luke Lough and Lance Painter.

Also at the board table were Sternberger and Timberly Jech, office manager and minutes clerk.