Andy Evans said he understood the emotions that were showing at the Kingfisher Board of Education table.

“This is serious business,” he said. “And this is one of the saddest days.”

With that, Carly Franks made the motion to accept the resignations of 17 individuals at Kingfi sher Public Schools at a special board meeting that lasted five minutes Wednesday night.

Another individual who wasn’t listed among the 17 when the agenda was posted also had his resignation accepted in another motion.

Though they were resignations, they weren’t by choice, but rather 18 people who are losing their jobs as part of a reduction in force (RIF) by the school district.

Most were told of their fates the previous week as the district is trying to make up for a nearly $2 million budget shortfall.

Among them was Stuart Purintun, the district’s operations and athletics director.

Purintun was in the sixth year of his second stint with KPS. The first one lasted a decade before he returned to Weatherford, the hometown of both Purintun and his wife, Stacey, in 2015.

However, the Purintuns came back to Kingfisher in 2019.

He’s been a special education teacher, a coach, a principal and most recently the administrative roles that served the entire district.

With Stacey by his side, Purintun addressed the board just before the vote that would leave him unemployed by year’s end.

“As I reflect over my 16 years of service to the school district, I can only consider myself blessed,” Purintun said.

He mentioned a long list of people for whom and with whom he’s worked.

“And there have been so many other people that have influenced myself and my daughters as friends and mentors to list them all here tonight,” he said.

“But most of all, I’ve been blessed to teach, coach, administrate, mentor and serve the students of Kingfisher because without them, none of us would do what we do.”

On the day he was made aware of his fate, Purintun said he was in every building in the district. He talked with staff, current students and former students.

“I got to hand out high fives and hugs,” said Purintun, whose oldest daughter, Sydney, graduated from KHS and is now a student at Southwestern Oklahoma State University. The Purintuns’ youngest, Kamryn, is a senior at KHS.

“My family and I love this school district and this community,” he said. “And we will miss every face and treasure every memory. From the bottom of my heart, thank you Kingfisher.”

After he addressed the board, Franks, the board’s vice president, made the motion to accept the resignations, which was recommended by Evans, the district’s interim superintendent.

Dana Golbek and Charles Walker joined her in making the vote unanimous. Board members Brad Wittrock and Terry Payne weren’t at the meeting.

Resignations were accepted for:

• John Harris: Administration, Kingfisher High School principal

• Stuart Purintun: Administration, director of operations and athletics • Ausha Baker: Teacher, special education at Kingfisher Upper Elementary (KUE)

• Dan Bivins: Teacher, biology and drama at KHS

• Xavier Bryant: Teacher, physical education at KUE, high school basketball assistant coach

• Christopher “Drew” Dennis: Teacher, physical education at Gilmour Elementary, high school basketball assistant coach

• Logan Desmond: Teacher, Band

• Daphni Jennings: Teacher, physical science at KHS, cheer coach

• Catherine “Nicole” Kippenberger: Teacher, electives at Kingfisher Junior High, junior high basketball and junior high and high school cross country and track coach

• Richard Matthews: Teacher, history at KHS, junior high softball coach

• Bradley Pennock: Teacher, math at KJH, high school football assistant, junior high basketball assistant and high school tennis head coach

• Kevin Yeagley: Teacher, strength and training

• Lorie Denton: Support Staff, districtwide behavioral specialist

• Gracie Gilliland: Support Staff, paraprofessional at Gilmour

• Kara Tripp: Support Staff, Little Stingers director • Chris Wilfong: Support Staff, IT director

• Melody Wilfong: Support Staff, KJH and KHS art In the next item, the board accepted the resignation of:

• Keaton Callins: Teacher, history at KJH, high school football assistant, junior high basketball coach Callins’ resignation hadn’t been tendered at the time the agenda was posted, but the item called for any resignations coming after the fact to be voted on.

The first vote of the evening was on the reduction in force and elimination of two positions: a secretary at KHS and another at the administration office.

The high school secretary position was previously held by Brenda Jimenez who resigned earlier this month to accept a position as elementary counselor at Hennessey Public Schools.

The superintendent’s secretary position is currently held by Suzanne Bomhoff, who has indicated to Evans she intends to retire.

Evans said she’ll stay on board until other staff members in the admin offi ce are trained to complete her duties.

That item was also approved unanimously by the three board members.

The staff members will work through the end of the semester and be paid for that work, Evans said.

When told they were a part of the RIF, staff members were given the option to appeal or to offer their resignations and receive a $2,500 payout.

That payout will be made early next month when staff members receive their final paychecks.

None of those who were part of the RIF chose to appeal.

Evans said he and the district’s other administrators are still finalizing the schedules of remaining staff members to fill the roles voided by the RIF.

He said he’ll make those plans available as soon as they’re finalized.

The board also accepted Evans’ recommendation to suspend junior high soccer.

“We’re in the position right now where it’s going to be really hard to be able to get enough certified coaching in there,” Evans said. “It is a new program. I’m not saying to terminate it. I’m just saying suspend competition for this year.”

This would have been the first year for the junior high program. The vote to follow Evans’ recommendation was unanimous.