All principals were rehired and a strength and conditioning teacher was added to the Kingfisher Public Schools’ staff for the 2024-25 school year.

The moves were approved Monday during the Kingfisher Board of Education’s regular March meeting.

“I have zero reservations in recomending we rehire all of them,” said Superintendent David Glover prior to the board voting to go into executive session to discuss the moves.

After the 17-minute executive session, board members voted unanimously to follow Glover’s recommendation to rehire John Harris as high school principal, Colby Connel as KHS dean of students, Chris Farris as junior high principal, Melissa Slezickey as junior high assistant principal, Erin Michael as upper elementary principal, Lisa Meier as Heritage principal and Makylah Tollefson as Gilmour principal.

As part of that motion was also the hiring of Kevin Yeagley as a strength and conditioning certified teacher.

Glover said the position was created by Erin Michael as curriculum director, but was never filled.

“This young man is a teacher,” said Glover. “He’s not a coach.”

Yeagley has been the strength and conditioning coordinator at Southern Nazarene University since July 2022.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in criminology with a minor in physical education from the University of Oklahoma in 2012.

He later earned a master’s degree in sports studies- strength and conditioning from Southeastern Oklahoma State University in 2020.

In 2014, Yeagley became a certified strength and conditioning specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association and is a certified United States Weightlifting coach.

Prior to joining SNU, Yeagley taught P.E. at Putnam City Public Schools and was also a strength and conditioning coordinator for Capitol Hill High School from 2016-18.

Glover told the board six people were initially interviewed for the position and it was narowed down to two finalists.

“This guy knows what a girl is supposed to do in lifting. He knows what a softball player is supposed to do. He knows what a basketball player is supposed to do,” Glover said.

“But this is open to all students.”

Glover said although Yeagley will work with coaching staffs, he will not have a coaching position.

“I made it very clear that this is a teaching position,” Glover said.

The board also voted to hire Anna Drendel as a paraprofessional at Gilmour Elementary for the remainder of this school year.

In other action items during the 47-minute meeting, board members approved the annual procurement plan for the Child Nutrition Department and a fundraiser for the boys and girls track programs.