North Nodaway Accepts Two Resignations, Hires Several Personnel, Approves Repairs to School

The North Nodaway School Board accepted two resignations and hired several new personnel for the 2023-2024 school year at their regular meeting last Wednesday.

The board voted to accept the resignation of Sarah Emery as the Elementary Special Ed teacher and Tana Wymer as the 5th Grade Teacher.

The board named Lori Harris as the 6th-8th grade math teacher, MacKenzie Black as the High School and Basketball Cheer Coach, Zaire Sutton as the Assistant High School Football Coach and a substitute teacher, Lindsey Bird as the 5th Grade Teacher, Brylie Goff as the 1st Grade Teacher, and Tracy Westfall as the Elementary Special Ed Teacher. All votes were unanimous.

The school board voted to award the bid to Herner Construction to repair damages from the April hailstorm at a cost of $351,357. All the costs will be covered by the school’s insurance. The repairs will cover the following:

Recreation Center:

–Replace all vinyl siding;

–Replace three vinyl windows;

–Replace two light fixtures;

–Paint two doors;

–Replace all gutters and downspouts;

–Replace roof shingles.

Ag Building:

–Replace metal wall panels on south side of building;

–Replace gutters and downspouts on south side of building;

–Paint two doors;

–Replace OH door;

–Replace three window screens and frames;

–Replace louvers on greenhouse and the one on the south side of the Ag building.

Commons Building:

–Replace metal wall panels on south side;

–Replace gutters and downspouts on south side.

High School:

–Replace blue metal wall panels on south side;

–Replace coping cap on south side;

–Replace gutters on south side;

–Replace 12 window screens;

–Replace all blue standing seam metal roofing and flashing on south facing section.

Bus Barn:

–Replace roof steel

–Replace metal wall panels on south side;

–Replace two man doors.

Elementary:

–Parapet wall panels and coping cap on south side.

The board amended the budget to reflect the Rickard Grant, the State Security Grant, and the Preschool Startup Grant.

The board voted to name Hallelujah Counseling Services, owned and operated by Courtney Koch, to provide mental health services for the school. A licensed professional counselor will be in the elementary for one day a week. This is in the teletherapy services that the school is already utilizing. 

The board voted to approve the bid from Chris Kiddo to refinish the hardwood floors at the Elementary for a cost of $6,800.

The board voted to approve the purchase of new science textbooks for grades K-12 from McGraw-Hill for a cost of $40,608.07.

The board voted to award the trash bid to Porter Trash of Maryville. The bid went up from $372 to $410 this year. They were the only bidder. The bid for LP went to Agriland. The bid went from 1.634 per gallon to 1.0375 per gallon, saving the school several thousand dollars for the upcoming year. The school typically uses 20,000 gallons of propane. MFA Oil bid 1.35 per gallon and Consumer Oil bid 1.55 per gallon. The milk bid went to Anderson-Erickson, which was the only bidder. Milk went down 1-2 cents. Cottage cheese, sour cream, and yogurt went up. Graves Menu Maker and Fall City Mercantile submitted bids for the food. Graves Menu Maker had 60 random items out of 75 that were cheaper. They have had the food bid for years. 

High School Principal Roger Johnson reported that they are switching the ELA Reading Room and the High School Math Room. This will keep middle school and high school classes located on the floors where their lockers are located. 

Several students have been attending summer athletic programs. Jacquelyn Cline will be attending the National FBLA Contest in June. Morgan Pope will attend District Officer training.

Preparations for registration, Back to School night, and 6th grade orientation are being made for August. Sports and activity schedules and master activity calendars for 23-24 are completed and can be viewed online.

Staff professional development days have been planned and scheduled. Emphasis will be on ELA, data teams, and professional learning communities. Another point of emphasis will be on incorporating technology into classrooms.

The class schedule was finalized earlier this spring, and students were able to register. The school will be offering leadership and character education classes at various levels, a senior seminar, additional service learning, and entrepreneurship opportunities. The school is building time for the counselor to work with middle school students on bullying, Internet safety, coping skills, and other topics. 

The school counselor will also work with seniors and juniors on scholarships, ACT and Accuplacer testing, job shadowing, college visits, and other student needs.

Teachers will have an extra 120 minutes per week to work in teams on curriculum development, data collection, and intervention and mentoring programs.

School supply lists will be sent out in early August.