The Independence Board of Education meets the first and second Tuesday of each month. The board met May 13, 2008, and took the following action. (All decisions are unanimous unless otherwise stated).
• Recognized Kristel Barr for receiving the Greater Kansas City High School Principal of the Year Award from the regional chapter of the Missouri Association of Secondary School Principals.
• Recognized Rudy Summerville for his work during the 2008-09 school year with the Association of Chrisman Excellence, a service organization at William Chrisman High School.
• Approved the District Technology Plan. All school districts in the state are required to submit a technology plan every three years. The plan reviews and addresses previous goals and sets new action plans for the next three years.
• Discussed the district’s appointee to the 2008 Board of Equalization. Board of education members have been asked to submit a list of possible appointees within the next few weeks.
• Approved a resolution for the intent to issue bonds and/or lease purchase agreements no greater than $17 million. The purpose is to reimburse the Independence School District for the start-up costs of bringing seven schools in western Independence and Sugar Creek into the Independence School District.
Associate superintendent Brian Mitchell said these expenditures, which include building and site improvements, furniture, fixtures, technology equipment, textbooks, buses and kitchen furnishings, will be made prior to the Independence district receiving revenue funds from the newly annexed area.
The lease purchase agreements and/or bonds will be paid for from the increased revenue sources as they become available from western Independence and Sugar Creek.
• Approved the 2008 summer school personnel. Currently, there are 6,300 students enrolled. The district plans to run the remedial and enrichment summer programs from nine sites this year.
• Approved the Career Ladder program. The program gives teachers additional money for performing a set amount of hours tutoring students and/or participating in professional development activities throughout the year.
• Approved the contract for services with Occupational Therapy Outreach Inc. It is necessary for the district to contract for occupational therapy in order to meet the needs of some of its students.
• Approved one bid of $137,845 for pier work and mud-jacking at the Grandview Head Start facility. The school district runs Head Start programs throughout the Kansas City metropolitan area. The funds to do the work in Grandview are federal funds received through the Mid-America Regional Council.
• Approved the retirement of Sharon Davidson, Luff Elementary; Maribeth Kammert, Sycamore Hills; Diane Leheney, Mill Creek; Rebecca Campbell, Sycamore Hills and Lynn Verstraete, Glendale Elementary
• Approved the resignation of Deborah Martin, Spring Branch; Niki Lenz, Thomas Hart Benton; Rebecca Farmer, Mill Creek; Sonya Manz, Blackburn Elementary; Tami Prater, Pioneer Ridge; Heather Porter, Procter Elementary and Jamie Mayes, William Chrisman.
• Approved the employment of Tracy Shelly, process coordinator; Mona Anderson, social studies; Jennifer Davidson, science; Kristin Dahmer, special education; Michael Murray, physical education; Lydia Hanson, elementary; Andria Dockery, science; Kari Johnson, mathematics; Laura Smith, mathematics; Sarah Varley, speech and theater; Nathan Bruns, Spanish; Amy Baker, mathematics; Anthony King, elementary; Madora Graffeo, music; Erin Roberson, Spanish; Tilia Thomas, elementary; Erin Plumb, middle school science; Emily Petersen, elementary; Brian Holmgren, science; Anne Rice, business; Janice Mills, industrial technology; Blair Dean, elementary; Adam Surrey, English; Shelby Cascio, elementary; Donald Schulte, debate; Melissa Guillory, orchestra; Jasmine Spencer, elementary; Ellen Brown, ELL; Ron Meyer, theater; Sandra Spielbusch, special education; Brenda Weible, reading; Windolyn Smith, reading; Sarah Ruby, ELL; Stephanie Parker, elementary; Teresa Dwyer, elementary; Tina Willis, Family and Consumer Science; Jerri Fankhauser, special education; Joshua Payne, English; Christine Blunk, mathematics; Eric Robb, industrial technology and Stephanie Dimmitt, elementary.
– Kelly Evenson
