USD 333 board approves new hires

The hiring of four new certified staff members were approved by the Unified School District 333 board of education during its regular meeting on Monday.
Three of the hires approved were for new positions in the district, including Alexis Koops, fifth grade teacher; Nikki Chacon, 7-12th grade math teacher and Darlene Griffiths, MTSS/testing coordinator.
The hiring of Jenny Acree as a Concordia Junior-Senior High School English teacher was also approved.
Acree will also serve as the yearbook sponsor.
In other action taken during the meeting, the board approved the appointment of Ronda Gumm as the authorized representative of the summer program.
The board heard an update on the Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) contact with McCownGordon Construction, Manhattan.
During its April meeting, the board, on the recommendation of the facilities committee and administrative team, approved partnering with McCownGordon in the CMAR process.
McCownGordon, as the CMAR for the district, will provide professional services and as a consultant in the design development and construction phases of a possible bond project.
The project could include improvements at the Concordia Junior-Senior High School, Concordia Middle School and Concordia Elementary School.
Superintendent of schools Quentin Breese said that the internal facilities team has been formed to review information provided by Mike Mayo of the Ebert Mayo Design Group Architects & Planning Consultants.
“We are going to continue to work through the process with McCown so they are on the same page as to what studies we have done on the engineering side, as well as tie that into what some of their project managers and their folks have gone through,” Breese said.
Serving on the facilities committee along with Breese are board of education members Steve Wetter, Mary Beth Smith and Tim Beims, along with Kelly Struebing, Troy Keiswetter, Steen Danielson, Larry Myers, Derek Holmes and Krystal Breese.
Tucker Petticord, pre-construction manager for McCownGordan, talked to the board about the CMAR process.
“The reason we form a facilities committee with board members is that it really needs to be ownership by the district in what solutions we end up coming to,” Petticord said, “There is going to be a lot of feedback, there is going to be a lot of prioritizing, and then also communication.”
Petticord said that ultimately it is going to be a big decision that the board is going to be making.
“I will say the most success we have had in communities with this process is when the facilities committee questions us, questions the design team, so that they have solid understanding of exactly what is going on. Because you are going to get a lot of questions,” Petticord said.
Krystal Breese presented the board with information on possible social studies curriculum updates.
“It has been quite some time since they have had new social studies materials,” Breese said.
Following a review of materials from different companies, it is being recommended that the district adopt the curriculum and materials for grades 3-12 from Houghton Mifflin at an estimated cost of $83,481, and the curriculum and materials for seventh grade Kansas History from Gibbs Smith at an estimated cost of $5,972.38.
Along with the online resources used by teachers and students, there would also be 30 text books in each classroom.
It has also recommended using Pearson: Sociology: A Down to Earth Approach Henslin for Psychology/Sociology as its resource used at Cloud County Community College.
Breese said that she is continuing to negotiate costs with the vendors.
A curriculum proposal will be presented to the board for a vote during the May meeting.
It was reported to the board that Concordia High School graduation is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Sunday and baccalaureate is 1:30 p.m. Sunday.
The staff appreciation breakfast is scheduled for May 22 at 8 a.m. at the Concordia Elementary School.