USD 333 board approves new hires

Several new hires were included in certified staff changes approved by the Unified School District 333 board of education during its regular meeting on Monday night.
Personnel hired to new positions in the district include: Delaney James, fifth grade teacher at the Concordia Elementary School; Janelle Donovan, family and consumer science teacher at the Concordia Junior-Senior High School; Renata Knox, Concordia Middle School vocal music/band teacher; Leslie Jessup, art teacher/family and consumer sciences teacher; and Sofia Gallup, Concordia Junior-Senior High School physical education teacher.
The other hires include: Krystal Richard, Concordia Elementary School librarian; Charity Brown, pre-kindergarten teacher at the Concordia Elementary School; Sarah Collins, 5th-12th grade business/ computer science teacher; Bethany Richard, fourth grade teacher; and Brock Hartshorn, Learning Cooperative of North Central Kansas 9-12 interrelated teacher.
The transfers approved by the board include: Krystin Will, pre-kindergarten to second grade teacher; Mariah Blazek, fourth grade to first grade teacher; Michelle Popelka, third grade to first grade teacher; Lisa McFadden, interrelated teacher to Project Search Coordinator; and Alexis Coop, Concordia Junior-Senior High School interrelated teacher for 7th-8th grade mathematics.
The retirement of Lisa Moore, second grade teacher at the Concordia Elementary School, was approved by the board.
Classified staff hires approved by the board include:
Debbie Kalivoda, food service sub; Jared LeDuc, assistant high school baseball coach; Sandra Stadheim, substitute teacher/para; Brittany Anderson, substitute teacher/para; Anne Stone, substitute teacher/para; Mykah Eshbaugh, substitute teacher/daycare; Jennifer Garcia, junior high volleyball coach; Nicole Turner, assistant tennis coach; Ryan Howarth, food service (part-time) and Bobbie McWhorter, daycare substitute.
Denis Miller, Mapes & Miller, LLP, presented the fiscal year 2021 audit to the board during the meeting.
The audit report was approved by the board.
The board also approved the 2023-2024 district calendar.
Superintendent of Schools Quentin Breese presented an update to the board on the issues with a sewer line in the Concordia Middle School.
A sewer line backup back in January caused an overflow of water and raw sewage that flooded the Middle School art room and computer lab.
The district had the sewer line that runs under the wrestling room into the kitchen scoped. The video shows that what was a four-inch line has shrunk, causing the backups.
Breese said that the solution that was discussed was to cut all of the concrete out from underneath the wrestling room to the kitchen and run a new line.
“You are talking significant dollars there,” Breese said.
The administration contacted Randy LeDuc, LeDuc Plumping, which does pipe burst and perma-liner work on sewer lines.
Breese said that LeDuc is going to try to get the work done over spring break.
“We don’t have a paper estimate yet. We are estimating about $200,000,” Breese said.
The plan is to run a hard plastic sleeve on the inside of the existing pipe.
Breese said that a success story with a similar situation was the grocery store in Belleville.
There will be some concrete cutting involved in the project.
Breese said that there will be holes cut, about 4’x4’, in the kitchen as well as in the boys’ and girls’ locker rooms off of the varsity gymnasium.
“We are anxious to see what he can do with this,” Breese said. “As he digs in over spring break to try to solve this there is potential, if he were to run into problems, that coming back from spring break could be an issue in that building. Why is it an issue? Because it is right in the middle of our kitchen.”
Breese also presented a update to the board on the progress of the upgrades being made at the USD 333 Service Center (old middle school).
The district plans to move the fifth and sixth grade students back into the building beginning next fall and move the seventh and eighth grade students back into what was the junior high school.
Work began on the removal of the glass block in the old middle school in January.
Also taking place in January was engaging in flooring, furniture, locker and ceiling grid replacement estimates as well as bids for the fire alarm, intercom, technology infrastructure, phone system and kitchen equipment.
The timeline for February includes the work beginning on the ceiling grid, glass block and window replacement, along with cosmetic improvements in the classrooms, LED lighting and book shelving.
The schedule for the following months include:
March - Flooring, retrofit secure entry, ceiling grid, security camera installation, gas line replacement.
April - Fire system install, phone system install, intercom install, continue ceiling grid, paint and cosmetic.
May - Furniture arrival and kitchen renovation.
Early June - Anticipated teacher moves from current location.
Late June - Anticipated junior high staff move to vacated middle school areas.
July - Exterior finishes, landscape.
Also during the meeting, the board met in a ten minute executive session with Breese and director of operations and technology director Kelly Struebing for the purpose of teacher negotiations.