The North Union Board of Education took time during a meeting earlier this week to recognize students and community members for their accomplishments.
Superintendent Rich Baird acknowledged the appointment of Brian Davis, who was recently voted in as a new board member. President Kevin Crosthwaite opted not to run for re-election during the November election. Davis will fill Crosthwaite’s seat on the board at the January meeting.
The board also accepted a resolution commending the 2017 North Union Agronomy Team on its National Championship. Two members of the team, Grayson Plotner and Sarah Chadwick, along with FFA advisors Tom Jolliff and Breck Mooneyham, were honored. It was also mentioned that all four members of the agronomy team scored in the top ten, individually, nationally. Plotner was named the number one student in the nation.
Jared Evans was named the #NU Pride winner for the month of November. He has volunteered many years with the Agronomy teams that have won the national competition four of the last five years. Evans has also been responsible for creating the North Union FFA website and is the technology coordinator for the district.
Jody Hoffman, the math coach for the school district on all levels, gave a demonstration on how she is working with teachers and students in the math department. She stated that when teachers grow, students grow. She also talked about aiding the staff with information and other techniques on teaching math problems to help students and encourage growth in the subject.
In other business, the board:
-Set the Dec. 18 meeting for 6:30 p.m. with a policy committee meeting scheduled for 5:45 p.m., prior to the board meeting. The board also set the organizational meeting for Wednesday, Jan. 3 at 6 p.m. and the regular monthly meeting to follow.
-Voted to approve a motion to accept the low bid of $88,216 of Cardinal Bus Sales and to purchase one 77-passenger conventional school bus, along with a 10 year/unlimited mileage warranty in the amount of $4,600.
-Approved the following volunteers for the 2017-18 school year – Travis Bahan, Dillon Carmean, Penny Cunningham, Laura Lindsay, Dan Miller, Mary Pitcock, Tiffany Stringer, Trent Thompson and Don Wasserbeck.
-Approve a motion to employ Katlin May, a certificated/licensed individual on a one-year replacement contract as middle school intervention specialist.
-Approved employment of Hannah Wilson, a non-certificated individual on a one-year replacement contract as elementary school intervention aide.
-Approved employment of Wendelyn Wilson, bus driver, Laura Lindsay and Jami Temple, both Wildcat Readers.
-Accepted the resignation of Bob Moore as high school physical education and health teacher, effective Oct. 20, 2017.
-Approved one-year limited expiring supplemental contracts for Josh Sowder as high school assistant football coach and Aaron Myers as middle school head wrestling coach.
-Approved Makaylin Johnston and Alyse Francis as middle school co-cheerleading coaches for winter; Heather Queen and high school varsity cheerleading coach and high school assistant cheerleading coach (1/2 contract) for winter, Randal Riffle, Jr. as high school varsity assistant wrestling coach, Dylan Reese, high school junior varsity wrestling coach, Jerry Sparks, indoor track club and Simeon Wilson as VEX IQ coach.