Jasper School Board Readying for School Year

Jasper school board members worked toward getting ready for the new school year at this month's meeting.

The Board approved the transfer of Josh Benefiel from junior high PE teacher to Newton Elementary assistant principal, and hired Rebecca Holkenbrink as Newton Elementary counselor; Craig Utterback as junior high PE teacher, junior high girls basketball coach and junior high head track coach; Whitney Ritchhart as Newton Elementary 3rd grade teacher; Derek Stanciu as high school night custodian to replace Roy Dhom, who resigned the position; Jennifer Bales as head teacher at Ste. Marie Elementary; Josh Rushbrook as high school head cross country coach and high school JV boys basketball coach; and Adrienne Roberts as junior high girls and boys cross country coach and junior high Scholastic Bowl coach.

The Board approved volunteers, including Maddie Stanley, Montana Ochs, Ariel Richards and Karsyn McCoy for junior high softball, and John Grunloh for junior high baseball; and also granted maternity leaves to Newton Elementary 5th grade teacher Kelsey Keller and Newton Elementary Special Needs teacher Gina Niemerg later this year. Superintendent Andy Johnson was granted hiring authority for additional vacancies and to post two aide positions, a special education bus chaperone, and a special education bus driver.

The Board was reminded of 7th grade orientation, scheduled for 5pm on Wednesday, August 10 in the Jasper County Junior High/Newton Community High School Cafeteria.

Jasper board members also okayed the seeking of bids for a small used wheelchair bus; tabled consideration of tennis court upkeep to the August meeting; heard there could be a need for work on the Willow Hill parking lot prior to the start of the school year; approved a collaborative agreement with Embarras River Basin Agency Head Start; and approved award of bids for dairy products and a driver's ed vehicle.