The Houston school board multiple employment decisions and added a new sport to the district during Tuesday’s monthly meeting.
T.J. Hinkle, the high school building trades instructor, was among four employees who resigned. Cody Whitaker (high school English), Elizabeth Williams (second grade) and Harley Jones (custodian) also submitted resignations. Jones’ final day was Friday while the others are effective at the end of the current year.
The board made eight hires for the 2019-’20 school year: Rod Gorman (part-time high school physical education); Shane Pitts (high school science and health); Taela Terrillion (high school English); Leah Allen (high school English); Rachel Brotherton (high school agriculture); Maygen Ward (instructional coach); and Stephanie Greiner (curriculum director/instructional coach). A list of non-certified staff, including building secretaries, custodial staff, maintenance members, bus drivers and others, were also approved (Read the full list).
Gorman and Ward were hired with 5-2 votes. The others were unanimous.
Also during the meeting, the board approved adding cross country as a high school and middle school sport beginning in the fall of 2019 following a presentation from Dr. Allen Moss, superintendent.
School board members also:
•Reorganized following the April 2 election. Jennifer Scheets, an incumbent, and Jeffery Gettys were sworn onto the board. Officer positions remained the same: Jo Holland, president; Scheets, vice president; Leon Slape, secretary/treasurer; and Tanya Bathon, executive board secretary.
PDF: Read the minutes from Tuesday’s Houston school board meeting
•Approved the sale and issuance of $6 million general obligation bonds and establishment of a final terms committee pending the certification of election results.
•Were led in the pledge of allegiance by Christopher Swallow, middle school student of the month nominee.