The director of the Exceptional Child Education Cooperative is retiring at the end of the school year.
The Houston board of education acknowledged the retirement of Jennifer Johnson during the closed session of last week’s monthly board meeting. Members also made seven hiring decisions.
Johnson joined the district in the summer of 2018 with 25 years of educational experience. She was the assistant principal and special services director at Koshkonong before joining Houston Schools. A West Plains High School graduate, Johnson worked in six different school districts at every grade level during her tenure in education.
COACHING MOVES AMONG HIRES
Extended employment contracts during the meeting were:
- Jody Miller, substitute nurse.
- Jami Teem, substitute food service.
- Tim Malam, substitute bus driver.
- Larry Benoist, assistant high school girls’ basketball coach.
- Trevor Sudheimer, assistant middle school girls’ basketball coach.
- Ashley Gilbert, Registered Youth Apprentice at the Early Childhood Center.
- Sarah Niebruegge, paraprofessional as Exceptional Child Cooperative in Plato.
IMPROVEMENTS CONTINUE AT PRTC, SPECIAL RECOGNITIONS GIVEN
Also during the open session of the meeting, board members:
- Approved continuing to partner with Cahill Construction for Phase II of improvements at the Piney River Technical Center.
- Gave special recognition to Dawn Williams, an elementary special education teacher who was selected by the Houston McDonald’s as its “outstanding education of the year.”
- Also recognized eighth grader Kyell Robertson for his fourth-place finish at the National Junior Beta Science Competition and eighth grader Charlie Benoist as the middle school student of the month.
- Reviewed and approved job descriptions for Activity Supervisor and Executive Assistant/Bookkeeper.
- Voted to remove Carla Randall (former HR/payroll) from the district bank accounts and add Rachel Fishel.
- Tabled a discussion to increase bus trip and shuttle bus pay from $14.10 per hour to $15 beginning Jan. 1 to be in compliance with the state minimum wage.
- Were presented job descriptions for Automotive Technology and director of the Exceptional Child Cooperative. A sponsorship packet was approved for the Automotive Technology program.
- Received a District Literacy Plan from Jody Jarrett, elementary principal.