The Houston school board made a flurry of employee-related moves during Tuesday’s school board meeting, including hiring a new high school principal and director of the Exceptional Child Cooperative.
Justin Copley, high school principal at Plato, was selected as the new HHS principal following an interview with the board. He was the only finalist interviewed.
The board also named Jennifer Johnson the new co-op director.
Also during the meeting, school board members:
•Approved the extra-duty contracts for next school year, including naming Jim Moore the new high school softball head coach.
•Employed Dana Wilson (high school BETA Club sponsor), Lisa Sherwood (high school science), Joe Montgomery (bus maintenance), Del Hicks (Russian language interpreter), Rebecca Wann (elementary teacher), Rebecca Taylor (elementary teacher), Renee Ice (early childhood special education teacher) and Brett Conway (speech-language pathologist).
Montgomery will be utilized no more than the 550 hours allowed for retirement. He retired from Houston Schools in 2016.
•Accepted resignations from Sherri Gale (junior class co-sponsor), Traci Starnes (special education process coordinator/testing coordinator), Dan Backus (director of custodial services), Julianna Rodgers (middle school softball), Heather Smith (elementary paraprofessional), Sarah James (speech-language pathologist), Reagan Caldwell (speech-language pathologist), Joyce Jones (food director) and Marcelle Fleetwood (elementary counselor).
Backus and Jones are retiring from the district.
•Approved adding high school fall baseball on a one-year trial beginning in 2018.
•Heard from Houston Police Chief Tim Ceplina related to adding the school resource officer. The district moved forward with adding an officer.
•Were updated on health grand activities for the school year by Loran Richardson.
•Approved Catlett & Associates for auditing services from 2018 through 2021.
•Took no action after hearing more information related to building new restrooms for the football and baseball complex.
•Recognized Tammy Buse (elementary), Kathy Bradshaw (middle school) and Jason Pounds (high school) as the district’s teachers of the year.
•Were led in the Pledge of Allegiance by middle school student of the month nominees Thomas Bloomer, Ethan Chase and Olivia Crites. Abigail Dzurick, the high school student of the month, was also recognized.