The Comanche Board of Education met in a regular session on Tuesday, August 8, 2023. Board members accepted the superintendent’s recommendation to contract with Talk Path Live for speech-related services. The board also approved hiring Jennifer Combs for an early childhood position, Dalaan Bassett for band director beginning in January, Steven Dunham for Homeless Liaison, Terri Wilson as a tutor, and Jennifer Hinsley as a child nutrition assistant. Based on Bills' recommendation the board also approved adjunct teachers Leann Pollock, Stephanie Stengle, Braydon Robinson, and Kirk Prucha for various subject areas.
The board approved various routine consent agenda items, including the minutes of the regular board meeting held in July. The board also approved activity fund reports, the treasurer’s report, the contract for career and technology education programs, and the South-Central Oklahoma Online Consortium Cooperative agreement. Contract amounts for non-certified 10-month employees were approved, as were the athletic and non-athletic extra duty schedules.
The board also approved an agreement with Duncan Regional Health for an athletic training program. DRH will provide the district with an athletic trainer coordinator several days a week. Bills indicated this will be a great asset to our athletes and the athletic programs at Comanche. Comanche will share the trainer with another district, and Bills will provide more information to board members after the final details are worked out.
The ESSER III plan is posted on the website. These funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The plan is available for viewing and community input. The Distance Learning Handbook and Continuing to Learn Plan are also posted on the webpage. There are minimal changes compared with last year. Bills indicated that the district would not provide COVID testing this year due to the expiration of the Project 723 state grant.
Bills shared staff development activities and recognition with board members. She also shared the recognition for every five years of service.
5 years of service -Jamey Bowles, Beverly Clark, Kat Dodd, James Morgan, and Gayla Newsom
15 years of service - Jack Francis and Sean Hushbeck
20 years of service - Tina Phillips and Elizabeth Ressel
25 years of service - Kristy Houston, Jennifer James, Jessica Rice, and Lisa Rogers
30 years of service - Tonya Morgan
40 years of service - Patricia Hampton and Linda Watson
55 years of service - Charlie Hughes and Morgan Mannen
“Charlie Hughes and Morgan Mannen received plaques for 55 years of service. It is unheard of today to have an employee stay with a district for 55 years. Their historical knowledge of the district is invaluable, said Bills. We are blessed to have them on our staff.”
Mrs. Bills, on behalf of the staff, expressed appreciation to the food service management company, OPAA, and First Baptist Church for providing lunch for staff on inservice days and Aflac for refreshments.
The district students returned to class on Thursday of last week and Mrs. Bills is excited to get the new year underway. She stated that “We have excellent returning staff and have added to our programs with great hires over the summer. I am ready to see what this year brings for our students.”