Hirings and resignations

As the school year winds down and summer approaches, the Carbon County School Board no. 2 (CCSD No. 2) met Monday for its monthly meeting. The meeting was dominated mostly by personnel matters as well as budget issues and approval of the student handbook.

The board accepted the retirement of Hope Jones, the district’s long-time speech therapist, and it accepted the resignation of Brandi Dearcorn, fifth grade teacher at Hanna Elementary, effective at the end of this school year.

The board also spent time hiring. The board voted to hire two new teachers, one will be a special education teacher at Encampment School, and the second will be a kindergarten teacher at Hanna.

The board also voted to offer Activity/Extra Duty contracts to several district employees as sports coaches around the district. The board voted to offer Clint Bromley the position of Girls’ Head Basketball Coach at Encampment High School (EHS) and is offering Jacob Johnston a position as boys’ basketball head coach at EHS, pending certification.

Saratoga High School (SHS) will get a new Girls’ head basketball coach as well, with the board offering the position to Heather Bartlett. The board also approved contracts for new head wresting and football coaches at SHS. Zachary Schmidt will be offered the contract to coach wrestling, and Kegan Willford will be offered the position of head football coach.

The board also reported that improvements at Saratoga Elementary School’s playground will commence in June upon the end of the school year. The project is intended to correct a drainage issue at the school that allows water to pool on the floor during downpours.

At the meeting Monday, the board also discussed preliminary budgets. Board members discussed the CCSD No.2 Recreation Board Preliminary Budget, the CCSD No.2 BOCES Preliminary budget, and the CCSD No.2 preliminary budget for the 2016-2017 school year.

The board also approved the student handbooks for the upcoming school year, stating that changes in certain policies can be made later in the summer with revisions to the manual. The board also discussed how ties are to be broken if there are multiple students in contention for valedictorian or salutatorian in a graduating class. The board will use ACT scores as a tie-breaker after consulting with principals in area high schools, it said.

The board also voted to accept or approve the lowest and most qualified bid for roof repairs at both SES and the Encampment K-12 school. The board will open bid on May 24, and will select the bid at its next regular meeting.

The next regular meeting of the CCSD No. 2 Board of Directors will be held 6 p.m., June 20 at the CCSD No. 2 Central office in Saratoga.