By: Garrick Moritz, Gazette
The Garretson School Board approved the hiring of a new Driver’s Ed teacher as well discussing the legislative session, Title 1 teaching and a new wrestling champions board and FFA projects at their meeting on Monday.
After the meeting was called to order the first item was the addition of the hiring of Angela Griebel as the new Drivers Education instructor for the cost of $1,300 for classroom education and $150 per student practicum. The board agreed to add this to the consent agenda for rapid approval and Superintendent Guy Johnson said he’d talk more about the hire and when they got to new business items regarding setting tuition for the program.
Board President Shannon Nordstrom also made a notation that they are approving diesel fuel quotes this month. Aside from heaters that run on diesel fuel, the school does still have their activities bus, which is a traditionally-fueled bus to take students to events. Supt. Johnson noted that that bus or the propane fueled bus are the primary mode of transportation for sports teams on road trips. Depending on distance, the propane is used for shorter-range trips and the diesel bus is used for long distance travel, but that yes, otherwise the electric buses are serving all the district’s needs, substantially reducing the district's fuel purchases and consumption.
The only item of public comment during the open forum section of the meeting was that Kindra Clark, GHS Graduate and daughter of board member Tana Clark, has been named Teacher of the Year for the Mitchell School District, and the board was pleased to hear that news and congratulated T. Clark when she arrived.
National School Board recognition week is the week of Feb. 19th, (next week) and Board President Nordstrom thanked his fellow board members for their service to their community.
The Drivers Education course was the next topic of board discussion. Supt. Johnson said that the long time Drivers Ed instructor that the school had retained had retired from teaching this past year. Johnson said that he, along with Business manager Jacob Schweitzer, had worried about finding anyone to fill that position, as there are not many qualified instructors in SD who can teach it.
“However, I’m pleased to say that after we posted the job we had three applicants in fairly quick succession,” Johnson said.
Supt. Johnson said he was impressed most by Griebel and offered her the position.
“Aside from traditional classroom learning and preparing for the drivers tests, Angela says she plans on some practical hands on learning exercises, like installing child car seats of various sizes and teaching students how to change a flat tire,” he said. “Real world, and practical things that some drivers on the road right now don’t know how to do. And how are you going to know these things unless someone teaches you? Obviously, I’m excited to see what she brings to the classroom for our students.”
With that, he laid out to the board his recommendation for tuition costs for this school year for Drivers Education, and the board approved. Costs this year will be $260 for Garretson School District students and $320 for out-of-district students.
The school board then reviewed and approved next year’s school calendar. No major changes of note for next year. Christmas break will be a full two weeks, and the day off for parent teacher conferences will fall on Nov. 1st.
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