By ALICIA FEYERHERM
Tiger Media Network
USD 489 Board of Education approved extensions for administrator and director contracts during Monday’s meeting.
Assistant Superintendent of Business Services Chris Hipp first reviewed the language updates to Administrator/Director Contracts.
Hipp said he had a call with the assistant executive director of legal services and attorney with the Kansas Association of School Boards, Lori Kopp, and she had no concerns with the contract.
Board member Allen Park asked if she approved of the superintendent having the same contract as the principals.
“She said every district does it differently,” Hipp said. “It was not unusual at all.”
Board Member Derek Yarmer pointed out that the contract states the individual is under the superintendent’s supervision, which would put the superintendent under his own supervision.
Legal Counsel Bill Jeter said that could be changed to state that the board oversees the superintendent, while keeping the contract language the same.
Park also mentioned that other districts more explicitly spell out the benefits (such as number of days worked and fringe benefits) within the contract. The proposed contract simply refers to the Administrator Handbook.
Hipp explained that by doing so, information only has to be updated in one place.
Park motioned to table the discussion until the next meeting to further review the contracts. Yarmer seconded.
Board member Ken Brooks responded that the board had already tabled the topic for this meeting, as it had at the last meeting.
“They brought everything that you asked for for us to be able to vote,” Brooks said.
The motion passed. Jeter explained that, by doing so, staff can either keep the old contract for one more year or sign the new contract with the salary increases and other changes.
“You’re going to come up with a new template, or changes in the template, which will add another year on the contract, and that’s what you offer the teachers, which will also include salary increases and any other changes,” Jeter said. “If a teacher refuses to sign it, then they stay on the current contract, which will expire at the end of next year.”
The board then approved one-year extensions for District Administrator contracts through the 2027-2028 school year.
Brooks voted to approve as presented. Yarmer motioned to vote on each contract individually.
“We have an incredible administrative staff, there’s no reason why we wouldn’t approve every single one of them,” Brooks said.
Superintendent Ron Wilson disagreed with voting on each one individually.
“What you’re doing is you’re singling them out, and it’s a tough job, and it’s a lonely job, and I just think it’s important that you value our administrative team,” Wilson said. “We’re so lucky to have them.”
Board Member Craig Pallister said the board should side with the superintendent’s recommendation to approve all contracts. Board member Ruth Ruder agreed.
Board President Curt Vajnar called for the vote on Brooks’s motion. The motion passed 5-2.
Brooks motioned to extend all District Directors’ contracts through the 2027-2028 school year. The motion passed 7-0.
Other actions from the meeting included:
- After two executive sessions, a motion was made by the Board of Education to indicate its intent to non-renew the employment contract of Silas Hibbs as a teacher for the 2026-2027 school year. The motion passed 5-2.
- No motion was made to sell the undeveloped property located north of the former Hays Middle School football field. The appraised value of the property is $630,000, but the bids received came in below half that amount. The board will discuss the next steps at a future work session.
The next Board of Education meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. on April 6 in the Rockwell Administration Building.