By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
The Hays USD 489 school approved a two-year extension of Superintendent Ron Wilson's contract at its meeting Monday night.
In addition, the contracts for other district-level administrators and building-level administrators were approved.
However, there was some disagreement among the board about how the business of the board should be conducted.
Board member Allen Park made a motion to move the board into executive session to further discuss the contracts, citing the personnel exemption to the Kansas Open Meetings Act.
Three of the four members of the board voted against the motion to move into a secret session, including Tammy Wellbrock, Lance Bickle and Mike Walker.
Wellbrock joined the meeting via Zoom.
"I do not see any reason to go into executive session," she said. "It just becomes a gossip session and micromanagement of Ron as superintendent."
The reporter for the Hays Post also objected to the board moving into executive session to discuss an action item on its agenda.
Board attorney Bill Jeter said the board had the right to move to an executive session to discuss non-elected personnel matters.
Kansas Press Association consulting attorney Max Kautsch said on Tuesday he agreed public boards have the right to move into executive session to discuss evaluations of individual personnel.
The board moved into an executive session for about 20 minutes. The board came back into public session, at which time the board voted 6-1 to renew all of the administrator contracts.
Park voted against the renewals, saying he opposed the motion specifically because of the superintendent's contract. He did not say why he was voting against the superintendent's contract renewal.
Wilson said via email Wednesday, “We have an outstanding group of administrators in this district who are very committed to supporting kids and staff in our schools and district. Great things are happening in the district in large part because of the strong leadership that is provided on a daily basis inside our district.”
Board member Nuchelle Chance said she hoped the district would pursue diversity in its upcoming hirings.
Two USD 489 principals will be resigning at the end of June — HHS Principal Martin Straub and O'Loughlin Elementary School Principal Vicki Gile.
"I hope the school district is really trying to recruit far and wide, as far as the state goes," Chance said. "I know there are state laws on licensing, but to expand and get young and fresh faces. When I see those openings, I hope we are casting a net to get diverse thought and character and fresh faces."
The following administrators' contracts were approved.
District administrators
Kyle Carlin-director of special education
Shanna Dinkel-assistant superintendent
Chris Hipp-assistant superintendent
Lindy McDaniel-assistant director of special education
Ron Wilson-superintendent
Building administrators
Tom Albers- Hays Middle School
Donna Hudson-Hamilton- Early Childhood Connections
Lance Kranawitter- Hays High School
Kerri Lacey- Lincoln Elementary School
John Linn- Hays High School
Keri Peterson- Roosevelt Elementary School
Anita Scheve- Wilson Elementary School
Fred Winters- Hays High School
Shauna Zweifel- Hays Middle School
Changing principal contracts to two-year contracts
The board also discussed an eventual move to two-year contracts for principals. The superintendent has a two-year contract, but principals have one-year contracts.
Board member Craig Pallister, a former Hays Middle School principal, said he supported the move as a recruiting tool.
Board member Bickle said he opposed two-year contracts.
"I think we have great people in this administration, and I think we do a great job," he said. "I think we build that trust, and I don't need a piece a paper to tell me that people are doing a good job."
The board did not vote on the change Monday night. The issue will likely come back to the board for a vote at a later date.
The board also passed a resolution to seek a lease agreement for the Roosevelt Elementary School HVAC project.