The Dexter School District honored school board member Rick Williams prior to the March meeting. Williams was attending his final meeting as a member of the board after 33 years of service.
A reception was held in his honor prior to the meeting. Williams’ family and friends were invited to attend the reception along with members of the school board and staff from the district. He was awarded a plaque from the district, a resolution from the Missouri House of Representatives and a plaque from the Dexter CTA. Cake and finger food were served at the reception.
Some of the highlights during Williams tenure are:
• He has worked with eight superintendents and served eight years as board president.
• He has seen 4,264 students graduate Dexter High School (this does not include the 120 members of the Class of 2021).
• Williams assisted on four general obligation bond issues totaling $39 million (all of which passed).
• During his tenure six general obligation refunding bonds were completed with a total par value of $26 million and provided a total net interest savings of $2.3 million.
Superintendent Amy James said $1,000 was received from an anonymous donor for a scholarship in Williams’ name. The scholarship will be awarded to a senior in the DHS Class of 2021.
The board approved the purchase of a third bus from Midwest Transit for $99,980. The district has six buses under lease for the next few years. The district is receiving $1.7 million from ESSER funds and wants to speed up the process of eliminating the lease by purchasing another bus. The board approved the purchase.
The board approved the Dexter High School Course Catalog for the 2021-22 school year. New courses are Essentials of Physical Science, Algebra III, Project Lead the Way (PLTW) Medical Interventions, PLTW Biomedical Innovations, PLTW Civil Engineering and Architecture, PLTW Cyber Security, AP Government and Politics, AP and Financial Services, History of WWII and the Holocaust, and Culinary Arts. Courses taught previously and available again are Business Management, Desktop Publishing, Business Law and Marketing, and Video Production. The board approved the course catalog.
Superintendents Report
James informed the board that only three students out of 2,076 enrolled in the Dexter School District were in quarantine at the time of the meeting. A COVID-19 vaccine clinic at SoutheastHEALTH of Stoddard County for the district staff on March 19.
Executive Session
In the executive session the board made several personnel moves.
• The board approved Whitney Grubbs and Ashlee Martin as substitutes for the 2020-21 school year.
• Amy Milan was hired as a bus driver.
• The board hired Lyndsey Phillips-8th grade ELA-middle school, Annette Frazier-6th grade ELA-middle school, Jorden Massey-AG-high school, Giovanni Walker-Band-high school, Terry Bryeans-6th grade SS-middle school, Rebecca Parsons-Assistant softball coach-high school and Shawn Guethle-Assistant basketball coach-middle school for the 2021-22.
• The board approved the employment of all probationary teachers, tenured teachers and instructional coaches for the 2021-22 school year.
• The approved letters of resignation for Ahtziri Bittaye, Samantha Henson, Tashon Bittaye, Michelle Jacques and Brianna Jones all effective at the conclusion of the 2020-21 school year.
• The board approved the retirement of Robin Rieffer effective at the end of the 2020-21 school year.