Monthly Archives: August 2022

Bourbon County, Government, Schools

USD 235 Board of Education Agenda For August 8

Leave a comment

 

UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT 235

UNIONTOWN, KANSAS

REGULAR BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING

Monday, August 8, 2022

7:30 p.m.

AGENDA

 

  1. Call to Order.

 

  1. District Mission Statement.
  2. Approve the Agenda.
  3. Review and approve the July 11, 2022 Regular meeting minutes.

 

  1. Consent Agenda.

 

  1. Approve and pay bills on the computer printout .
  2.   Approve July 2022 Treasurer Report.
  3. Surplus Equipment List Dated 8-8-22

 

III.         Informational Items.

 

  1. Audience with patrons.
  2. Preliminary Budget Review
  3. Highland Milk bid for 2022-2023 school year.
  4. BlueCross Blue Shield 2022-23 renewal
  5. KASB Annual Convention
  6. Set Revenue Neutral and Budget Hearing- (Sept. 12, 2022)
  7. District Needs Assessment
  8. Homer and Laura Steele Trust Recipient
  9. Administrative Reports – Ms. Gilion, Mr. Smith, Mr. Eden

 

  1. Action Items.
  2. Approve Hiland Milk bid for 2022-2023 school year.
  3. Approve Blue Cross Blue Shield Renewal
  4. Approve Publication of Budget and Revenue Neutral Rate
  5. Approve Student Early graduation.

 

  1. Executive Session – Personnel.

 

VII.      Executive Session – Negotiations.

 

VIII.      Adjournment.

Next regular board meeting date is Monday, September 12, 2022 at 7:30.

Revenue Neutral Hearing at 7:15 p.m. and Budget Hearing at 7:20 p.m.

To view the total agenda pkt.:

August-8-Agenda

Business, Fort Scott, Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce

Sales Tax Holiday Weekend In Fort Scott Continues Today

Leave a comment
Sales Tax Holiday Weekend

in Fort Scott
The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce announces an opportunity for shoppers to save money this weekend, August 5th-7th!

With no “official” Sales Tax Holiday weekend in the State of Kansas, we have our own holiday here where these local retailers pay the tax for you!

Save 9.4% this weekend at these local merchants:

Angie Dawn’s Boutique

Bids & Dibs

Hedgehog.INK!

Museum of Creativity Gift Shop

Papa Don’s Pizza

Ruddick’s Furniture & Flooring

(up to $500 of sales/$50 of Sales Tax)

Shirt Shack

Sunshine Boutique

These stores offer a variety of merchandise including apparel, home furnishings and décor – both new and repurposed, school supplies and much more!

There is no need to cross the border during this

No Sales Tax Holiday Weekend.

Save money, shop local, shop Fort Scott!

Thank you to our Chamber Champion members below!
Facebook  Twitter  Instagram
Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce | 231 E. Wall Street, Fort Scott, KS 66701
Fort Scott, Schools

USD 234 Board Agenda For August 8

Leave a comment

BOARD OF EDUCATION REGULAR MEETING

AUGUST 8, 2022 – 5:30 P.M.

AGENDA SUMMARY WITH COMMENTARY

 

1.0       Call Meeting to Order                                  Danny Brown, President

 

2.0       Flag Salute

 

3.0       Approval of the Official Agenda (Action Item)

 

4.0       Approval of the Consent Agenda (Action Item)

 

            4.1       Minutes from July 11, 2022, Board of Education Meeting

                        Minutes from July 25, 2022, Special Board of Education Meeting

            4.2       Treasurer’s Report

            4.3       Check Register

            4.4       Payroll – July 20, 2022 – $1,289, 232.37

            4.5       Activity Fund accounts

            4.6       Audiology Contract with Greenbush

            4.7       Low Incidence Contract with Greenbush

 

5.0       Leadership Reports (Information/Discussion)

 

            5.1       Superintendent’s Report

            5.2       Assistant Superintendent’s Report

            5.3       Business Manager’s Report

 

6.0       Old Business

 

            6.1       Approve MOU with the City of Fort Scott for a second School Resource Officer                 

 

7.0       New Business

7.1       Approval of participation in the KDHE School-Based Grant (Action Item)

 

 

7.2       Budget Presentation

.

            7.3       Approval of 2022-2023 COVID Update for the upcoming school year (Action Item)

 

            7.4       Approval of 2022-2023 Employee Handbook (Action Item)

 

            7.5       Approval of 2022-23 No Limits Contract (Action Item)

            7.6       Approval of 2022-23 Happy Kids Contract (Action Item)                                      

            7.7       Approval of middle school chiller replacement (Action Item)  

8.0       Other Business – Personnel Matters

8.1       Enter Executive Session – Personnel Matters (Action Item)

 

8.2       Exit Executive Session

 

8.3       Approval of Personnel Report (Action Item)

 

8.4       Enter Executive Session – Negotiations (Action Item)

 

8.5       Exit Executive Session

 

8.6       Approve amended 2022-23 negotiated agreement

 

9.0       Adjourn Meeting

                       

 

Fort Scott, Schools

New FSHS Teachers: Jon Barnes and Mike Krull

Leave a comment

This is part of a series featuring the new educators in Bourbon County. There are 26 new educators in USD 234.

Jon Barnes. Submitted.

Jon Barnes, 23, is the new Fort Scott High School American Government and American History teacher.

Barnes graduated from Fort Scott Community College with an Associates of Science and from Pittsburg State University he earned a Bachelor of Science in Education.

He is a first year teacher.

Barnes comes from Yates Center. His family:  mom Tonya Billiard Barnes  of Fort Scott, dad is Kevin Barnes of Mound City.

In his spare time he enjoys walking his dog, lifting weights, playing golf, basketball, watching movies, playing video games, hunting/fishing, and is involved at the  Fort Scott Church of  the Nazarene.

“I decided to become a teacher after working as a tutor my second year at FSCC,” he said. “Both my parents are in education and they certainly inspired me, as well as my fourth grade teacher and high school cross country coach, Rex McVey.”

“The part of teaching I’m most excited about is getting to work with my students,” he said. “I’m in it for the kids, I love building relationships and being a positive influence on the next generation.”

“As a first year teacher, I’m sure I will find the challenges when we get rolling, but I look forward to working through them,” he said.

Mike Krull. Submitted photo.

Mike Krull, 56, is the new Fort Scott High School Physical Education Teacher and head boys basketball coach.

He has a Bachelors of Science in Education Degree from Pittsburg State University, with emphasis in physical education and social studies.

Krull taught at Louisburg, from 1991-1998 Frankfort, from 1998-2000, Yates Center, from 2000-2002, and Parsons from 2002-2022.

He grew up in Girard, Kansas.

His wife’s name is Misty and together they have five children.

“Three are mine and two are hers,” Krull said. “One son shy of Brady Bunch. I have a son Wesley, who is a teacher at Parsons and two daughters, Kaylee, a teacher at Pittsburg, and Sydney, a  senior at PSU. I have a step-daugher, McCarly, a nurse/RN in Pittsburg and a step-son, McCade, an independent contractor in SEK.”

Some of his interests outside of school are  “obviously basketball / sports, learning new cultures around the world, traveling / cruising, grandchildren Rip and Myla,” he said.

He became a teacher because he enjoyed school, he said. “I was always around the school environment with my mother, a secretary, and father, a teacher. I went to Fort Scott Community College and Pittsburg State University for my formal training, and really enjoy being around the environment.”

“No one person really inspired me to be a teacher, but really a combination of the overall experience. My mother, father, coaches, my high school teachers, and my college teachers,” he said.

“The best part of teaching is probably knowing that other teachers go through the same thing you go through with students and also the bonds that are made with students and their families and the bond with other faculty members,” Krull said.

“Probably the biggest challenge is knowing that each day will be different, good or bad, from the previous days,” he said.

 

 

Business, Fort Scott

Local Business Selected For Accelerator Program

Leave a comment
Nedra Barr.

Nedra Barr, Spyder CEO, of Spyder, announced today that they were selected to be included in the NXTSTAGE Accelerator program in Kansas.

“We are excited to collaborate with this program and the other awardees in the program,” she said.  “This allows Spyder a larger stage in the State of Kansas to sell our new software products geared towards small business.”

Spyder CTO Mike Upright said, “Spyder’s small business product is scheduled to be released in September and will include Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning.  These tools are not widely available to small business’ today, but we see it differently.  Small Business’ need these types of solutions to put them on more of a level playing field.  Small business’ are the lifeblood of our U.S. economy, so helping them get to a level playing field is an important mission of Spyder!”

To learn more:

08 04 22 NXTSTAGE EES Release

Opinion

A Battle Over Pronouns by Patty LaRoche

Leave a comment
Patty LaRoche

Mike, a friend from California, quit his upper-management job when he was forced to go through “sensitivity training” in an effort to appreciate diversity and was mandated to use gender-neutral pronouns such as “they,” “them,” “ze,” or “xe,” so as not to offend non-binary advocates who do not associate themselves with genders of man or woman. He said that he never knew how to refer to an interviewee sitting across the table from him.

Mike shared the following story. “T.T.T.” (They, Their, Them) had a beard, wore a sportscoat with khaki pants, and explained leaving (his/her/their) past employment as a heavyweight boxing champion because of injuries, BUT my friend couldn’t take anything for granted.

What if that day this person identified as a woman? (Yes, and perhaps I identify as a jockey, but let’s just guess what would happen if I tried to mount a horse in the Kentucky Derby.) Pretty wackadoodle, if you ask me.

Still, in this area, my husband, Dave, is ahead of the times. He has been switching pronouns for as long as I can remember. In the past week, he has made the following declarations: “We need to make sure and have the water heater checked.” “We should probably have the tires on the truck rotated.” “We’ve got to call and find out why our insurance rates went up.” Dave believes that this is from Genesis, when God joined Adam and Eve and said, “The two shall be as one.” Um-hmmm… Still, being the submissive wife I am, I have learned to answer in his language. “We sure should, Honey. Let us know what we find out when we make those calls.” Obviously, neither of us take this seriously.

And that’s where our pronoun “we” differs dramatically from those who are crying out to be understood, who don’t know which gender defines them… “he,” “she,” “they,” “them,” whatever. All kidding aside, I believe that God created everyone in His image, and it’s our responsibility to see these people as He does.

But that’s where it gets wackadoodle. Some individuals refer to themselves as “gender fluid,” meaning that they may identify as male this morning, female at lunch, genderless in the afternoon, and as equally male and female in the evening.

Too, what happens when everyone wants to create a pronoun that better suits they/their/them? Lee Harrington, a transgender, wrote the book Traversing Gender: Understanding Transgender Realities, advocating for the transgender community. In it he apologizes for these pronoun shifts, writing that no matter how hard you try to refer to people correctly, you will offend someone.

Readers, I have given this a lot of thought. As a Christian, what should my approach be towards those who do not accept how God made them and insist on being referred to in non-binary terms? Do I tell them that I believe that God created people as either male or female, and that gender-specificity is part of the created order?

Probably not, if my goal is to love them and let them know that they matter. Instead, I think that I would seek first to develop a relationship with them…which means I would call them by the name they choose. That might be my only way to share the news about our creator and how loved they are by Him…which probably is the best way I can assure them I care.

Obituary

Obituary of Stephen Doherty

Leave a comment

Stephen Joseph Doherty (Stevie, Duff), 62, passed in his sleep surrounded by his family members at The University of Kansas Hospital after a lengthy illness on August 3, 2022.  Stevie was born September 13, 1959, son of Bernard Doherty and Delores (Walker) Doherty in Fort Scott, Kansas.

 

He attended grade school at St. Mary’s Catholic School and graduated from Fort Scott High School in 1977.  He was a big sports fan throughout his life and loved the Kansas City Chiefs, Kansas City Royals, Notre Dame football, and the Kansas Jayhawks.  He loved competition and played football, baseball, chess, poker, golf, and tried hard to play basketball.  He also loved fishing, reading and history.  He read all the classics from Tolstoy to Hemingway.  After graduation, he attended Pittsburg State University for some time before starting his career in the construction business as a tuck pointer and mason.  He worked for Mid-Continental Waterproofing Company, Landmark Restoration (for his brother, Ed) Midland Restoration,  and started his own company for a short time called Over All Restoration with the slogan “Overall the best, Overall the rest”.  His work took him all over the United States, and some of the notable places he worked on included the Jefferson Davis Memorial in Kentucky, the State Capitol of Texas in Austin, the John Hancock building in Chicago, and Union Station in Kansas City.

 

He was one of eleven children and is survived by nine brothers and sisters, Judith Maura (Larry), Nassau, Bahamas, Darlene Doherty, Margaret Humphrey (Merl), Barbara Woodward, Dan Doherty (Marie), Don Doherty (Roxie), Brian Doherty, Denise Doherty Brezik (David), all of Fort Scott, Michelle Youngdoff (Ron Crady), Overland Park, KS; sister-in-law Betty Doherty, St. Louis, and over 40 nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Bernard and Delores (Walker) Doherty, brother, Ed Doherty, nephew, Todd Woodward, great nephews, Elijah Doherty, Gabriel Stinson, Jacob Daley, and great nieces, Maggie Daley, and Jules Daley.

 

Stevie had a big heart and was a wonderful caretaker for his mom in her later years at home and at the nursing home.  He not only visited her at the nursing home, but also took time to visit with everyone in the day room to make sure residents had someone to talk to.  He was also proud of his role as mentor and coach to his nephew, Jeffrey Doherty.

Steve knew no stranger and was a skilled conversationalist, storyteller and comedian (or so he thought).  He had so many friends.  He was a member of the Elks Lodge and the “Holmtown Crew”. Steve was also a member of Mary Queen of Angels Church.

 

Father Bob McElwee will officiate the Mass of Christian Burial 11:00 a.m. Saturday, August 6, 2022, at Mary Queen of Angels Catholic Church in Fort Scott, Kansas with burial following at St. Mary’s Cemetery, under the direction of the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home.

After the burial, everyone is invited for lunch and social at the John F. Kennedy Gymnasium.

The Rosary will be recited at 5:30 p.m. Friday evening, August 5, 2022, at the funeral home with a visitation immediately following.

Memorial contributions may be made to Mary Queen of Angels Catholic Church or St. Mary’s Catholic School and may be left in the care of the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home, 15 W. Wall Street, P.O. Box 309, Fort Scott, Kansas, 66701. Condolences may be submitted to the online guestbook at konantz-cheney.com.

 

Bourbon County, Government

Agenda for Uniontown City Council on August 9

Leave a comment

CALL TO ORDER AT ________ by _____________________________

ROLL CALL: 

___ Jess Ervin ___ Danea Esslinger ___ Josh Hartman ___ Amber Kelly ___ Bradley Stewart

 

SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS/PROJECTS

Open bids for Street Mill & Asphalt Project –

 

 

Open RFPs for Trash Service –

 

 

2022 Audit presentation, Amanda Lancaster, Diehl, Banwart, Bolton –

 

 

Ruritan Bathroom Project, Skeet George –

 

 

CITIZENS REQUESTS

 

 

FINANCIAL REPORT

Charlene Bolinger – Financial reports

 

APPROVE CONSENT AGENDA

  1. Minutes of July 12, 2022 Regular Council Meeting
  2. Treasurers Report, Monthly Transaction Report & Accounts Payables

 

DEPARTMENT REPORTS

Superintendent:  Bobby Rich

Vacation time –

KCC Pipeline Safety Seminar – October 26-27, Manhattan

 

 

Codes Enforcement:  Doug Coyan

Smith Estate

 

 

Clerk Report:  Sally Johnson  

HBCAT Placemaking Project – need budget numbers

KMEA/KMGA Annual Conference – September 29-30, Wichita

Fall Citywide Cleanup –

BBCO Health Dept Flu Shot Clinic – would like to hold a clinic at Community Center on October 13

November Regular Council Meeting Date – on election day

 

 

COUNCIL & COMMITTEE REPORTS

Councilman Ervin – KMGA Regional Meeting report

Councilwoman Esslinger –

Councilman Hartman –

Councilwoman Kelly –

Councilman Stewart–

Mayor Jurgensen –

 

OLD BUSINESS

American Rescue Plan Act update–

 

 

2023 Budget – Gas Surcharge/Loan

 

 

NEW BUSINESS

Motion by __________, Second by ___________, Approved _______ to enter into executive session pursuant to non-elected personnel matters exception, KSA 4319(b)(1), in order to discuss performance of non-elected personnel, the open meeting to resume at ­­­­___________.

 

 

ADJOURN Time ____________ Moved by ______________, 2nd ___________________, Approved ___________

Attachments:

2022 Financials – July

08-22 Informational items(1)

Bourbon County, Government

Uniontown City Council Minutes of July 12

Leave a comment

 

Minutes are unapproved.

The Regular Council Meeting on July 12, 2022 at Uniontown City Hall, was called to order at 7:00 PM by Mayor Jurgensen.  Council members present were Jess Ervin, Danea Esslinger, Josh Hartman, Amber Kelly, and Bradley Stewart.  Also in attendance for all or part of the meeting were Raymond George, Uniontown Ruritan, City Superintendent Bobby Rich, City Codes Enforcement Officer Doug Coyan, City Treasurer Charlene Bolinger, and City Clerk Sally Johnson.

 

SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS/PROJECTS

Open Bids for School Pond Improvement Project – no bids received.  Clerk Johnson will reach out to Don George, KDWPT, to determine next step.

 

2022 Financial Audit presentation – auditor is still waiting on an answer from the state for clarification on the budgeting of the gas utility loan repayments.  She will present next month.

 

Ruritan Bathroom Project, Raymond “Skeet” George – Mr George showed the council samples for the stall partitions (his choice navy graphite) and asked about color for the epoxy for the floor (his choice maroon).  His choice will be okay for bother, recommended a dark color for the floor.  The sidewalk to the facility was poured today and they will put up the rafters tomorrow.  Clerk Johnson asked for clarification on the concrete invoices for the sidewalks.

 

Motion by Ervin, Second by Hartman, Approved 5-0 to pay Uniontown Ruritan for half of the concrete invoices, $859.29, for sidewalks

 

CITIZENS REQUEST

None

 

FINANCIAL REPORT

Treasurer Bolinger presented the June 2022 Treasurer’s Report.  Beginning Checking Account Balance for all funds was $343,297.29, Receipts $68,014.78, Transfers Out $5,026.00, Expenditures $34,520.81, Checking Account Closing Balance $371,765.26. Bank Statement Balance $375,547.36, including Checking Account Interest of $30.03, Outstanding Deposits $0, Outstanding Checks $3,782.10, Reconciled Balance $371,765.26.  Water Utilities Certificates of Deposit $30,100.97, Sewer Utilities Certificate of Deposit $18,593.23, Gas Utilities Certificates of Deposit $28,381.43, Total All Funds, including Certificates of Deposit $448,840.89. Year-to-Date Interest in Checking Acct is $176.59, and Utility CDs $168.40 for a Total Year-to-Date Interest of $344.99.  Also included the status of the Projects Checking Account for the month of June 2022, Beginning Balance $0, Receipts $0, Expenditures $0, Ending Balance $0.  June Transfers from Sewer Utility Fund to Sewer Revolving Loan $1,402.00 and to Lease Purchase Fund-Maint Vehicle $500.00; from Water Utility Fund to GO Water Bond & Interest $1,624.00 and to Lease Purchase Fund-Maint Vehicle $500.00; from Gas Utility Fund to Lease Purchase Fund-Maint Vehicle $500.00; from General Fund to Lease Purchase Fund-Maint Vehicle $500.00, Total Transfers of $5,026.00.  Net Income for the month of June $28,467.97, Year-to-Date Net Income $48,021.76.  Budget vs Actual Water Fund YTD Revenue $54,478.97 (51.7%), Expenditures $52,887.27 (40.5%); Sewer Fund YTD Revenue $17,479.06 (49.0%), Expenditures $21,248.5 (51.8%); Gas Fund YTD Revenue $84,275.58 (60.4%), Expenditures $77,231.68 (31.5%); General Fund YTD Revenue $94,259.14 (73.4%), Expenditures $78,216.43 (47.3%); and Special Highway YTD Revenue $3,578.39 (52.2%), Expenditures $1,041.18 (9.8%).  The July 2022 estimated payables in the amount of $25,923.51 were presented.

 

CONSENT AGENDA

Motion by Ervin, Second by Hartman, Approved 5-0, to approve Consent Agenda:

  • Minutes of June 14, 2022 Regular Council Meeting and June 29, 2022 Budget Worksession
  • Treasurer’s Report, Monthly Transaction Report & Accounts Payables

 

DEPARTMENT REPORTS

Superintendent Rich reported KDOT was here for a Safety Inspection.  He has corrected all items discussed during the inspection.

It is time for lead and copper testing of the water system.

The water and sewer lines for the Ruritan bathroom project was discussed.

Lightning struck the telemetry at Redfield pump station at 2:37AM, 7/12/2022.

Councilmembers thank him for park looking so nice for the Independence Day Bash.  Councilwoman Kelly inquired if Rich was keeping up without help this summer.  He has not fogged for mosquitos yet this year and there have been no complaints.

 

Codes Enforcement Officer Coyan reported that demolition has started at 404 Washington.  We still have not received a list of planned rehabilitation and timeline.  Clerk Johnson will reach out to partners.

He has not received anything from the attorney regarding the Smith Estate.  Clerk Johnson will follow-up.

 

Clerk Johnson informed the council that KMU will be hosting a water training at Uniontown Community Center on November 1.  It is on lead and copper revised rule and surface water treatment.  It is free and attendees will receive 5 CEUs.

 

Motion by Esslinger, Second by Hartman, Approved 5-0 to approve Bobby Rich attending if he so chooses

 

A letter was received from League of Kansas Municipalities asking the governing body to thank our legislators for supporting local government.

The response to KCC notice of probable noncompliance identified during the KCC inspection in May was reviewed and our response and proposed plan of action was accepted with no recommendation for civil penalty.

 

COUNCIL REPORT

Councilman Ervin – BBCO REDI is planning a visioning session and asked for which of the three suggested dates (August 23, August 30, or September 13) will work for our governing body.  August 23 or 30 will work.  Once plans are finalized council members will let Clerk Johnson know if they are attending in order to notify the public of a possible quorum.  He also asked Clerk Johnson to send him the KMGA Regional Meeting particulars again.  403 Sherman has a complaint about water readings and usage.  Clerk Johnson will send information on the readings and consumption to him to go over with citizen.

Councilwoman Esslinger – nothing

Councilman Hartman – nothing

Councilwoman Kelly – pothole on Fifth St is getting bigger.  Superintendent Rich is adding gravel often until he can get some saturock ordered.

Councilman Stewart – nothing

Mayor Jurgensen – a thank you note for Union State Bank was passed around for signatures.  Clerk Johnson will take to bank tomorrow.

 

OLD BUSINESS

American Rescue Plan Act update – We have received $40,288.82 and will be used for upgrade to the warehouse and/or bathrooms at City Hall.  All funds must be encumbered by December 31, 2024 and expended by December 31, 2026.  Coyan developed a drawing and specs for the bathroom upgrade and is soliciting contractors to bid.  He is also soliciting contractors to bid on the re-skinning of the warehouse, replacement of east rollup door and addition of rollup door on south.

 

Street Repair – Mayor Jurgensen had a map of suggested areas to resurface – S Washington St from First St south to Chaffin St, Sherman St from Second St south to Union St, Third St from Sherman St east to Fulton St, Seventh St from Washington St east to Sherman St, a few feet of Sherman St south of Seventh St, Third St from Fulton St east to Clay St.  It was suggested to mill and compact gravel certain sections then overlay next year to repair sinking areas.  An invitation for bids will be published.  Clerk Johnson will contact SEK Regional Planning Commission to see if there are grant funds available for city streets.

 

NEW BUSINESS

2023 Budget – mil rate last year was 36.899, council intends to exceed revenue neutral rate but lower the mil from last year.

 

Motion by Ervin, Second by Hartman, Approved 5-0 to notify County Clerk that the City of Uniontown intends to exceed the Revenue Neutral Rate and will hold a Revenue Neutral Rate Hearing on September 12, 2022 at 6:45PM at the Uniontown Community Center and the proposed mil rate is 35.312

 

Clerk Johnson will send notice to the county clerk.

 

Motion by Hartman, Second by Stewart, Approved 5-0 to enter into executive session pursuant to non-elected personnel matters exception, KSA 4319(b)(1), in order to discuss performance of non-elected personnel, the open meeting to resume at 9:10PM.

 

Motion by Ervin, Second by Hartman, Approved 5-0 to extend executive session pursuant to non-elected personnel matters exception, KSA 4319(b)(1), in order to discuss performance on non-elected personnel, the open meeting to resume at 9:20PM

 

Open meeting resumed at 9:20PM.  There was discussion on the social media posting regarding the impound kennel and the subsequent vandalism at the kennel.  Council will gather more information and leave the kennel where it is for now and revisit the issue next month.

 

Moved by Hartman, Second by Stewart, Approved 5-0, to adjourn at 9:56PM

Bourbon County, Schools

New Uniontown High School Teachers: Morgan Egidy and Breanna Taylor

Leave a comment
Morgan Egidy. Submitted photo.
Morgan Egidy, 24, is a new instrumental/vocal teacher at Uniontown Junior/Senior High School.
Her hometown is Greeley.
She earned a bachelor degree in music education from Kansas State University and taught one year preciously at Council Grove Jr/Sr High School
“I also have judged music for 4-H Club days in multiple counties across Kansas and the North Central District Band Auditions. I have taught private lessons for all instruments, including guitar for seven years now.”
She has a son named London who will start kindergarten.
Outside of school she loves riding horses, photography, farming, plants, playing guitar/saxophone/clarinet, and composing/arranging music.
“I am very involved in my home community of Anderson County where I volunteer helping at the county fair, judging photography for them and surrounding counties, and I am active within my home church, The Garnett Church of the Nazarene.”
Egidy was very involved in band in all through her schooling and in her junior year was selected to  travel to seven countries across Europe to perform. She received scholarships from both Pitt State University and Kansas State University but accepted the K.S.U. one and was very active in marching band, pep band, quartets,concert ensembles, and solo performing, graduating  in May 2021.
 
She was inspired to teach by several people.
“Mr. Jeff Russell, my high school band director, and Mrs. Bonnie Kubacka, my elementary music teacher, were my biggest inspiration and a good friend who helped me realize how passionate I was about music.”
 
For her, seeing the light bulb moment happen for a student when they finally are able to do or understand something that was once difficult for them is the best part. “Also, the connections you make with students are so special.”
 
Teaching music has its challenges.
“Getting students in a music class in the first place is definitely a big challenge,” she said. “However, there is so much music has to offer: it greatly improves brain development, teaches life long skills such as work ethic, motivation, commitment, team work, and so much more.”
Breanna Taylor. Submitted.
Breanna Taylor, 23, is a new 8th, 9th, and 10th grade English teacher at Uniontown High School.
Her hometown is Uniontown and she is looking forward to teaching there.
This is Taylor’s first teaching job.
She earned a degree in English Education and Spanish Language and Culture from Pittsburg State University in May 2022.
She  married  Dakota on May 29, 2021, and they had a son, Greyson, born on April 20,2022.

Outside of teaching she loves to spend time with her family, shop, travel, and support small businesses.

“While at PSU, I did a solo study abroad experience for a semester in Salamanca, Spain,” she said. “I lived in a dorm ran by nuns! It was such a rich experience. I made friends from all over the world, went to places all over Europe like: Ireland, Portugal, and London, and gained a new level of independence.”
 “I have been focusing on motherhood, but I plan to get very involved in both the Fort Scott and Uniontown community,” she said. “My goal is to one day have a scholarship program in the community for students, like me, that come from low-income single parent homes.”
“I had the idea of becoming a teacher my senior year of high school, and the idea became my reality,” she said. “I was heavily inspired by my high school English teacher, Alicia Jackson. I grew up wishing to be just like her. She is so strong, smart, and wears the BEST high heels. I hated English, but she allowed me to grow a passion for it”.
“I think one of the many best parts of teaching in having a role in students’ lives!,” she said.  “I love helping students find what they are passionate about, what allows them to reach personal success, and what helps them grow to be the person they wish to be in life. “
 “I think the biggest challenge in today’s world is teachers not truly understanding what our students are going through in their lives in and outside of the hallways,” she said. “Mental health has become a huge issue in our schools- for both teachers and students. This is why my classroom will always be a welcoming room for any and all students to be their authentic selves, be kind, and discuss their mental health.”