Benny Westcott
Superintendent Tom Yahraes announced to the Sweet Home School Board at its June 14 meeting that he will be resigning from the position of Sweet Home School District’s superintendent, effective August 13.
Yahraes began his tenure as superintendent in July of 2016.
“Being Sweet Home’s superintendent has been the most rewarding professional experience of my life,” Yahraes told the board.
“As I look toward my future, I’m looking forward to spending more time being a dad and husband and finding new ways to contribute to education.”
Board Member Chanz Keeney told Yahraes, “I look for leadership, and you have the unique ability to put the right person in the right spot. I didn’t see you overstep and try to do everything yourself.
“I’ve seen that happen before, and that’s a disaster. You delegated, and you watched. I think that Sweet Home is a better school district because of you, and I thank you.”
Steve Kelley from the Oregon School Board Association (OSBA) gave a presentation to the board, offering his organization’s services in recruiting applicants and helping the board ultimately select an applicant to be Yahraes’ replacement in the position of superintendent.
The board took action to approve the contract, which would give the OSBA $9,000 excluding travel expenses to help the district through the process of choosing their new superintendent.
Nine hours of professional development are also included in that fee, in which the OSBA helps build the relationship between the school board and the new superintendent.
In other business, Yahraes noted that he anticipates the Oregon Department of Education will be issuing next school year’s health and safety protocols on July 22.
“We’re waiting to examine that,” he said.
Business manager Kevin Strong told board members that through the month of May, year-to-date spending is $442,000 less than the same time period last year.
“We spent significantly less on substitutes this year, and we also had some open positions that were not filled,” Strong said.
In other action, the school board:
– Accepted donations for swim lesson fees for Sweet Home children from Nancy Shadomy, Mary Girsch and Nancy Gilmore.
-Accepted the resignation of Stacy Jubb, district K-6 literacy TOSA and Holley literacy TOSA effective June 30, 2021.
– Accepted the resignation of Joanne Viner, alternative learning at Oak Heights Elementary effective June 30, 2021.
– Accepted the resignation of Nathan Bofto, PE teacher at the Junior High School, effective June 30, 2021.
– Approved the hire of Sarah Harkin, special ed teacher at Foster Elementary for the 2021-22 school year.
– Approved the hire of Leah White, art teacher at the high school for the 2021-22 school year.
– Approved the hire of Bailey Bronson, social studies teacher at the high school for the 2021-22 school year.
– Approved the hire of Kaitlyn Tesdal, 6th grade teacher as Hawthorne Elementary for the 2021-22 school year.
– Approved the hire of Marissa Ziemer, 3rd grade teacher at Foster Elementary for the 2021-22 school year.
– Approved the hire of Shayna Kennedy, intermediate teacher at Oak Heights for the 2021-22 school year.
– Approved the hire of Hope Fears, language arts teacher at the Junior High School for the 2021-22 school year.
– Approved the hire of Lisa Collins, extended school year special ed teacher, from June 28, 2021 to July 15, 2021.
– Approved a contract with SYSCO Portland based on approval of the renewal of OCNC RFP #53017 for the 2021-22 school year.
– Accepted the resignation from Samantha Russo, third-grade teacher at Hawthorne Elementary, effective June 30, 2021.