Staff
The District 55 School Board Monday accepted the resignation of Elena Barton, student services director and principal at Holley Elementary School, and the retirement of Lynn Stauffer, confidential secretary to the superintendent.
The board hired both back on special contracts.
Barton was working full-time on a special contract this year after retiring last year. Her resignation is effective on March 31.
She will continue as half-time student services director through the 2014-15 school year, but she will not continue as principal at Holley.
Stauffer will retire effective March 1 and continue to work under special contract through Aug. 21.
The board also hired Larry Horton, who retired as district superintendent in 2011, on a special contract as half-time principal at Holley through June 30.
Retired employees can work part time on special contracts. They are limited to 1,039 per calendar year.
To allow her to continue working as student services director, which is a tough position to fill, next year, she needed to cut her hours, Horton said.
“I’ve greatly enjoyed my years as an elementary principal and will sorely miss the student, staff and families of Holley Elementary,” Barton said. “Thank you for giving me that wonderful experience.”
“I’m very much looking forward to bring the principal at Holley School,” Horton said. “It’s a wonderful community, great kids, great parents, great staff. I still feel like I have a lot to offer kids. I am thankful to the district and the board.”
This was the first year he hadn’t portrayed Johnny Appleseed, reading stories in schools, he said. He had done that for 36 years, so he is looking forward to getting back to school and getting back into that character.
He will spend time at the school during the next six weeks to to get reacquainted prior to taking the position, he said.
“The past 27 years with the district have flown by, but I do believe it is time to step down and enjoy life,” Stauffer said. “My job has been rewarding and challenging, but I can honestly say I could not have asked for better people to work with or a more gratifying position to work in.”
The district is moving forward in its search for a new principal at Foster. Jan Sharp, retired curriculum director and principal, is filling in this year.
The deadline for applications for that position is Feb. 14. The selection committee meets on Feb. 19. It will select candidates to interview by Feb. 21 and conduct interviews from Feb. 26 to Feb. 28.
Second interviews and site visits will be held March 3 through March 6.
A job offer will be extended on March 7, and the board will receive a recommendation for the position during its regular meeting on March 10.
Present at the board’s regular meeting on Monday were board members Leena Ellis, Chanz Keeney, Dale Keene, Chairman Jason Redick, Mike Reynolds, Jenny Daniels and Kevin Burger. The ninth position remains vacant.
In other business, the board:
n Hired Judy Thomas as a temporary alternative education teacher at Sweet Home high School for the remainder of the school year.
N Approved a grant application to the Sweet Home Community Foundation for a digital vision screening program.
N Approved the Linn-Benton-Lincoln Education local service plan for 2013-15. The plan outlines services provided by the ESD to the district.