When the Watonga School Board met Monday in regular session, one item on its agenda was to spread some holiday cheer to its certified and support staff in the form of a $1,000 stipend. This stipend is in addition to the stipend delivered to staffers in November and the beginning of the year stipend.
After discussing the financial situation of the system, Superintendent Kyle Hilterbran said, “We are in good shape to take care of our people.” That financial report showed gross revenues of $3.1 million thus far in the year and $4.9 million in expenditures. A portion of those paid items were from insurance claim payments made last year. The carryover for the fiscal year is anticipated at close to $9 million.
Elementary principal Amber Wilson said her campus was relatively quiet, with fourth grade testing beginning for the district’s own benchmark data. Part of that testing is teaching the students how to test and time management, and to make sure they take the testing seriously.
The annual elementary Christmas program is set for Thursday, Dec. 11 with a matinee at 11 a.m. and the regular show at 6 p.m.
Work is still ongoing at the baseball/softball field. The turf is nearly complete, Hilterbran said, and next the press box will be installed. The dugouts are complete and the plan is to move the seating formerly designated at the football stadium for the band over to the baseball field for fan seating. Once the turf is in place, the fence may be installed. Hopes are the fence and press box will be completed by February, in plenty of time for the baseball season.
Another project the board had asked the superintendent to research was a shade covering at the elementary school entrance. Although not yet a quote, estimates are the cost will be about $30,000. Hilterbran said once the press box work at the high school is completed, the district will pursue the entry shade.
The memorial marking the former location of the historically Black Dunbar School is also close to completion. The marker is down to double checking the spelling of names and correct titles. The granite marker will be set first, then the concrete poured around it. The district will purchase signage to point the way to the memorial from Highway 33, provided the Oklahoma Department of Transportation agrees to placement in its right of way.
Once the lion’s share of the agenda was accomplished, the board entered into executive session to discuss the superintendent’s contract for the upcoming year. The board extended his contract for one year, similar to the past three years and increased his salary by 2.9%.
Public records show Hilterbran’s salary in 2024 was $162,442. When the increase of 2.9% is added, the salary for next year comes to $167,152.