Geary School Board members said rumors of the school’s closing are unfounded during a special meeting last week, which they used to hire new staffers and review applications for the district’s vacant superintendent position.
Both Virginia Lou Richey and Jason Bernhardt used their closing remarks in the meeting to express confidence about the future of the district.
“There’s been a lot of rumors going around about our school closing down because we’re not going to have teachers,” Richey said. “I just want you guys to know that our school is not closing down, our school is changing for the better. While we did accept some resignations, we also accepted some new hires, and I’m really excited as we move forward into this next chapter. I know it hasn’t been easy, but I know it’s only going to get better from here.”
Bernhardt, the school board president, said there have been a lot of “complete untruths” and “half-truths” circulating about the school. “Which I’m learning isn’t unusual, unfortunately,” he said.
Bernhardt said he would “like to see everyone come together and forget what you’ve heard and what you think you know about what is happening at the school and with the board.”
“We livestream our meetings, so watch the meetings if you want to know what’s going on,” he said. “Everything we talk about, every decision we make, is public knowledge, and it’s recorded for you to see at your convenience. I think that’s a show of a transparent board.
“And I can assure you, as Lou just did, that the school is not closing.”
Geary School Board meetings are livestreamed on the Geary Technology Engineering Facebook page and remain there to view afterward.
Earlier in the meeting, the school board accepted the resignations of the school’s football, basketball, wrestling and softball coaches, as well as several teachers. The resignations include Devin Flanders, Rick Scott, J. David Ellis, Timothy Bench, Benjamin Williams and Matt Kennedy.
The board then hired Sydney Buckner as an elementary special education teacher; Christian Finney for high school science; Bridget Goodknight as high school English teacher; Amber Gibbons for elementary PE; and JC Estep for middle school social studies.
All those hires, save for Buckner’s, may include coaching or assistant coaching duties as well.
With a vacant position on the board, members appointed Afton Jameson to finish the term for board seat one. Bernhardt and Richey voted for Jameson’s appointment, Scott Hicks voted against it, and Cecil Harrall was absent.
During the meeting the school board also:
• Approved Oklahoma School Pictures as the district’s photography services and products company for the 2021-2022 school year.
• Approved the opening of the Baby Bison Ranch in June for child care services, and approved extra duty for Alexis Sealy to provide those services.
• Approved extra duty for Amanda Pitts in June for IT/inventory services.
• Approved extra duty for three summer school teachers: Aaron Schantz, Danella Buchanan and Christa Burns.