Board extends superintendent's contract

The Comanche Board of Education met in regular session on Tuesday, Jan. 12. 

Board Members approved various routine consent agenda items, including the minutes of the December board meeting, activity fund reports, and the treasurer’s report. The board also approved General Fund and Building Fund encumbrances. January is School Board Appreciation Month and board members Charlie Gay, Amy Shelby, Thomas Winton, Cheryl Pannell, and James Peacock were recognized for their service to the district.

Superintendent Julie Bill was approved for a one-year extension of her two-year contract after an executive session during which board members conducted the annual superintendent’s evaluation.

In other matters, Bills reported that the grant received from the Chickasaw Nation last month will help mitigate the anticipated mid-term cut the district received this month. The new stimulus package will also provide the district 670,000, which will help mitigate the immediate impact of reduced gross production revenues. This funding will allow the district to continue to be able to provide small class sizes and adequate staffing.

In additional reports from Bills, board members learned that the BinaxNOW rapid test is now available for district staff members. The test results and quarantines are being reported through Single Sign-On to the Oklahoma State Health Department and the OSDE. Currently, the district has 50 students quarantined with the majority of those from contacts outside of the school setting.

Professional Development is scheduled for Monday the 18th with training focusing on dyslexia, modifications versus accommodations, and student engagement during virtual learning. Teachers will also have time to analyze benchmark data and plan for student improvement.