The Fayette R-III Board of Education welcomed a new member and reinstated its hierarchy at its most recent meeting on Monday, April 18. Kristen Gibbs was sworn in for her first term, alongside Skip Vandelicht, who begins his second term.

Gibbs replaces Amber Overfelt, who did not seek a second term on the board. 

Vandelicht was again elected as board president. Matt Hudson was elected vice president. It will be the third straight year for both in those roles.

Jackie Besgrove was once again appointed and approved to be the board treasurer. Jessica Dodson will serve as the new board secretary, replacing Trish Elliot who will retire at the end of the current academic year. The two will serve as co-secretaries through June.

In new business, board members gave unanimous approval to add three positions to the district. The first will reinstate an assistant transportation and maintenance director to help with maintenance, bus routes, and mowing, among other tasks.

Two new full-time teaching positions were added to help handle growing elementary school classes. Starting in the fall there will be a third fifth-grade teacher along with an assistant music teacher for the high and middle schools.

In September, the board voted to add a third fourth-grade teacher. 

“We foresee this need for several years,” said Superintendent Jill Wiseman. “It’s a situation (in which) we’re trying to be proactive and make sure we’re keeping those classes to a manageable level.”

Daly Elementary principal Cheri Huster explained to the board that there are 13 new students in this year’s fourth-grade class. “As soon as all the fourth-graders moved in, more fifth-graders moved in.”

Huster said that the current enrollment in the elementary school is 305. “Since I’ve been an administrator the last nine years, we’ve been at 275 to 278. And that doesn’t count preschool.”

Adding an assistant music teacher is a subject that has been bandied about for several years, Wiseman explained. While larger elementary classes have been split into three groups, elective classes are still in two groups. “At the elementary, our music, library, PE, art classes are still getting split two ways, which is really large for those groups in those class settings.”

The number of band and choir students is also increasing. Wiseman said she expects approximately 40 sixth-grade band students next year, 46 in the seventh- and eighth-grade band, and larger numbers once again participating in the high school band next year. 

Superintendent Wiseman said the district is financially able to afford the new positions thanks to additional funding and expected savings. The district will receive an additional $35,000 next year due to increased enrollment. She also expects to save around $40,000 a year in maintenance costs by hiring a full-time full-time assistant maintenance/transportation director. The savings, Wiseman explained, will occur because the district will not have to outsource jobs that the assistant maintenance director will do. That person will also be able to pick up bus routes as needed.

“It is exciting to see the growth in our district that necessitates these additions,” Wiseman said.

In other business, the board approved a bid from Advanced Foundation Repair to repair a cracked foundation on the northeast section of the elementary school near the kindergarten classrooms. The bid of $4,720 was the lowest of three received for the work.

The school board meets regularly at 6:30 p.m. on the third Wednesday of every month except for July in the administration building. Meetings are open and the public is invited.