The Parsons USD 503 Board of Education welcomed new board member Dennis Dodd last Monday night.
Dodd fills the seat vacated by long-time board member Olivia Lyons.
As is customary, with new board members in place, the board conducted its annual organizational meeting with the appointment of individuals and agencies.
Board member Jeff Quirin will serve as president once again in hopes of training newer board members to fill the position of president into the future. Quirin has a wealth of knowledge, having served on the board for 17 years, during which time he served as president multiple times, sometimes consecutively. Given his years of dedicated service, Quirin said his time on the board is getting short, and he would like to pass down as much knowledge as he can to other members open to learning more about serving in that capacity.
Julie Legler was voted in as vice president and Lou Martino as second vice president.
Lee Ann Hunter will again serve as the representative on the Tri-County Special Education Board. All other board members will serve as alternates.
Legler will also serve on the 2026-2027 Calendar Committee and Kala Weidert-Green and Martino will serve on the 20262027 Negotiations Team.
January is National School Board Appreciation Month. Board members were recognized for volunteering their time to serve the school district in various capacities as board members.
While Dodd was attending his first meeting, both Weidert-Green and Hunter are in their third year of service. Legler is in her fifth year of service. This is David Ray’s 11th year on the board and Martino’s 15th year. As noted earlier, Quirin is the longest serving board member having dedicated 17 years.
In other business, the board: — Heard there will be no school Jan. 19 for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and the District Office will be closed.
—Heard school will not be in session Feb. 9 for staff professional development.
—Approved recommended Kansas Association of School Board Policy updates, with the exception of one on the use of AI. The district would like to learn more in regards to AI uses before determining what may or may not be allowed.
—Received an update from Maintenance Director Keaton Nolting regarding the many projects completed in the last year including reroofing Garfield School, replacing old tile floors in the high school kitchen and Lincoln and Guthridge bathrooms with epoxy, replacing soffit and facia boards on the Technology Building and panting them, repainting flag poles; building a new track shed and much more.
—Heard from Transportation Director Rick Giefer and bus driver Neil Shelley in regards to the installation and operation of the new transportation department software, which has proven to be extremely beneficial to the director, bus drivers, and parents. Shelley, who is an IT professional, helped with setting up the software for the district. The two men reported extensive savings to the district financially due to Shelley’s assistance, and in time and labor with all the software’s provisions in data required for reports.
—Accepted a total in donations to district schools of $4,615.15 for November.
—Approved employment of Jon McDaniels, sun custodian; Amanda Riley, compliance administrative assistant; Briana Ellis, ESOL aide; Amanda Erwin, Guthridge/Middle School library aide; Kelsey Fabrycky and Anthony Houk as assistant track coaches.
—Accepted the resignations of Trisha Robb, bus driver and Dariq Williams, ISS aide.
— Accepted the termination of employment for Misty Fowler, sub bus monitor.
The next regular meeting of the board will be Feb. 9 at 6 p.m.
