Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
The Colfax School Board met Monday night for its regular meeting and approved coaching contracts, new policies and met the new art teacher.
Confirmed hires included Carrie Lyle as para-educator at six hours per day, Craig Culbertson as assistant high school football coach, Casey Zander; assistant high school volleyball coach; Mollie Kramer, assistant junior high girls basketball coach and volunteers Phil Morgan (football), Maggee Cochran (volleyball), Derek Holmes (cross-country) and Reagan Lowe (cheerleading).
The board also confirmed Nathan Holbrook’s $7,500 stipend for time outside school hours as athletic director. The adjustment in Holbrook’s contract comes after his position was expanded to a full-time teacher this year with two more P.E. classes that needed to be filled after Sue Doering’s retirement.
The board also gave formal approval to Mike Morgan teaching conditioning class at the high school. Washington School Directors Association brought the matter to attention since Morgan is not certified as a physical education teacher. He has coached football at Colfax High for 26 years.
In the business section of Monday night’s agenda, the school board approved WSSDA policies for school calendar, summer school, alternative learning experience courses and Disability History Month, to take place in October.
Student representative Kylie Kackman relayed news of the cross-country team, volleyball’s 15th year of winning the Okanogan tournament and 17 high school juniors inducted into the National Honor Society.
She reported on FCCLA starting competition for the year, FBLA having its first meeting and preparing for Oct. 18 fall regionals. She talked about Homecoming plans for the junior high students to take part, a pep rally at Colfax Baptist Church and ASB planning with representatives of the National Guard about the Veteran’s Day assembly in November.
Superintendent Pugh then introduced two WSSDA policies for the board to consider.
No. 2331 was “Controversial Issues – Guest Speakers.”
“It’s healthy for kids to hear opposing views,” Pugh said. “All sides are looked at with the school district not taking a position on any of it.”
For policy No. 2333 Flag Exercises, the WSSDA document specifies policy about flag-related activities such as the pledge of allegiance at the start of a school day to playing the national anthem before games.
“It’s no different than what we already do, we just don’t have the written policy,” said Pugh.
Nearing conclusion of Monday’s meeting, Pugh introduced Henry Stinson to the board, a new half-time art teacher at the junior-senior high school, beginning this fall.
“So far we’re doing good,” Stinson said. “Students are surprising me, in good ways.”
In his three classes, Stinson is starting kids in classical drawing and linear perspective.
“It’s working,” Colfax High Principal Carrie Lipe told the board. “We’re excited to see students engaged by art.”
Since art teacher Carol Lothspeich retired in 2014, the district has contracted with Community Colleges of Spokane for a visiting teacher.
Stinson now teaches in the former wood shop area, which was converted into the new art room over the summer.
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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