The Salem Grade School Board has named Marita Williams as the new Assistant Principal at Franklin Park School. Williams had been in charge of the district’s special education department and replaces Alex Koebele who resigned to go back into a teaching position.
Superintendent Dr. Leslie Foppe provided good news on grant awards, including one federal COVID-19 relief grant that will help pay for a major summer improvement project at Franklin Park School.
“We are receiving 1.68 million dollars from that grant and that can be used for anything Covid related. It can be used for HVAC systems and since ours over at Franklin Park we all know what we endured with school starting and mold and all that so we are able to apply those dollars there.”
Foppe says they also have been approved for an additional Title One Grant. It will be used to replace 34 new Smart Boards that will also replace projectors in each of the Hawthorn Grade School classrooms. In addition, Foppe says the extra money will purchase instructional supplies and curriculum.
Superintendent Dr. Leslie Foppe reported most teachers have now received their second COVID-19 vaccine. She reports with a change in CDC guidelines they no longer have to send kids home with a runny nose and everything appears to be going in the right direction.
Franklin Park Principal Tyler Lux told the board the school’s food drive, switched to a monetary donation this year due to COVID-19, raised $4,200 for the Salem Ministerial Alliance Food Pantry easily topping the $2,500 goal. He notes the eighth grade alone raised $3,500. Lux says there were several incentives including popcorn and soda party and earned the right to create slime in science class.
In personnel action, the board approved the rehiring of non-tenured teachers Talon Anderson, Ashley Bolton, Marcy Gibson, Ben Teriet, Suzy Hope, Erica Marcum, Kayla Cripps, Haylee Neilson, Kim Shelton, Jenna Tate, Christopher Smith, Elyse Dorff, Denise McCormack, Erica Nix, Heather Kleiboeker, and Tosha Lusch.
The board honorable dismissed several non-certified employees until funding is more certain for the next school year. They are Amanda Petrea, Ann Tucker, Elizabeth Parker, Reese Jones, and Robin Haake.
