The Allen School Board voted Monday to accept the resignation of Zach Sullivan, longtime Allen high school coach and social studies teacher.

The vote occurred after executive session during the board’s regular July meeting.

Superintendent Jeff Hiatt said Sullivan is leaving Allen after 16 years to be a junior high softball coach at Latta, where his children attend school.

“It’s a good move for him and his family,” Hiatt said.

Superintendent and Principals’ Reports

During administrative reports, Hiatt began by speaking to the board concerning the school system’s finances.

“We kind of looked at our end of the year numbers, carry over is up, so we’re in really good shape financially right now,” he said, “the best since I’ve been at the district. So, I’m excited about that.”

Hiatt said the system has been able to improve a lot of things, thanks in large part because of the CARES money (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act) that the school has received.

He said the school system is doing great as far as technology goes, and, right now, replacement of nasty carpet is ongoing.

“You never really know how nasty they are until you pull them up and see the stuff that comes out of them,” he said. “Hopefully, by this time next year, we’ll have all the old carpets in the school out, and new flooring in.”

Hiatt spoke about a counselor grant.

Basically, it will pay for a new counselor, or in our case, our elementary counselor is half-day, it will pay half her salary if we move her to full-day,” he said. “So we’re already paying half her salary with other federal money, so that will allow that to happen.”

Hiatt said the counselor grant is good for three years.

Oklahoma State School Boards Association Conference

Hiatt said the OSSBA Conference is slated for August 26-28, and, that the company the school system bought its new activity bus from wants to borrow the bus for the week of the conference to feature it in a showroom.

“I think it will be good (public relations) for Allen to have it in there, and, it makes me proud that they (picked ours),” Hiatt said, “because they sell a lot of buses, but obviously, they like ours to want to put it in there.”

Hiatt said the company will detail the bus before returning it to Allen.

“Of course, it’s not dirty, I’m like, ‘You can’t detail one of our old ones,’” Hiatt said to much laughter from the board.

Consent agenda

The board approved the consent agenda which included the minutes of the June 14, 2021, and June 24, 2021, Regular Meetings; the Treasurer’s Report; and the Activity Fund Report.

Also approved, effective July 1, 2021, Hiatt was “appointed as Purchasing/ Receiving Agent, district representative in all matters concerning state and federal funds, including PL 874, Child Nutrition, surplus property, Title Programs, REAP, Johnson O’Malley, Career-Tech, Carl Perkins, E-Rate, mineral royalty, and Insurance and other items of district concern for fiscal year 2022.”

Also included in the agenda was approval of the FFA Officer Retreat to Broken Bow July 15-17; fiscal year 2022 Oklahoma State Minimum and Allen Salary Schedule for Teachers; and 2021-2022 Travel Requests numbers 7 through 9.

Action items

The board approved action items which included the renewal of the Sublease Agreement dated December 1, 2017, between the District and Pontotoc County Educational Facilities Authority for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, as required under the provisions of the agreements; and the renewal of the Qualified Zone Academy Bond Lease for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, as required under the provisions of the Equipment Lease Purchase Agreement dated September 1, 2013, between the District and Zions First National Bank.

Executive session

After returning from executive session, the board voted to:

- Accept resignation of elementary paraprofessional Katey Dooley

- Hire Tracy McGuire and Tierra Roberson as new elementary paraprofessionals.

- The extra duty assignments and pay.

- The 2021-2022 support staff pay scales.

- Contracts for Superintendent, Principals, Cafeteria Director, Transportation/maintenance Director, Maintenance Personnel, Central Office Personnel and secretaries.

- The purchase of house and property of adjoining land by the high school at 503 E. Lexington.