A benefit dinner and auction created to aid the family of a Konawa child who was recently killed in a wreck was discussed Monday at the monthly Allen School Board meeting. During administrative reports, Jeff Hiatt, interim superintendent, addressed the board and fi rst spoke about the recent tragedy where 12-year-old Rhindi Isaacs died Friday when the school bus she was riding in collided with an SUV on the way home from a softball game. “I want to speak out about the Konawa incident,” Hiatt said, “because that kind of hits home with every school. Especially being so close.” Hiatt noted that Konawa had canceled classes this past Monday, and were going to have crisis counselors at Konawa Schools Tuesday. “They just ask for prayers,” Hiatt said. “So, basically, we’ll give them our prayers. That’s always been my worst nightmare, as a school official, or as a parent, either one.” Hiatt said Allen residents Raven Fargo and Michael Bailey are planning a fundraiser -- the Isaacs Family Benefit Dinner & Auction -- at the Allen Cafeteria. “So I’d like to encourage everyone to come to that,” Hiatt said. “This is our community kind of stepping up and saying, ‘Hey, we’re here for ya,’ to another community. I talked to Michael Bailey today. You can get on his Facebook page, he’s got a list of everything that’s been donated. There’s a lot of stuff on there.” Board member Jami Rinehart said the fundraiser dinner starts at 6 p.m. and will be a fish fry and barbeque sandwich dinner. “And it’s no price, just donations,” Rinehart said. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/events/519527451909199/.

Hiatt to be the new superintendent

Prior to ending the meeting, the board entered into executive session to discuss contracts for Hiatt. Upon returning, the board voted on an offi cial contract making clear that Hiatt is the interim superintendent from December 19, 2019, until June 30, 2019, when the employment of superintendent Dr. Bill Caruthers offi cially ends. The board also voted to a one-year contract with Hiatt to be the superintendent of Allen Schools beginning July 1. Details of the contracts weren’t immediately available.

Action items

Before the administrative reports, the meeting got underway with action Items. Board member Jason Watkins was absent. The meeting began with action item A, Hiatt’s recommendations regarding the fiscal year 2020 Allen Public Schools calendar. Hiatt discussed with the board some of the issues regarding the calendar -- a proposed calendar, pending legislation alive,” Hiatt said. “One of them is having schools go back to 180 days, because of the teacher pay raise. And then there is a compromise one where 1,140 on hours, instead of 1,080 (minimum hours to attend). Most schools, we’re just going to go with what we’ve done, and if they change that law and they make it 180 (days), we’ll just have to come back and redo our calendars.” Hiatt said a calendar committee came up with a plan which was approved by teachers. He said the calendar reflects the same hours as what is in place currently; school will start at 8:05 a.m. and classes will let out for the day at 3:30 p.m. And there will be 1,080 hours to a year. However, Hiatt doesn’t want to solidify the calendar until after the legislation has concluded, sometime in April. Hiatt said after that, next year’s calendar will be posted to the school’s website. Board Vice-President Jeff Maloy made a motion that the board approve the item. It was approved. In action item B, the board discussed an auditor engagement letter for audit of fiscal year 2019. The board also discussed continuing with the current fi rm, the offices of Kerry John Patten, CPA, a fi nancial fi rm that specializes in the auditing of governmental entities such as school districts, counties and towns. When asked if he wanted to stay with Patten, Hiatt said, “Yeah, we don’t have any reason not to. I thought they were pretty thorough, they found our faults last time.” Board member Jami Rinehart made a motion to approve the item, which the board approved.

Administrative reports

Hiatt and acting elementary school Principal Mary Pat Sappenfield delivered administrative reports. Hiatt is also acting high school principal.

Bond update

Hiatt delivered a bond update concerning the construction of the new gymnasium and remodeling of the elementary and junior high schools. “The architect came and did his walk-through last week, and, these (percentages are real close), the elementary school is around 80 percent finished,” Hiatt said. “I walked through that today, Ms. Sappenfield and I did. They’re putting the sheetrock up now, and you can go in and see the rooms. So, it’s been pretty fast.”

Hiatt said the remodeling of the junior high is 38 percent complete.

“They’re extending the roof, it’s been pretty quick,” Hiatt said. “There was a few leaks from when they pulled the units out. Nothing damaging, but there was a few leaks. But that (project) is the one that’s been behind.”

Hiatt said the new gymnasium is about 78 percent complete.

“If you haven’t been in the new gym (lately), they’ve got the handrails up, they’ve got the railing on the sides,” Hiatt said, “it’s taking shape. I think the next step is cleaning.”

Hiatt said there is a possibility the new gym could be complete by the time school is out for summer, but the chances are very slim. However, Hiatt said, offi cials with MacHill Construction have said it will defi nitely be completed this summer.

“My worry is the junior high building,” Hiatt said, “getting it where we can start classes in it. I think the elementary will be fi ne.”

Other

Hiatt spoke about an interscholastic tournament held recently at Murray State College in Tishomingo.

He addressed the board on how students faired.

“Trent Fronterhouse was first in world geography,” Hiatt said. “Nathan Hammonds placed second in accounting; Kaylyn Rowsey was second in trigonometry; Jose Garcia was second in Spanish; Josh Huffstutlar was third in general biology, and he was also third in chemistry. So, those kids, that’s a pretty big honor. They go to Southeastern (University) March 28. That’s a bigger match. There’s a lot more schools coming up, basically the whole southeast part of the state will show up for that one.”

Others placing were, Maddox Wofford, third place in algebra; Kason Smith, fifth in U.S. history; Katie Manuel, fourth place for art portfolio; Jennifer Sanders, fifth place in child development; Kinsey Nix, expository writing III and IV; and Brody Wallis, fi fth place in general science.

Basketball

“As you know, we made it all the way to area,” Hiatt said. “They had a good year. They were disappointed in how it ended, boys and girls, but is was still a good year.”

Hiatt said there were some very exciting games played. He mentioned the players who received All-Conference honors.

“Sunzie Harrison and Kinsey Nix were voted all-conference, and Kaylyn Rowsey was honorable mention,” Hiatt said. “The boys’ all-conference was Hunter Simpson, Tadyn Walker, Chad Milne, we had three, and then we had two honorable mentions, Kaden Mills and Aaron Dockrey.”

Power lifting meets

In mid-February, there were powerlifting meets held over a two-day period at Allen Schools. The ninth annual Mustang Invitational High School and Junior High Powerlifting Meets were the largest to date with 33 schools attending the high school meet, and 20 schools attending the junior high meet. There was a total of 520 lifters.

Hiatt read a letter from coach Zach Sullivan which was addressed to the Allen School Board.

In the letter, Sullivan said he was impressed by how organized and efficient the event was, including how fast and well the weight room was cleaned and set back up.

“All the students, lifters and workers, worked very hard, fast and effi cient,” Sullivan said. “The student-lifters, weight jockeys, table workers, concession workers, etc., took pride in the roll they played to make our meets successful. I received text message after text message from coaches saying how impressed they were with Allen students and how well our kids and coaches ran the meet. Thank you to the school board and administration. Our meets couldn’t happen without your support. Thank you to the Allen First Baptist Church for allowing us to use their parking facilities.”

Sullivan also had a special thank you for Stephen Caldwell, Matt McCreary and Greg Sanders.

“I’m grateful to work with these men,” he said. “They spent a lot of time helping set up the meet, run the weigh-in stations, help me oversee the fl ow of the meet, readily fix small issues as they arise and help set up, cook and run the hospitality room, that this year hosted 50-plus coaches and administrators on Wednesday and 30-plus coaches and administrators on Thursday. We could not host our meets without their involvement and I’m very grateful to work alongside each one of them.”

At the meets, for totals in their weight classes, three students earned top-fi ve honors and will be going to a state meet Saturday, March 16, at El Reno Annex Gymnasium.

Chisum Lee placed fourth in regionals with an 1,100-pound total; Wyatt Murphy placed fifth with 1,025-pound total; and Shawn Husband placed second with an 1,100-pound total.

Track

“We have all kinds of kids running track,” Hiatt said “A lot of them, the football coaches and basketball coaches are wanting their kids in there. They want them doing something in the off-season, besides sitting around. So, we have a lot of kids running track right now.”

Hiatt said he requested the track coach -- Zach Sullivan -- type up something to Cleats for Kids organization.

“He went up to the city and brought back all these cleats,” Hiatt said.

Hiatt read a letter from Sullivan concerning the matter.

“In late February, I applied for a shoe grant from the Oklahoma Cleats for Kids organization,” Sullivan said. “They were able to award our school 36 pairs of women’s running shoes and 40 pairs of men’s running shoes, and 16 pairs of track spikes. The running shoes are slightly used, but in great condition, and the track spikes are brand new. Not all of our students have the means to purchase proper training shoes, and this allows for those students to be properly equipped for practice.”

Hiatt said the slightly used shoes come from stores. When a customer purchases a pair of shoes, then takes them back for exchange or refund, the shoes cannot be resold, and so they are donated.

Baseball update

Sad news on the baseball front. The field won’t be up to par for the season.

“We will be playing on the road all year,” Hiatt said. “We will not be playing home games as the rye grass did not come up. There’re other schools that planted rye grass that are in the same boat. There is a possibility we could get something in April, but I’ve talked to other people who’ve come in and looked at the field, they just said we got started way too late. We should have been getting that field ready the day after football was over.”

Hiatt said the school has a plan to ensure the fi eld will be in proper shape for next year.

The schools’ grades

Hiatt spoke of the grades Allen Schools received for the last school year -- 2017-18. He said the elementary/junior high schools received a D, while the high school received a B.

“Basically, that year was when the teachers said we had all the problems with old textbooks,” Hiatt said. “We have new textbooks this year, we’ll see if those make a difference. I think the new textbooks will help, but I don’t think they’re going to get us up to where need to be, which is an A. That’s our goal. Not a B, but and A.”

Hiatt said the B the high school received is more encouraging, however, he said, the high school teachers were not happy with a B.

“I like that,” Hiatt said. “I mean, if you set your goal as a B, that’s a low goal.”

Mary Pat Sappenfi eld

Sappenfield said on parent teacher conference night (tonight), the school will conduct pre-enrollment for kindergarten through sixth grade.

“It’s pretty much the one sheet they’ll have to fi ll out that night,” Sappenfield said, “indicating that they plan on being here next. And that takes care of having a pre-enrollment in August.”

Sappenfi eld said March 28, the school will have pre-enrollment for next year’s 3 year olds and next year’s pre-k programs.

“We’ll have some ads in the local newspaper for a couple of Thursdays to get the word out,” Sappenfi eld said. “And, as Mr. Hiatt had mentioned, when we return from spring break, we’ll have about one more week of preparation to get ready for state testing. And, as he said, students in grades three through eight will take the reading, math and language arts or writing type of test. Fifth-graders will take a science (test) also. Eighth graders take a science, also.”

Consent agenda

The board approved the consent agenda, which included the minutes of the February 11, 2019, regular meeting; the fi scal year 2018-2019 purchase orders and encumbrances; the general fund, numbers 247 through 260 ($16,688.99); the building fund, number 30 ($5,999.69); the child nutrition fund, numbers 43 through 48 ($120,635.10); the treasurer’s report; and

the activity fund report.