To kick-off the March Eureka USD 389 Board of Education meeting, the board, administration, and guests gathered at Marshall Elementary School in Eureka, where the Marshall Student Lighthouse Team provided a tour of the facility. The Student Lighthouse Team is one element of the Leader In Me program; in which 4th – 6th grade students apply and interview to serve and represent the student body. The Student Lighthouse Team Members meet regularly to share their leadership and work to improve the school. While providing the tour, students shared about Tornado Clubs (comprised of students in thirdsixth grades and faculty/ staff) and Tornado Families (comprised of students in pre-Kindergarten-second grade and faculty/staff). Both of these groups are new to Marshall Elementary with the purpose to share/ teach leadership, practice using habit language and apply social-emotional skills in a real-world “job/career/ project-based environment.” New banners for the clubs and families now hang in the commons area of Marshall Elementary School. Also, throughout the tour of the school, the group toured through classrooms and discussed student leadership notebooks, leadership roles, students’ displays of work, Wildly Important Goals for the school/classes/individual; as well as various schoolwide celebrations including the Tornado Ticket Student prizes and the Kindness Award.
Following the tour, the board returned to the district office for their routine monthly board meeting. The board approved the early graduation request of Eureka Junior/Senior High School (EJSHS) senior Nathan Taylor, approved the school calendar for 202425, heard administrative reports from Marshall Elementary Principal Stacy Coulter, EJSHS Principal Angie Lowe, EJSHS Assistant Principal/Athletic Director Joe Thornburg and Superintendent Scott Hoyt and approved employment changes.
The board held three executive sessions, totaling 65 minutes, with Superintendent Hoyt and school administration, as needed, for the review of staff evaluations. No decisions were made. The board did approve the resignation of Brad Schafer, EJSHS Physical Education teacher and coach and approved the employment of Madison Rayburn, fifth grade teacher at Marshall Elementary; and Thomas Lowe as the head baseball coach.
Parent/Teacher conferences will be held next week. Administration from both buildings noted the importance of parents scheduling times to meet with teachers.
The March board meeting was scheduled for Monday, March 4, due to spring break for Eureka USD 389 being held this week. The board of education for Eureka USD 389 routinely meets on the second Monday of the month. The next meeting is slated for Monday, April 8, at 6 p.m., at the board office.
