HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The USD 308 Board learned last night that district plans to buy the former Dillons property at 30th and Plum will not happen.
The company needed the Hutchinson District to assume some environmental liabilities. District administrators and legal counsel did not feel comfortable with that endeavor.
Those potential financial liabilities could have impacted future boards.
Board members also learned the district will focus future efforts for pre-kindergarten education on Avenue A School.
Avenue A Elementary School is being repurposed by the district as an early education facility and an alternate school for elementary students who may not be successful in their current classrooms. Morgan Elementary Principal Kayla Wiedeman will become the first director of the new facility. Current Avenue A Principal Beth Redinger will become principal at Faris Elementary School.
During the meeting, the board approved elementary school boundary changes necessitated by the repurposing of Avenue A. The new boundaries will send all Avenue A students who live east of Cow Creek to Lincoln Elementary School. Students who live west of Cow Creek will go to Wiley Elementary School. Many of the families west of Cow Creek attended Wiley before the 2015 redraw of boundaries.
Additionally, students who live in Careyville will attend McCandless Elementary School instead of Lincoln. Families impacted by the changes received letters on Friday. Students at Avenue A who are residents of other district elementary school areas will return to those schools in 2018-19.
There were several leadership changes on Monday’s agenda. Bryan Cunningham, current principal at Hutchinson Magnet School at Allen, will take over as principal at Morgan. Alma Henry, the current middle school instructional coach, will replace Cunningham at HMS Allen.
With the resignation of Special Education Executive Director Mary Smith, Assistant Director of Special Education Jessica Engelland moves up to become executive director. Sherri Hart, the current principal at McCandless Elementary School, will fill Engelland’s spot as assistant director.
Krystal Young, who currently serves as assistant principal for McCandless, will become principal of the school in 2018-19.
Nate Henry, meanwhile, will become the new principal at Hutchinson Middle School – 7. He served the past year as the assistant principal of Hutchinson Middle School – 8. Lynette McLean, currently a curriculum and instructional specialist for the district, will become the principal of Wiley Elementary School. The principals at HMS-7 and Wiley have both resigned.