Tonganoxie USD 464 has 1 applicant for board opening; hires and resignations; Statehouse candidate visits meeting
Shawn Linenberger
There’s still time for anyone interested in applying for the open Tonganoxie USD 464 School Board seat to file at the district’s central office.
The board opted to make noon Oct. 3 the deadline for any additional applicants. The board plans to interview applicants at it October board meeting, which is 7 p.m. Oct. 10 at the TES library.
So far, a local engineer is the only prospective patron to apply.
Phillip Welsh, who works at Kiewit Engineering and design in Lenexa, has applied for the open seat that became vacant last month when longtime member Kay Smith stepped down.
He is director of electrical and controls engineering and controls engineering and design. The company specializes in combined cycle natural gas power plant design, water facility design, and large natural gas facilities.
A graduate of Miltonvale High school in north central Kansas, his wife of 15 years, Julie, also is from that area, growing up in Beloit.
They have three children, Owen (12), Ethan (11) and Avery (4).
Welsh attended Kansas State University, receiving a bachelor’s in electrical engineering and an associate’s in computer engineering technology.
The family has lived in Tonganoxie for 10 years.
Enrollment up slightly early on
Tonganoxie USD 464 will give an official enrollment count based on its numbers Sept. 20, but a week in advance of that benchmark, the district is reporting 1,979 students.
That’s an increase of 13 from last year’s official number of 1,966.
Tonya Phillips, the district’s director of educational programs, gave a breakdown of students by class via email Tuesday morning.
There are 876 students in Tonganoxie Elementary school in grades kindergarten through fifth grade, along with 32 students in pre-kindergarten. At Tonganoxie Middle School, there are 486 students among grades 6-8. And in grades 9-12 at Tonganoxie High School, there are 617 students.
Phillips said Sept. 20 enrollment figures are due to the state by Oct. 10.
The largest grade level as of now is the sophomore class with 169. The seventh- and eighth-grade classes aren’t far behind with 166 each.
Hires and resignations
The board approved various personnel changes during Monday’s meeting. Here’s a look at some of those changes. More can be found at tonganoxiemirror.com:
Work agreements
Andrea Bradfield, TMS reading teacher, replacing Brandon Parker; Mari McKee, special education van aide (filling new position); Amber Fisher, TES gifted para (replacing Stephanie Maurer); Kenny McGee, seventh-grade football head coach.