By ROBERT JUMPER
ONE FEATHER EDITOR
Personnel needs of the Cherokee Central Schools Athletic Dept. were among items discussed at the Cherokee School Board meeting on the evening of Tuesday, Feb. 19.
In attendance were Superintendent Michael Murray, Board Chairperson Charlotte Saunooke; Vice Chairperson Gloria Griffin; Board members Dr. Jennifer Thompson, Karen French-Browning, Dick Crowe, and Ike Long; Tribal Council Vice Chairman David Wolfe; CCS Finance Director Howard Wahnetah; CCS HR Director Deborah Toinetta; and CCS Administrative Assistant Sunnie Clapsaddle. Absent from the meeting was Assistant Superintendent Beverly Payne.
Minutes from the Feb. 4 meeting were approved. The agenda for this meeting was also approved.
Consuela Girty, from the Hope Center, addressed the Board. She wanted to advise that she has been distributing information to the community regarding Pre-Kindergarten registration dates. Those dates are from March 14 through May 1. On March 14, the Center will have an “application assistance night” to assist parents in filling out registrations and to accept completed forms. A flyer was distributed to the Board members.
Jericho Carter and Command Sergeant Major Frank McCray, Army ROTC instructors for Cherokee High School, Warren Dupree and Jim Badcock, from Steve Youngdeer American Legion Post 143, presented information to the Board on the first annual Junior ROTC drill meet scheduled for Saturday, April 27 from 7:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. They are anticipating 12 schools to participate. Male and female cadets will be doing field marching. Trophies, monetary prizes, and a concession stand will be provided by Post 143.
On the Consent Agenda, there were three items. A request to authorize the Cherokee Central Schools to request $22,195,424 to “implement a phased expansion to the CCS facilities” was approved. Also approved by the Board was a request that Douglas Reed be approved as Cherokee Middle School’s Baseball Volunteer for the 2018-2019 season. The third item was taken into closed session involving the selection of a Cherokee High School Baseball Pitch Count recorder position. This request did not receive enough votes to pass.
Clapsaddle asked the Board which of them would like to be registered for the NSBA (National School Boards Association) conference. She also discussed DOI Training Certificates.
They moved on to tabled resolutions, which consisted entirely of positions for athletics. There was discussion among the Board members about the timeliness of the requests for coaches for the start of each sport’s season. Also, pay scales were discussed with no resolutions or motions to enact. The Board reaffirmed its stance on in-house advertising of positions, stating that they want job application to be offered to existing employees before going out to the public for consideration. Prior to the motion to approve, one Track Assistant Coach position was removed from consideration by a vote of the Board as an amendment. The following positions requested were approved by the School Board: Ethan Clapsaddle for CHS Baseball Assistant Coach, Nellie Stevens for CHS Track Assistant Coach, Maggie Jackson for CHS Track Assistant Coach, Ty Andrews for CHS Track Assistant Coach, Mike Parker for CHS Softball Assistant Coach, Norman Walkingstick for CHS Softball Assistant Coach, Norman Beck for CHS Women’s Soccer Assistant Coach, and Taylor Brooks for CHS Track Assistant Coach.
In new business, the Board approved the purchase of an ad each in the CES and CMS yearbooks.
The Board postponed a discussion on financial updates and coaching pay scale to the next scheduled meeting.
An item was approved to be heard that was not on the agenda regarding an additional CHS Assistant Baseball Coach position for 2018-2019 season. Jason Howell was approved for the position by the School Board.
Additional discussion among the Board arose regarding hiring through an in-house priority first versus recommendations of the Athletic Director. Currently, no policy is in place to specify in-house priority. Chairperson Saunooke called for a work session on the issue.
Next scheduled School Board meeting is set for March 4.
Editor’s Note: Special thanks to Philenia Walkingstick and Sunnie Clapsaddle for their effort and input in the documentation of the Board meetings.
