Board Grants Early Graduation Request

There is a common theory that by the second semester of their senior year of high school, most students become extremely unsettled and distracted - to the point that a name has even been given to the behavior - “Senior-itis”. One Callaway teen is looking to avoid that pattern. In fact, she is looking to avoid the second semester of her senior year altogether.

CHS incoming senior Carleigh Laible appeared before the Callaway Board of Education at their Monday, May 13 meeting with a special request. She is asking to graduate at the end of the first semester next fall, pushing ahead her high school graduation by nearly five months.

“I just have this fear of falling behind,” Laible said as she addressed the board with a PowerPoint presentation outlining the reasoning for her request.

Laible will have met all of the academic requirements for earning a high school diploma by the Christmas break, and she plans to immediately enroll at Entourage Institute of Beauty and Esthetics in Lincoln. She has already received a letter of acceptance to the school.

“I am going to take an English course over the summer and hope to have that completed by the beginning of school in August. I will then have all of the necessary credit hours to receive my diploma,” Laible told the board. “I have been working and saving my money for housing costs and school costs.”

Laible is one of three Callaway High School students who took advantage of the CNA licensing program through a partnership between the school and Mid-Plains Community College. She said she plans to use that certification to work as a CNA when she moves to Lincoln and is going through college. Laible said she will study to become an esthetician and plans to move back to the area after finishing her schooling and hopefully opening a shop of her own.

cont. PAGE 5 - School Board Superintendent Bryon Hanson explained to the board the way the process works for granting such a request. “I have a draft letter that will lay out the requirements of what she has to do in order to graduate at semester, and it has to be approved by the superintendent. The letter will say that it is pending completion of the requirements, then I will sign, Carleigh will sign, and a parent will sign.”

The board had requested that Laible give the presentation at the meeting, and as long as she completes the requirements her early education will be granted.

After much discussion at the last couple of meetings regarding the vacancy being created in the agriculture and shop programs at Callaway High School, interviews were conducted by the school administration for a hybrid position of the two. With those interviews complete, it was the recommendation of the two principals to approve a contract with Garrett Hrupek to serve as the new agriculture/shop teacher beginning this fall.

The principals also recommended a contract with Brianna Mowrey for the technology and business position in the district.

Neither of the candidates have teaching certification and therefore both will be hired on a provisional. Hanson explained that a little further: “When you have a 4-year degree, especially if you have a major or a minor that fits into an area that you are going to teach, it lends itself to those programs. They start off on a provisional licensure that allows them to work while they are earning their licensure.”

Current teacher Charmayne Popp, who went through the provisional process to obtain her teaching certification while working at CPS, was present at the meeting and verified the validity of the program. She said it does take hard work and dedication, but it is doable.

“We are seeing this be more and more common, especially in those hard-to-fill areas,” said Hanson.

Employees working on a provisional license have up to three years to complete the requirements for their teaching certification; however, Hanson said most do not take that long. The board members had several questions about the process during an in-depth discussion on the issue.

“We are not the only school looking at hiring people on provisionals that want to be in education. It is becoming very common, and the ESU’s are working to help with those opportunities,” said Hanson.

Board member Jim Phelps recommended creating a policy in place regarding provisional hirings. Both of the candidates being considered have their 4-year degrees and would start at the district’s base teacher salary.

A motion to approve the hiring of Garrett Hrupek as the new ag/shop teacher was approved 4-1. Board member Liana Hrupek abstained, and TR Anderson voted no.

A motion to approve the hiring of Brianna Mowrey as the new technology/business teacher was approved unanimously, with Anderson abstaining.

Tiana Bonde explained to the board the new online payment method that the district will be implementing. She explained that the school is already utilizing the EduTrak payment system for the lunch program so the addition of another account will be fairly easy. The board requested that Bonde do more research on the fees and how it all will work, and have a finalized proposal by the June board meeting.

New interior locks and door handles for the building were also discussed, an issue that Hanson brought to the board a few months ago. A bid from Hintons Lock for that service was approved.

After the kitchen’s chest freezer gave out, a new one was able to be purchased to replace it the same day. Hanson told the board the refrigerator has not quit yet - but is also being replaced. The board agreed to list the old freezer and refrigerator as surplus items and dispose of them.

New scoreboard signs are also a matter that has been being discussed for some time, and at last Monday’s meeting, the board approved a bid from Condon Signs to install a new scoreboard system.

Also approved was the annual cooperative agreement with Arnold Public Schools for boy's golf, boy's and girl's track, and girl’s wrestling.

Elementary Principal Brittany Jesseph has been working on acquiring a new elementary English language arts curriculum for the district, and after much negotiating with the company, she proposed a program from Wonders. Superintendent Hanson commended Jesseph for her negotiating skills on the project.

“This is only about $300 more than what we paid for the program in 2018,” he said. “We feel like we have had good success with Wonders and our teachers are using it well, and we don’t feel like it would make any sense to move away from that.”

The board agreed and unanimously approved the purchase. The next meeting of the Callaway school board will be June 10 at 8 p.m.