During the Bethel School Board meeting on Monday, Feb. 13, Superintendent Dr. Matt Posey announced that the Pottawatomie County Education Facilities Authority presented the Bethel School District with a check for $6,500.
Posey said, “They have a law firm there in town that works with them, and instead of taking all the administrative fees that would normally be paid to the law firm, they have turned around and given that money back to the trust authority and then they took that and divided it by the number of schools that have a lease revenue bond now.”
The funds can be used on items such as additional signage and two-way radios for communication around the school campus etc.
To follow, the Board voted to approve the updated Mental Health Protocols for the district required by HB 4106. This bill was enacted in July of 2022 and requires all schools to have partnerships with local mental health providers, as well as a list of protocols for responding to a mental health crisis. Bethel Schools will be partnering with both CREOKS and Red Rock Behavioral Health Services.
Approval was made also on a subscription agreement with the Oklahoma State School Board Association (OSSBA) to use their Superintendent Evaluation Tool for the fiscal 2023 school year.
During the meeting, the board entered into executive session to discuss several items regarding school personnel, including the resignation of Kim Smith as a certified teacher at Bethel High School and April Watts as support staff at Bethel Upper Elementary.
Action and approval were taken also on a temporary support contract with Lori Cross at Bethel Upper Elementary and a $1,000 increase on extra-duty stipends for Bethel High School Golf.
