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The Bethel School Board approved the hiring of two teachers during their meeting Thursday, June 27. Zach Dewoody will be the new high school computer science teacher. Ronda Bass will teach high school English. The board also approved Julie Jesseph as the Child Nutrition Fund custodian. Superintendent Tod Harrison said there are two open positions still left to fill.

Harrison brought the board up to date on changes being made to school facilities. A layout of one of the classrooms in the middle school was changed to add a storage closet and a new counselor’s office. “It looks really good,” said Harrison.

A new book room is being put together in the downstairs of the high school. The lower elementary will be “tiled end to end on the hallway and in the reception area,” said Harrison. “Then we are going to put new carpet in the oldest classrooms on the west end. And Ole Red over there (the little red schoolhouse) has a new subfloor and is asbestos free.”

Harrison said the school had “spent $10,000 less in diesel fuel” purchases for the 2018-2019 fiscal year. “I guess our new buses get better gas mileage.” When asked Harrison said as far as they could tell, that was the only variable and all they could figure out to account for the savings.

The board approved the FY 20 pay schedule for support personnel as well as the salary schedule for the certified staff.

Finally, the board closed out the meeting and the fiscal year by approving multiple annual agreements for items such as physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech pathology.

They also approved a few other items involving insurance, workers comp, and other things needed to keep the school running smoothly.