During the Snowflake School District Governing Board meeting held last week Superintendent Hollis Merrill informed the board that the district is at a record high in new teacher employment. “We are super excited about the quality of our new staff,” said Merrell. “Counting aids, we are pushing (new) 40 employees, and of those 17 are teachers. That’s a lot for our district, but we are still lower than the state and national average.”
Twenty of the new hires, including Snowflake Junior High School Principal Brian Hoopes and Snowflake Intermediate School Principal Jody Bentz, were present and introduced themselves to the board.
In other business, the governing board approved the annual agreement between the district and Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and the Blind (ASDB).
Cindy Peterson explained that this is a contract service for hearing impaired students stating, “It’s so difficult to find an employee for hearing impaired students.” She said there are seven students, five are hearing impaired and two have learning disabilities. ASDB agreement is a fee for service.
The board also approved the Snowflake High School handbook, which is on their website.
Student Connor Prestwich thanked the board for their support of the Skills USA team attending the national Skills USA in Kansas, Mo. “I learned many leadership skills and had an opportunity to participate in teamwork skills where we took 20th in the nation,” said Prestwich, adding that Dylan DeLee took 33rd in the nation in plumbing skills.
The next meeting of the board is set for Thursday, Sept. 11.
