Tonkawa school board members Monday night rehired Superintendent Lori Simpson for a ninth term beginning with the 2022-2023 school year.The vote was unanimous by board members Casey McAninch, Cara Beth Johnson, Jerry Hook, Brian Bowling and Nancy Appleman.Following an hour-long executive session to discuss Simpson’s evaluation, the board returned to an open meeting and took the vote, giving Mrs. Simpson a 3% cost of living increase.McAninch read the following statement by the board on her rehiring:“The on-going pandemic has brought much confusion and turmoil to our public school systems throughout the nation. Yet, while the world seems to be chaos, Tonkawa Public schools continue to thrive. We now have a computer for ever student in our schools, updated and improved transportation, a new security and surveillance system throughout our campus. multiple new organizations and activities for our students, a grade school expansion to house our growing student body, as well as many other improvements that have been made in the past year.“The Tonkawa Public School Board has witnessed this growth of our district and acknowledges this is a direct result of the diligence and leadership of Mrs. simpson and her staff. the willingness and effort to find new sources of funding, the foresight to see the needs of the school and the genuine love and pride taken in our school system and our community are all qualities that show Mrs. Lori Simpson is the right representative to lead our schools.”In other action, the board:-- Approved expenditures totalling $187,908.35 with $187,358.35 from the general fund and $550 from the Child Nutrition fund.-- Approved a resident teacher committee for Katelyn Fisher, new Tonkawa elementary music instructor comprised of Principal Kelly Martin, Beverly Frost and Brian Campos.-- Approved an amendment to the school’s COVID-19 protocols and procedures to comply with new CDC guidelines, reducing the number of days isolation from 10 to five days after a positive test.
