VIENNA — The Maries R-1 Board of Education accepted three resignations at its Dec. 17 meeting.
First, Superintendent Teresa Messersmith read a resignation letter from paraprofessional …
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VIENNA — The Maries R-1 Board of Education accepted three resignations at its Dec. 17 meeting.
First, Superintendent Teresa Messersmith read a resignation letter from paraprofessional Austin Bradley, whose resignation was effective at the end of 2024. He thanked the district for the opportunity and noted that he would like to continue with the school as a substitute teacher. The board added Bradley to the substitute list at the same meeting.
Next, Messersmith read a resignation letter from middle school and high school special education teacher Misty Sherrell. She plans to continue through the end of June before relocating to live closer to family. She offered to help however she could with the transition to her replacement.
“I have nothing but positive feedback regarding my experience as a special education teacher at Maries R-1,” Sherrell wrote. “The staff, students and other members of the school have consistently treated me with the utmost respect and professionalism.”
The final resignation came from band teacher Ray Spiller. He will retire at the end of the school year after 23 years at Maries R-1 and 28 years in education.
“Reflecting on my years as an Eagle, I am filled with immense pride and gratitude,” he wrote. “It has been an honor to contribute to the growth and learning of our students and work alongside such dedicated colleagues and staff. My memories and achievements we have shared will always hold a special place in my heart. Though I am retiring as a teacher, I will always remain an advocate for music education and will always be an Eagle at heart.”
Spiller also offered to assist in any way he could with his successor.
The board accepted all three resignations with regret. It also hired Beth Edwards to take over Bradley’s full-time paraprofessional position.
The board also discussed transportation during the meeting. Copeland Bus Sales informed Messersmith about the availability of two 2020 Blue Bird Vision school buses available for sale. Each bus is a 71-passenger vehicle with about 31,000 miles and 32,500 miles, respectively.
Messersmith estimated that buying one of the buses would cost the district about $70,000. Her recommendation was to wait until the end of the school year to purchase the bus because she expected the district could wait until the fall. If the board waited until summer to purchase the bus, it would be able to better assess the district’s end-of-year finances.
Purchasing a bus would take most of the district’s remaining capital outlay money. Messersmith told the board that if something major happened, it could transfer money from the general fund to cover it. The district has a reserve of about 38 percent.
Board member Matt Novak asked about the availability of buses if the district decided to wait until the summer.
Messersmith said the district should always be able to find a bus later.
The board also approved the 2023-24 audit. The district lost the same points it does every year because there is not enough staff to meet standards for segregation of duties. The auditor recognized that the district’s size makes the segregation difficult but still recommended trying to achieve the separation if possible.
Messersmith said the district does not have the resources to hire another staff member in the superintendent’s office, so auditors will likely continue to present those concerns in the future. She experienced similar feedback when she worked at another small district.
The district will host summer school from May 22 through June 23. The session will be the usual 22 days with hours from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.