VIENNA — The Maries R-1 Board of Education approved contract extensions for administrators during its Feb. 27 meeting.

Superintendent Teresa Messersmith gave recommendations for extending the contracts of each of the other three administrators, which the board approved. Vienna High School Principal Tim Metcalf, Vienna Elementary School Principal Shanda Snodgrass and Special Education Director/Assistant Principal Joe Edwards received extensions to take them through the 2025-2026 school year.

Also during the meeting, the board accepted three resignations. The first was from cafeteria worker Christine Robertson, who informed the board that she planned to retire at the end of June after 25 years with the district.

The second resignation letter came from middle school math and science teacher Megan Wansing, who is leaving at the end of the school year.

“I want to express my sincere gratitude for the opportunities for growth and development that you and the entire staff have provided me during my time here,” she wrote. “It has been a pleasure and an honor to work alongside such dedicated professionals, and I am proud of the progress we have made together in supporting the education and well-being of our students.”

The last resignation letter was from business teacher Angie Combs, who was at the meeting. Messersmith asked Combs if she would like to read the letter, but she declined. Combs, who has worked at VHS for 29 years, called the school her “second home.” Her resignation letter also highlighted that she followed the paths of her parents, who both also taught at VHS.

“After careful consideration and reflection, I have made the difficult decision to retire from my position, bringing an end to my 30 years of service in education. It has been a privilege to have been a part of the VHS community for nearly three decades. Throughout my tenure, I have witnessed the growth and transformation of countless students, each leaving a mark on my heart. The relationships formed, the lessons taught and the shared moments of triumph and challenge have contributed to a fulfilling career that I will forever cherish. As I start out in this new chapter of my life, I want to express my deepest gratitude to (the board), the administration, my valued colleagues and the entire support staff for unwavering support, guidance and unwavering support, guidance and camaraderie.”

Also at the meeting, the board approved the schedule for the 2024-2025 school year. The administration surveyed staff about four different options. Messersmith said the poll was close between two options, but she ultimately recommended the one selected by the staff, which the board approved.

School will begin on Monday, Aug. 19. Messersmith said she knows that starting on a Monday is difficult for elementary school classes, but if the district started after that date then students attending the Rolla Technical Institute for part of the day would miss instructional days. That option also includes an additional day of student contact compared to the second-place calendar, which means an additional day of pay for non-certified staff.

The last day of the first semester will be Friday, Dec. 20. Teachers will return to school on Friday, Jan. 3, 2025, for a professional development day and classes will resume the following Monday. The last day of classes is set for Tuesday, May 20, 2025, and teachers will have their last day the following day.

The calendar includes built-in hours to make up days missed due to weather. Alternative Methods of Instruction (AMI) days will help the district account for the first 36 hours missed.

Later, the board reviewed Missouri School Board Association (MSBA) policy changes about marijuana and chose how to adopt them in the district. The main question was whether the board would prefer to authorize the district to administer drug or alcohol tests when administrators have reasonable suspicion that a student is under the influence or require testing for all students involved in extracurricular activities.

Messersmith recommended the first option citing the cost of requiring all students in extracurricular activities as a point against the second option. The punishment for positive tests follows the guidelines in the school handbook. Denying to take a test counts as a positive result. An outside company administers the tests.

The board approved the policy updates with the first option for optional drug testing.

Board President Kacie James brought up another MSBA policy change about artificial intelligence (AI). She asked if the district had any trouble with students using AI on assignments.

Messersmith said there had been minor issues with AI.

Metcalf said teachers have a program that allows them to see the typing history in documents that students submit. Although it may not indicate an issue with AI, the teachers will notice if a large section of the document is copy-pasted from another source. Many writing assignments also require students to include personal connections to the prompt to make it more difficult to feed through AI.

“They monitor it the best they can,” he said.

The board approved a continuation of its agreement with Visitation Interparish School to bring students on campus for elective classes.

The first-grade classrooms received air quality tests after a pattern of sickness developed among the people in the class daily. The air quality tests did not indicate anything out of the ordinary.

Messersmith recommended that the district continue to pay 100 percent of insurance through the Ozark Schools Benefits Association at a cost of $6,909 per employee. She said the premiums had not increased and some plans saw lower deductibles. The board approved the recommendation.