By HOLLY GASKILL
Southern Wells Elementary School Principal Cari Whicker will be retiring at the end of the school year.
The school board accepted her retirement Tuesday evening, commending her impact on the school. Whicker has served the school since 2017.
“It was not an easy decision,” Whicker said. “But there is a great team in place, and it’s not any one person who does the job — it’s about the team. And so, I have no doubt that will continue to be successful.”
The board also expressed their well wishes to bus driver Camelia Robles and Gary McFarren as a cross country coach, both retiring.
Also during their meeting, the board approved the purchase of two used school buses. The district had planned to replace a bus every year with a budget of $100,000, but no new buses were available within that budget.
Instead, buses in Evansville were available for $75,000 each if the district purchased two. Each used bus has 30,000 miles.
Superintendent Trent Lehman advised the district was looking at $30,000 in repairs on the current buses, so it was in the best interest to replace them. In light of the added expense, the district will plan to forgo replacing a bus next year.
The board later recognized Treasurer Lora Warner, who was recently named District 3 Treasurer of the Year Award by the Indiana Association of Business Officials.
Other updates included:
• The board accepted employment recommendations of Susan Oswalt as the elementary summer school teacher, Kiann Palmer and Jordan Bieber as the elementary summer school instructional assistants, and Jasmin Winters as a high school instructional aide beginning August of 2023.
• The following coaching hires were approved: Chris Duncan as high school football assistant, Joel Roush as varsity boys basketball head coach, Joel Roush and Flava Sirk as varsity boys basketball assistant coaches, Jordan Szarenski as junior varsity boys basketball coach, Dale Miller as freshman boys basketball coach, Mark Gates as 7th grade boys basketball coach and junior high cross country coach, Mike Carter as 8th grade boys basketball coach, Justin Carroll as elementary boys intramural basketball coach, Kyle Penrod as elementary boys basketball coach and 7th grade girls basketball coach, Ross Palmer as varsity boys golf coach, Jessica Killingbeck as varsity girls basketball coach, Ross Palmer as varsity girls basketball assistant coach, Jada Johnson as junior varsity girls basketball coach, Shelby Miller as 8th grade girls basketball coach, Allison Blevins as elementary intramural girls basketball coach, and Cory Leas as junior high assistant cross country coach.
• Donations were accepted from Pretzels, Inc. for Athletics, Glancy-H Brown and Son Funeral Home in Warren for the junior high’s Washington D.C. trip, and an anonymous donation for the elementary school.
• Fundraisers were approved for boys basketball to hold an elementary camp May 15-18 and three summer tournaments, and the music department to hold their mattress sale from Aug. 7 to Sept. 19.
holly@news-banner.com
