13 hired over summer break

Students and teachers in Whitehall will be returning to school at the end of the month.

At a school board meeting last week, Superintendent John Sullivan said teachers would be reporting Monday, August 28 and the first day of students will be August 30.

Sullivan said they hired 13 employees over the summer and only have two open positions. The district is still looking for an elementary counselor and a middle school volleyball coach. The new hires include four new teachers. Kelly Leo was hired as a science teacher, Elizabeth Clarkson was hired to teach middle school math, Gayle Walters was hired to teach art, and Ali Behrens will be returning to the district to teach English. Longtime head of maintenance Kathy Coughlin is the new head cook. Ken Brown was hired to fill her position. Ken Real was hired as a janitor, and Barb Bowman and Stormy Wassberg were hired as cook’s helpers. Patti Petersen and Shawnie Richards were both hired as paraprofessionals. Two new coaches were also hired.

Sullivan said work on the installation of the new bleachers at the football field will start August 21 and should be completed September 1. He said there would be a possible delay with aluminum, but is pleased with the progress so far and is hoping for good things. Sullivan said they have worked a lot on the grass during the summer and the football field is really looking good. He said they have been shorthanded with cleaning and maintenance, but the four employees that have helped out have worked hard and got a lot done.

Sullivan reported the arrival date of the new activity bus has been delayed. Sullivan said that Harlow’s Bus Service informed him the International Corporation has pushed back the date on their 37 new builds. He said the deliver date has been changed to mid February and that the Whitehall bus is fifth on the list for new builds.

Sullivan said they were hoping to have the bus by the October 1.