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High school students shared their capstone presentations with the School Board Thursday evening, highlighting potential issues in the district that they think could use improvement.
EHS seniors Chloe Heide, Hannah Brown and Rebekah Brown focused their presentation on improving special education. They highlighted that the incoming class of students was 16, but the room they’d be learning in was too small for the students’ needs. Research has changed since the high school was built, the students said.
“These kids in this classroom deserve as much space as neurotypical kids, and sometimes they require more,” Hannah Brown said.
They suggested using one of the teachers’ lounge rooms that isn’t used as often as a second room as a short-term solution. They also recommended that as a long-term solution, another room addition should be built to accommodate students who have special needs.
Students Paige Dudley and Michaela Safford gave their presentations on the intersection in front of EHS. The current intersection is forcing many students and staff to violate traffic laws, risk accidents and wait for long periods of time, they said.
They suggested putting in place a one-lane roundabout for traffic.
“We just ask you to see that our concerns about this issue are valid and will continue to become more harmful if not fixed sooner,” Dudley said.
School Board member Joe Hurla was a source used by Dudley and Safford. He agreed the intersection outside of the high school is a problem.
“My biggest concern is safety,” Hurla said in the presentation. “It’s a concern for the community as a whole with students driving through there and parents as well.”
Seniors Jayla Pierce, Cael Lynch and Trevor Bohnenblust suggested a college preparatory class. The presentation highlighted growing costs in higher education. They said the class would help teach students how to pay for college and prepare for interviews for scholarships.
“So why do we need a college prep class? First, it would provide time for students to work on college materials … Many students have other obligations after school that include work, sports or just whatever,” Pierce said.
The students’ presentations were coordinated by history and social studies teacher Chris Dunback. Each presentation was met with applause after.
Also at Thursday night’s School Board meeting, Superintendent Steve Splichal shared that 42 students received their first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine during a clinic at the high school.
Splichal said he suspects the next clinic will take place June 1. It may potentially be a dual clinic, where 12 to 15 year-olds can receive their first dose of the vaccine and the older high school students can receive their second dose. However, those conversations are still ongoing, he said.
In other business, about a dozen Eudora School District employees turned in resignations for various positions. Those employees include:
Gus Andrews — EHS construction trades instructor
Patricia Barnes — a food and nutrition services worker
Tyler Cleveland — assistant football coach
Candace Dardis — a 5th grade teacher
Kyle Deterding — an 8th grade assistant football coach
Bryan Gurss — an 8th grade math teacher, EHS assistant cross country coach and Eudora Middle School head track coach
Justin Mayer — 7th grade girls assistant basketball coach
Kelly Mulvihill — a Kindergarten teacher
Joe Pickett — a 9-12th grade summer conditioning coach
LoGun Saiz — a 9-12th grade assistant football coach
Sue Tapahonso — a food and nutrition services worker
Madeline Walker — Eudora Elementary school physical education teacher, head 7th grade volleyball coach and head 7th grade girls basketball coach
Reach reporter Nicole Asbury at [email protected].
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