Muskogee board holds executive session on personnel, returns and approves staff recommendations

MUSKOGEE, Okla. — The Muskogee Public Schools Board of Education convened an executive session on June 17 to consider personnel recommendations and later approved the personnel actions listed as agenda item 11.

The board announced a proposed executive session under Oklahoma law for discussion of personnel recommendations “a through m” and cited Oklahoma Statutes Title 25, Section 307(B)(1) as authority to meet in closed session. A motion to enter executive session was made and seconded; the board then recessed into closed session.

The board’s open-session announcement after the executive session stated: “All members of the board of education present this meeting attended executive session. Doctor Jared Mendenhall was asked to participate in the executive session. While in executive session, the board discussed only the following items, a, personnel recommendations a through m, names listed below, being presented for the resignation, termination, employment of staff members … no matters were discussed and no votes were taken. The board returned to open session at 06:43.” That announcement was included in the public minutes read at the meeting.

After returning to open session, a board member moved to approve item 11, the personnel recommendations; a second was given, and the board voted in favor. The chair announced, “Motion carries,” and the board proceeded to the next agenda items.

Separately, earlier in the meeting a board member noted community attendance to celebrate and support the promotion of De Amber Bunch and Linwood Wade as assistant principals; that celebratory recognition was part of board comments and public acknowledgment during the meeting rather than a separately recorded employment motion in the transcript excerpt.

The executive session and subsequent approval of personnel actions concluded without additional public discussion recorded in the provided transcript excerpt.