Stigler Board of Education approves routine contracts, personnel changes and returns unused opioid grant funds

The Stigler Board of Education on June 8 approved a series of routine contracts and personnel actions, and voted to return $17,694 in unused opioid-abatement grant funds after a planned training could not be scheduled within the grant term.

Superintendent Thomas Kettles presented the consent and action items and recommended acceptance of single-bid and vendor proposals across several categories. He recommended accepting OSAG's workers' compensation bid of $25,938 — $2,532 less than last year — and a property/liability/transportation package quoted at $306,762 that includes $3 million in excess liability coverage. "I recommend we accept this bid," Kettles said about the insurance recommendations, and the board approved both motions unanimously.

The board also approved vendor contracts and bids including a renewal with DataMax for copier services, Precision Drug Screening for employee and student extracurricular drug testing, Hopkins Propane for fuel pricing, Highland Dairy for milk, Ross Transportation for a route bus purchase, and a Dun Ford bid ($60,715) for an agricultural education truck. A single bid from Rick Bumpers of Bumpers Construction for the Connor land for 2026–27 was accepted as presented.

Kettles reported the district is in good financial shape and noted expected receipts to the building fund. On grants, he told the board that a life-skills training tied to Oklahoma opioid abatement funds could not be scheduled in time, requiring the district to return $17,694 in unused grant funds; the board approved returning the funds and indicated the district will reapply and reschedule the training later.

The board approved routine administrative actions: designation of Kettles as the authorized representative for Oklahoma State Department of Education child nutrition programs and as federal programs legal representative for listed programs (including ARP/ESSER, Title I and IDEA-B), and empowered him as district purchasing officer with authority to approve purchases up to $10,000 and change orders up to $750 for 2026–27.

Personnel matters were a significant portion of the meeting. After an executive session, the board accepted resignations including Emily Beville (agriculture education instructor and FFA advisor, effective June 30, 2026), Hannah Spearman (middle school science teacher), Bradley Fields (head softball coach and physical education teacher), and Logan Garris (fourth grade teacher). The board approved employment of temporary alternative/emergency-certified teachers and continued employment of support personnel, and hired Joe Farley as middle school teacher/dean of students; Sha Shondan Sweeney as a grade school custodian; Caitlyn Walker as agriculture education teacher; and Donald Dodd and Sarah Snow as fifth-grade teachers for 2026–27. The board tabled the employment of a softball coach until the July meeting.

A planned contract for speech therapy (and related occupational and physical therapy contracts) was tabled because a board member would need to abstain from that particular contract consideration; the board agreed to revisit those contracts at the July meeting.

The board approved student-related travel: a revision to the FCCLA National Leadership Conference trip to change the departure airport to Fateville, and a Cody Dawson-led FFA officer training retreat to Branson, Missouri (July 12–15, 2026) transported by school vehicle.

With no new business, the board adjourned at 6:45 p.m. The next meeting date was not specified in the transcript.