Junior high math resignation leads to internal moves and two hires in Norfork district

The Norfork School District board accepted the resignation of a junior‑high math teacher and approved a set of internal reassignments and hires to fill the resulting vacancies.

Administrators explained that Mr. Curtis submitted a resignation; to cover the vacancy the district will promote Mallerie Thomas, a sixth‑grade teacher who is certified in middle‑school math, to teach seventh‑ and eighth‑grade math. Mr. Hughes will move into the sixth‑grade math and science role, and Britney Morris, an aspiring teacher who has passed required practice tests and still needs to complete an internship student‑teaching component, will be hired to fill the fifth‑grade literacy and social‑studies position as part of an educator pathway.

Administrators described a mentorship and coaching structure for Morris: weekly meetings, classroom observations and intensive instructional coaching to support certification. "She has already taken her practice test and passed them all...this will count as her internship for her education program," a staff presenter said. The board also discussed placing new paraprofessional Donita Sache on the appropriate step of the salary schedule, noting she brings 19 years of special‑education paraprofessional experience from other schools.

The board moved and seconded consideration of the resignation and hiring; the motion passed by voice vote. Members said the district will provide mentoring, observation and targeted coaching and that compensation for an educator in the internship pathway will follow state rules for certifying teachers.