USD 286 hires K–12 counselor; board splits on principal contract extensions after executive sessions

The Unified School District No. 286 Board of Education voted to hire Jennifer Gile as the district’s K–12 counselor and then divided over one-year contract extensions for two building administrators.

Becky Smilko, a board member, moved to approve Jennifer Gile as K–12 counselor; Denise Signer seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. The board took the personnel matter out of the Consent Agenda and considered it in New Business after a series of executive sessions focused on employment terms.

Superintendent Rusty Arnold had recommended adding one-year extensions for John Gray, PreK–5 Principal, and Karla Cherico, 6–12 Principal, for the 2025–26 school year with salary and benefits to be determined later. The board first considered a single motion to extend both administrators’ contracts. That combined motion failed 3–4, with Michael Clark, Denise Signer and P.J. Buck recorded as dissenting and Jonathan Cude abstaining from the vote.

After further discussion, the board moved separate motions. A motion to extend John Gray’s contract passed 7–0. A separate motion to extend Karla Cherico’s contract passed 4–3, with Michael Clark, Denise Signer and P.J. Buck voting no.

The board entered multiple executive sessions during the meeting to discuss the terms and conditions of employment for non‑elected personnel; each executive-session motion reported on the record cited privacy interests and specified when the public meeting would resume. No salary or benefits figures were disclosed at the meeting; the motions approving extensions specified that salary and benefits would be determined at a later date.

The meeting adjourned at 8:57 p.m. The board’s next regular meeting is scheduled for March 10, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. in the district office.