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USD 452 board holds repeated executive sessions as superintendent search continues
Summary
The Unified School District #452 Board of Education met Feb. 23, 2026 in Johnson, Kan., and held several executive sessions to continue its superintendent search; minutes show motions, invited attendees and a plan to schedule a follow-up meeting to sign a contract but do not record a public appointment or candidate name.
The Unified School District #452 Board of Education convened a special meeting Monday, Feb. 23, 2026, in the BOE conference room in Johnson, Kansas, and conducted a series of closed executive sessions to continue its superintendent search.
Board President Lettie Nickell called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. and the board approved the agenda on a motion by Board member Paige German, seconded by Board member Bobbie Ehrlich; the minutes record that motion carried 6-0. The minutes list board members Lettie Nickell, Bret Kenderick, Bobbie Ehrlich, Paige German, Rhett Seyb and Val Zumudio as present and identify Melissa Wilson as board clerk.
The minutes show that President Nickell moved the board into an executive session at 5:30 p.m. to discuss the superintendent search and "to protect the rights of the individuals," inviting Melissa Wilson and Lyle and Christy Hammer; Bobbie Ehrlich seconded and the motion carried 6-0. The board returned to open session at 6:00 p.m., then immediately voted to enter executive session again at 6:00 p.m. for 10 minutes; the minutes show that motion also carried 6-0. The record indicates the board took a five-minute break after 6:10 p.m., during which Lyle Hammer and Melissa Wilson left the board room, and that someone identified as "Chantry" participated by phone for the interview process.
At 6:13 p.m. President Nickell moved the board into a longer executive session, inviting Christy Hammer for approximately 90 minutes; Bobbie Ehrlich seconded and the minutes record the motion carried (the record shows 7-0). The minutes state Christy Hammer left the board room at 7:47 p.m. and the board returned to open session at 7:48 p.m. The board immediately voted to go into another executive session at 7:48 p.m. for one hour; the minutes again record the motion carried (7-0). The final closed session ended at 8:27 p.m.
During board comments after the closed sessions, members discussed the timing of the next meeting "to sign contract." The minutes do not record a public vote appointing a superintendent and do not list any candidate by name. The meeting adjourned at 8:31 p.m. on a motion by Paige German, seconded by Val Zumudio; that motion carried 7-0.
Because the minutes are formatted as official meeting minutes and most of the substantive discussion occurred in executive session, details about candidates or personnel deliberations are not included in the public record. The next procedural step recorded in these minutes is planning a meeting to sign a contract; the minutes do not state who would be signed or when that meeting will occur.
