Circle Elementary board appoints transportation supervisor, approves insurance switch and raises athletic pass price

The Circle Elementary School Board on Monday approved a slate of personnel appointments and policy changes, including the appointment of Josh Eisinger as the district’s bus transportation supervisor and a switch in the district’s group health plan to UnitedHealthcare.

Board members, led by the presiding officer (Chair), began by approving minutes and routine consent items before moving into new business that produced several formal votes. Chair reviewed a multi-page letter the district received from Blue Cross Blue Shield declining to bid on a proposed new trust, identified in board materials as Bridged Health Alliance, and said the district had received a rebuttal from the trust; the board still voted to adopt UnitedHealthcare as the district’s group health carrier for the updated plan and rates, with Guardian retained for vision and dental.

The board also appointed Josh Eisinger as bus transportation supervisor after Chair praised his work researching new bus seats and overseeing maintenance; a motion to appoint Eisinger carried. The board approved a separate nomination for Chrissy Felon to take over bus-cleaning duties. Chair described adjustments to bus-stop routing intended to improve safety, including stops that allow the driver to pull fully off the road; the board adopted the activity bus-stop list unanimously.

On finance and oversight, members voted to continue using the local auditing firm Whitley despite a noted fee increase: Chair said the district’s prior audit cost about $18,000 and new quotes were in the mid‑20 thousands (figures discussed were approximately $26,050–$28,900). The board approved that auditor contract. Legal services with Bill Martin were also continued after a brief review of the firm’s role and use of the NTSBA for second opinions.

Athletics and student fees drew discussion. The board approved raising the adult athletic season pass from $70 to $90 — a change Chair said would increase the per-game value from roughly $3.50 to about $4.25 — after comparing prices with neighboring schools. The board clarified that student activity participation fees will not change in amount but will be classified by sport level so students pay the fee appropriate to the level they play (junior high vs. high school).

On safety and compliance, the board approved the district’s MHSA emergency action plan, which includes a site map showing ambulance access for wrestling practice at Circle Country Market, and discussed acquiring additional automated external defibrillators (AEDs). The board also approved the school’s Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) plan; Chair provided Securely contractor statistics for the previous year (about 3,096,647 total searches and roughly 874,000 blocked sites) and said staff will file eRate/eGrants paperwork to seek funding support.

Several personnel recommendations for instructional and extracurricular positions were approved: Rachel Gephart was recommended for on-site technology support; Susan Erlenberg was approved for a part‑time library/media specialist role; Donnie Ellersick was approved as assistant junior-high football coach; Danny Becker will receive an annual stipend for event photography; and Tara Kuehling was named to a student-council assignment. The board discussed the athletics director role and possible special meeting to finalize a contract, noting requirements for nepotism advertising and the typical 10–14 day posting window.

Votes at a glance: - Approve June 10 minutes (motion moved by Committee member, passed) - Consent agenda (payroll/claims/activity accounts) — approved - Accept classified pay/vehicle proposals for drivers — approved - Appoint Josh Eisinger, bus transportation supervisor — approved - Appoint Chrissy Felon, bus cleaning — approved - Adopt activity bus-stop list — approved - Change group health insurance to UnitedHealthcare (Guardian for vision/dental) — approved - Continue Bill Martin legal services — approved - Approve MHSA emergency action plan (AED discussion) — approved - Approve CIPA compliance plan and proceed with eRate/eGrants — approved - Increase adult athletic season pass from $70 to $90 — approved - Clarify activity fee classification by sport level (no fee amount change) — approved - Approve Whitley auditor contract at increased rates — approved - Approve technology, library, coaching, and stipend appointments (multiple) — approved

Statements and attributions in this account come from meeting remarks by the presiding officer (Chair) and exchanges with a board member identified in the transcript as Committee member (S2). Where the transcript reported specific figures (for example, Internet-filtering counts and auditor fee ranges), the article repeats those numbers as presented to the board. The board scheduled a brief recess and signaled it may hold a special morning meeting to finalize hiring/contract items before the school year begins.