USD 217 board approves classified hires and certified contracts after executive sessions

The USD 217 Board of Education approved a slate of classified hires, set hourly pay rates and ratified certified and supplemental contracts at a special meeting Monday evening, Aug. 11, 2025, President Jason LaRue said as the board formalized the actions following executive sessions.

Board President Jason LaRue called the meeting to order at 6:32 p.m. with five members present: LaRue, Phoebe Brummett, Kim Hull, Nick Link and Daniel Dunn. After approving the agenda by a 5-0 vote, the board held multiple closed sessions under the Kansas Open Meetings Act (KOMA) to discuss non-elected personnel and financial matters before returning to open session and taking action.

The board moved, and adopted by unanimous votes, a package of personnel actions that set hourly rates and approved hires or transfers among classified staff. The adopted classified rates and appointments included: Kathy Purcell — BOE Clerk, $14.00 per hour; Traci Overpeck — District Treasurer (new hire), $20.00 per hour; SaKya Milburn — Elementary Secretary, $12.00 per hour; Lacy Hargreaves — JH/HS Secretary (transfer), $14.00 per hour; Nataly Cruz — Assistant to the Superintendent, $13.00 per hour; Tina Miller — Early Childhood Aide, $13.00 per hour; Hannah Dunn — Library Aide, $13.50 per hour; Donie Wasson — Kitchen/Elementary Aide, $12.00 per hour; and Dana Kallenbach — Early Childhood Aide/3rd Grade Core Teacher, $22,500.00 (annual).

The board also approved certified and supplemental contract items as presented. Certified appointments listed included Joseph Iman, History/Social Studies, at a salary of $51,839; Shae Kirby, part-time (.222 FTE) pro rata of a $50,189 schedule ($11,141.95); and Laura Hines-Hull as a long-term science/FACS substitute at the base salary listed ($45,136). Supplemental positions approved in the same motion included Duane Greene as high school head football coach, Gabby Bolin as high school assistant volleyball coach and Cassie Thrall as 7–12 athletic director. The motion to approve compensation and contracts was moved by President Jason LaRue and seconded by Phoebe Brummett; the board voted 5-0 to carry the motion.

Earlier in the meeting the board met in executive session multiple times. At 6:36 p.m. the board entered a 10-minute KOMA executive session for non-elected personnel; later they continued in executive session for 15 minutes with Tracy Flanagan present and briefly brought in Kathy Purcell during that closed-session period. At 7:18 p.m. the board entered a separate KOMA executive session for financial matters with Flanagan and Purcell and extended that session in two five-minute increments; minutes record that no motions resulted directly from the financial executive sessions.

After returning to open session, the board took one additional administrative action: Phoebe Brummett moved and Daniel Dunn seconded a motion to designate Kathy Purcell as the KPERS representative and to add Traci Overpeck and all board members to all accounts; that motion carried 5-0. (KPERS refers to the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System.)

The meeting was adjourned at 7:45 p.m. by a motion from Daniel Dunn, seconded by Nick Link.

The board’s minutes state that the board sets aside time at every meeting for patrons to speak to policies and procedures and remind commenters that the public comment period is not an appropriate time for personal remarks about district employees or students.