USD 467 board holds executive-session interviews for Wichita County Jr.-Sr. High principal; no hire made

The Board of Education of Unified School District No. 467, Wichita County, met in special session Saturday, March 7, 2026, to interview three candidates for the principal position at Wichita County Junior-Senior High School. The board held the interviews in executive session under the Kansas Open Meetings Act (KOMA) and returned to open session after each interview without taking formal action.

The first executive session was approved on a motion by Farrin Watt, seconded by Maegan Berry, to interview Sara Brown with Superintendent Brant Douglas and guests Liz Oldham and Stephanie Thelen-West present. The board returned to open session at 11:00 a.m.; the minutes state “No action was taken” and that Mrs. Brown exited the meeting. Haydon Parks is recorded as arriving at 10:50 a.m. while that executive session was in progress.

Later the board approved an executive session motion by Bruce Loy, seconded by Adam Marcotte, to interview Haydon Parks with the same staff and guests present; the board returned to open session at 11:51 a.m. with no action taken and Mr. Parks exiting the meeting. The minutes record Rees McKinney arriving at 11:50 a.m. while the board was in that executive session.

A third executive session, moved by Farrin Watt and seconded by Matt Price, was held to interview Rees McKinney with Superintendent Douglas, Liz Oldham, and Stephanie Thelen-West present; the board returned to open session at 12:45 p.m., again with no action taken, and the minutes note that Rees McKinney, Brant Douglas, and board member James Myers exited the meeting.

All three executive-session motions to interview candidates passed by recorded board action; the minutes cite compliance with KOMA for use of an executive session to discuss matters affecting non-elected personnel. The minutes do not record any votes for appointment or a timeline for next steps.