By Trevor Dunbar
By her own estimate, McAlester Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Lucy Smith has attended more than 300 school board meetings.
But Monday night was her last.
“It was bittersweet,” Smith said. “After being involved with so many meetings it’s hard to think about this being the last one. It’s good, but it’s a little sad too.”
Smith and the rest of the board met at 6:30 p.m. in the cafetorium at the old McAlester High School for just over three hours. She said it was business as usual, hiring teachers, accepting resignations, looking over contracts and other board duties.
“It was a good meeting. We tended to business,” Smith said. “It was another milestone. I’ve been to a lot of meetings but this was the last one. Some of them have been a challenge, but overall they’ve been very satisfying. The board meetings are where decisions that make a difference happen.
“It was my last time to be a part of that.”
Smith said she was particularly glad to be able to hire six new teachers at Monday’s meeting. J. Paul Lane was hired by MPS as a Social Studies teacher. Caroline Booher will teach Social Studies at Puterbaugh. Jon Freeman was hired as a Social Studies teacher at Parker Intermediate Center. Freeman, who once played high school football under incumbent MHS head coach Bryan Pratt in Muskogee, will also act as the Buffalos offensive coordinator.
LaRhonda Hays was hired as a primary school teacher. Brenda LoPresto and Kimberly Gillespie were also hired as teachers.
“They’re all really excellent new teachers. They make all the difference,” Smith said. “I’m very pleased to be able to hire these outstanding teachers.”
Smith said another important point of the meeting was approving a change order to the new Multipurpose Center at MHS. The building has been plagued by flooding, but this should soon change, according to Smith.
“It has to be done. It hasn’t even rained that much and there’s been significant flooding on the east side,” Smith said.
“Water has actually gotten in the building.”
Smith said a longer, wider drainpipe will be installed. The cost is $121,549 and will come out of the school’s building fund.
Contact Trevor Dunbar at tdunbar@mcalesternews.com.
