Gasconade R-2 Superintendent Dr. Chuck Garner told the board of education on May 18 that the end-of-the-year fund balance would increase from about 26 percent to 33 percent due to funds that will be made available from the American Rescue Plan, ESSER II.

“ESSER funds will bring up the unrestricted fund balance to 33 percent,” Garner told the board. “Remember this will be one-time money which will be a deficit to spend.”

The district has until 2024 to spend the ESSER II funds.

There is also hope that the district will bring in more revenue in the 2021-22 school year through assessed property valuations.

“Currently we are projecting an increase in assessed valuation due to the projected increase in the assessment within the district,” Garner said in his report. “Reassessment only occurs every other year. We will know the final numbers in August.”

While revenue may go up, expenses and salaries for teachers are also increasing.

“The (teacher) insurance is capped at $552 monthly, and we plan to add a 2.9 percent increase to the base/step,” Garner said. 

In other business, the district is expecting the following enrollment numbers in 2021-22, including GES: 313; OES: 536; OMS: 401; OHS: 587; for a total of 1,827 students.

As of the May 18 meeting, the district still needed to fill the English Language Arts position.

Board approves resignations, 

retirements, 2021-22 staffing 

The board approved the following resignations with a 6-0 vote: Rodney Angell, bus driver, effective May 4, 2021; Scott Rasmussen, middle school day custodian, effective May 20, 2021;Patricia Woemmel, OHS para, effective at the end of the 2020-21 school year; Melody Greenwalt, OHS para, effective at the end of the 2020-21 school year; and Casey Fisher, assistant baseball coach.

The following retirements were approved with a 6-0 vote: Sandra Koppelmann, Gerald Elementary dishwasher, effective April 23; and the retirement of Bethany Jacobs, sixth-grade science at the end of the 2020-21 school year.

The following classified rehire list was approved with a 6-0 vote: Gerald Elementary: Marchelle Amptman, Jaimie Blaue, John Bradley, Amanda Bramlette, Hilary Cerveny, Rebecca Goggin, Janna Janssen-Ryerson, Cathy Jaworski, Kevin Lawton, Janice Lebish, Jenee LeStarge, Cindy Lindemeyer, Keith Neidert, Jodi Ocello, Lori Payne, Debbie Pick, Sheila Stokes, and Crystal Tirre.

At Owensville Elementary, classified staff rehired were: James Backman, Crystal Blankenship, Erin Cole, Susan Davis, Crystal Ditto, Amanda Dozier, Lisa Dunlap, Michelle Gerlemann, Amber Helling, PeeWee Howard, Tiphani Isom, Cheri Kramme, Shelly Linenbroker, Kim McGee, Jodie Milanowski, Joyce Nelson, Jennifer Reed, Shelly Scheel, Amanda Sellers, Patty Shepard, Megan Silvers, Teresa Skornia, Lea Uthe, and Jeanette Walker.

At the Owensville Middle School: Kelly Abernathy, Heather Ashner, Noel Basham, Cheryl Brocato, Heather Claspill, Katrina Davison, Alison Fisher, Brooke Johnson, Ruthie Kohrmann, Judy Martin, Michelle Paneitz, Leslie Perkins, Diana Rhodes, Brandon Shaw, Erin Steen, and Lori Steinbeck.

At Owensville High School: Kenton Bohl, Marla Bray, Kristen Breese, Gregory Carpenter, Michael Curtis, Steven Kemp, Phyllis Lottmann, Kathy Luther, Elizabeth Manning, Katie Mogensen, Carrie Pruitt, Danny Rice, JoAnn Ringeisen, Maryellen Scheel, Angie Schultz, Robin Tyree, Jacinta Wehmeyer, Rusty Wright, and Kathy Ziegler.

Parents as Teachers rehired Heather Schlottach.

Transportation/Maintenance approved Lorrie Edens, Rick Hardy, Jason Hinson, Dustin Howard, Roger Nicks, and Gary Pohlmann.

Bus drivers rehired were Christina Aytes, Shiela Barnwell, Kristin Boyd, Angie Brewer, Donna Brown, Misty Cox, Gary DeAngelis, Tom Engel, Cathy Fath, Lori Grayson, Carla Havelka, Terry Jahnsen, Mike Jennings, Regina Jost, Tracie Kinkead, Mike LeClaire, Sara Loeb,Tinya McClure, Colleen McIntosh, Peggy Roach, Paul Robertson, Mike Rogers, Brad Royle, Cindy Scheel, DJ Shockley, Sandy Voss, Jacinta Wehmeyer, and Danny Wells.

Bus aides: Amy Hausmann and Stacie Engel.

Director of Food Service: Lori Angell.

Technology Department: Casey Erhart, Nicole Grannemann, and Seth Turner.

Administrative Office: Melissa Bauer, Briana Decker, and Nancy Landwehr.

The Board of Education approved letters of employment for the classified staff in the 2021-22 school year as listed with a 6-0 vote: Tricia Ridder was approved as the Owensville Elementary principal; Mary Maddox as the OHS vocal music instructor; Megan Pondrum as an OES fourth-grade teacher; Bethany Howell as an GES first grade; James Quiggins as the GES vocal music instructor; Benjamen Woemmel, as an OES personal aide; alternative school administrator Kari Nolting, and staff of Amy Aubuchon, Tammy Daniel, Donna Hinson and Sara Whelan; Ben Woemmel as Color Guard sponsor; Sara Whelan as yearbook sponsor; Mary Maddox as vocal music club sponsor; and Casey Fisher, assistant/middle school wrestling; Amy Quertermous and Kendall Frick for summer school; summer maintenance of Janice Lebish, Mary Mitcham, Julie Sieber, and Jacinta Wehmeyer; and Cathy Boehm for summer technology were approved with a 6-0 vote for the 2021-22 school year.

The board approved the following transfers with a 6-0 vote: Derrick Tyree, speech implementer to sixth-grade math; Jaysie Walters will stay at OES; and Brandon Shaw to OES evening custodian to OMS day custodian.