The Vian Board of Education met at 6 p.m. on April 9, addressing a range of issues from staffing shortages and facility upgrades to school fundraisers and sports field improvements.
The board also handled routine approvals and heard updates from administrators and community members.
Kindergarten teacher Laurie Moore spoke passionately about the challenges many Vian students face outside the classroom and encouraged board members and community members to volunteer in schools and visit classrooms to better understand teachers’ efforts.
Girls’ basketball coach Athena McCoy reflected on her first season in the head coaching role. She highlighted the team’s growth and emphasized the core values she’s worked to instill.
Testing, teacher shortages, demolition
Superintendent John Brockman and the district principals reported on ongoing recruitment efforts for the 2025-26 school year, noting a statewide teacher shortage, particularly in mathematics, and fewer graduates from teaching programs such as those at Northeastern State University.
Brockman also announced that the old high school building would be demolished this summer, following an auction of its remaining contents in June.
High school principal Carrie Jo Willis reported that juniors had recently taken the group ACT test as part of state-mandated assessments, with efforts focused on boosting student performance.
Kayaks approved for Fishing Club
The board approved $19,550 in general fund expenditures, including funds for kayaks for a new student fishing club sponsored by School Resource Officer Robert Allen. With the school year winding down, spending remained light.
Kaydi Wingo introduced a new elementary fundraiser for the upcoming school year: an “All-in-One” school supply box that would be sold to parents at a discount, with $5 from each sale supporting classroom supply needs.
However, there was no action taken on a T-Mobile fundraiser that was scheduled for presentation.
Artificial turf project advances The board reviewed three sealed bids for the new artificial turf field project, all ranging from $1.1 to $1.2 million. Rather than selecting a vendor immediately, the board scheduled a special meeting for April 14 to give members more time to evaluate the proposals.
The project was reportedly approved in March as part of ongoing upgrades to athletic facilities.
Board reorganizes The board completed its annual reorganization, rotating officers as per tradition. Jeff Cotner will serve as President, Joe Paul Simon as Vice President, and John Ford as Clerk for the upcoming year. Bill Sanford and James Thornton will remain as members.
Temporary Appropriations for the 202526 school year were approved, along with the renewal of Indian Education policies, and an increase in Excess Liability Insurance by $4 million — a move recommended by the district’s insurance agent at a cost of approximately $3,000.
Additionally, the board approved continued cooperation with Indian Capital Technology Center to offer high school credit for math and science courses taken at the tech center.
Leah Agent was approved as an adjunct Anatomy and Physiology instructor for the upcoming school year, and the high school library surplus list was approved.
Executive session Following an executive session, the board voted to rehire the list of certified and support staff recommended by administrators for the 2025-26 school year. They also approved transitioning certain teachers from probationary to career status.
The meeting adjourned with plans to reconvene on April 14 to finalize a vendor for the turf installation.
This news story is based on the unofficial minutes from the board meeting and could be in error if the minutes are changed prior to adoption.
