Haxtun Board of Education approves purchase of new bus

The Haxtun Board of Education met for two short meetings over the past few weeks. Business between the two included approving a resignation from a preschool staff member and purchasing a new bus. The Board met on Dec. 18, 2024 and Jan. 6.

The final meeting of the year, in mid-December, was short and included reports from administration and one action item. After hearing information from Superintendent Aron Jones and school principals Becky Heinz and Amanda Ridlen in their reports, board members approved the resignation of Melyssa Nelson as the Preschool Assistant Director. The resignation was effective Dec. 16.

According to Jones, the preschool department is currently weighing options to move forward with Nelson's vacancy. Right now, the District has enough staff that hold early childhood licenses that in the event Preschool Director Paige Thompson is absent, the preschool is fully staffed.

In an early Monday morning meeting on Jan. 6, board members approved a resolution to certify 2024-25 mill levy numbers from Sedgwick County to establish the District's total mill levy for property tax year 2024. Those taxes are collected in 2025.

"The mill levy amounts were approved on Dec. 4," Jones said. "Sedgwick County's came back incorrect from the State, so we had to recertify in order to get our funding."

The local Board of Education also voted to purchase a 2026 International school bus from McCandless in the amount of $142,000. Going in hand with that, board members voted to offer the disposal of bus three by sealed bids.

The School District is currently accepting sealed bids for bus three, a 1996 GMC. Bids may be submitted to the District office by Jan. 14. For more information, see the classified pages in this week's edition of the Herald.

Haxtun Schools is currently waiting for two new busses, which were expected to be built this month. However, Jones said that date has now been pushed back to April.

"We were supposed to get the two new busses in August before school started. We were pushed back to January and then pushed back again until April," said Jones. "With the loss of bus three, we could not wait any longer to add another bus to the fleet."

Jones said bus three blew a piston, which damaged the engine block.

"With three new busses, we will be on a solid rotation for keeping our fleet in good condition so we aren't in this situation again."