Two teachers and one support staff person have resigned from the Freedom Public Schools, according to information presented Monday night. The Freedom Board of Education met at 7 p.m. on June 19. The board accepted resignations of teachers Brandon Cook and Michalia McDonald. Cook taught computer education and history as well as handling the yearbook. McDonald taught pre-K and kindergarten in Freedom.

All five board members were present including President Shane Morris, Donald Simmons, Robert Babcock, Shan Wilson and Russell Reed, plus Superintendent Freida Burgess and Minutes Clerk Patricia Dauphin.

The meeting was held, as usual, in the library of the Freedom Public School. The board recognized and approved support staff member Tana Nixon's resignation.

Superintendent Burgess, recognizing Cook’s resignation, said he accepted a job at OSU. Certified staff member McDonald turned in her resignation on June 19, the day of the meeting.

Following an executive session, the board approved the hiring of two new teachers: Michael Schnatz and Teresa Kennedy. The two were sort of approved in a special meeting June 6 although their names were not mentioned. Schnatz is the new athletic coach. His most recent job was at Clayton. Kennedy is an elementary teacher.

The following support employees were approved to hire for fiscal year 2017-2018: Brenda Daughhetee, Dalene Dauphin, Patricia Dauphin, Bryan Davey, Robyn Landis and Tamara Stoddard.

A 12-month contract with Bryant Weber for agriculture education also was approved.

The board approved 12-month support employee contracts with Brenda Daughhetee, custodian; Patricia Dauphin, encumbrance clerk and board minutes clerk; Bryan Davey, maintenance; and Robyn Landis, cafeteria manager and custodian.

Grace Tepe was approved on an extra duty contract to teach a summer history course.

Continuing lease purchases of an agriculture education vehicle and an activity bus were approved for the 2017-2018 school term.

With board approval, Freedom Schools agreed to a contract with Oklahoma School Assurance Group (OSAG) for workers' compensation insurance for $4,886 for the 2017-2018 school year. The cost is up about $600 from last year.

The board needed the immediate approval of temporary appropriations. Auditor Buddy Carrol suggested temporary appropriations of 75 percent of last year's figure for the start of 2017-18. The Building Fund amount is $231,773. The Child Nutrition Fund amount is $39,545. The General Fund totals $1,694,156. A contract for audit of the 2016-2017 fiscal year by the firm of Chas. W. Carroll, P.A. was approved.

When bills were paid, Board President Morris abstained from voting on the O Bar Auto invoice (P.O. No. 133) from the general fund, due to his ownership of the company.

Before adjourning the meeting Superintendent Burgess collected ideas of needed maintenance projects. She suggested interior painting, exterior painting, tiling and carpet. She further expressed a desire for a product representative to examine the school's roof to make sure that the roofing project, started last month, was done correctly.