The Houston board of education made several personnel decisions during a closed session meeting lasting nearly four hours Tuesday, April 9.
In a 4-2-1 vote – Darren Ice and Jeff Gettys dissenting and Charlie Malam abstaining – the board dismissed the employment of Jim Moore as high school boys basketball coach. Moore coached the boys team beginning with the 2020-2021 season. His tenure in Houston began in 2016 with the girls team. In February, the board extended Moore’s administration contract. He has also been extended a contract to continue as the high school softball coach.
“The Board made the decision because they believed that was best for the program,” said Dr. Justin Copley, superintendent.
“However, reasons for a personnel decision, including decisions regarding coaching positions, are closed under the Missouri Open Meetings Act. Therefore, the district cannot provide specific information regarding the reasons for the decision.”
The employment of Jake Brookshire, high school assistant football coach, was approved in a 4-3 vote, with an improvement plan in place. Dissenting were Dustin Hartman, Tressie Neugebauer and Marty Merckling.
“The district cannot provide information regarding an employee’s improvement plan, because that is individually identifiable personnel information, which is also closed under the Open Meetings Act. However, the Board makes all personnel decisions carefully, with the best interests of the district and our students as the most important priority,” Copley said.
The board unanimously accepted the resignations of Tory Wade, middle school head volleyball coach; Abbie Wheeler, middle school cheerleading coach; Jeff Richardson, middle school head girls basketball coach; and Alyssa Wildhaber, elementary teacher. In a 5-1-1 vote with Ice voting against and Merckling abstaining, the board approved the resignation of Sherri Gale, high school business education teacher.
The employment of Larissa Sander and Aaron Gebbie, Houston Alternative Learning Opportunities (HALO) paraprofessionals, was unanimously approved.
The employment of Jillian Adey, middle/high school Family and Consumer Science (FACS) instructor and Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) sponsor was approved with one dissenting vote, Merckling.
All non-certified employees were unanimously extended letters of intent. All extra duty coaches/sponsors were extended contracts.
Dr. Copley updated the board on legal matters.
The meeting that began at 7:43 p.m. adjourned at 11:25 p.m.
