Schools juggle district staff issues

LIND – In November, Ritzville School District Business Manager Dana Telecky left for a similar position in Davenport.

Since then, the District found an opportunity to standardize finance and human resources practices. E Lind and Ritzville School Boards approved hiring Kris Robbins as shared business manager between the two districts at a regular board meeting Monday, Jan. 24.

Robbins previously served as Ritzville Grade School secretary since January 2021.

Tina Shuler, former Lind School District business manager, has been named shared payroll/HR manager between the school districts.

The changes allow the business and HR/payroll managers to focus on fewer responsibilities becoming more efficient and effective in their roles.

“We are very excited about this change, which was made in consultation with ESD 101,” Superintendent Don Vanderholm said . “For a long time we've been working to align our Cooperative finance and HR practices so this was kind of a natural adjustment.”

In related staff changes, Stephanie Stokoe, formerly a Ritzville Grade School paraprofessional has been hired as the Ritzville Grade School secretary.

Four paraprofessionals have also been hired. They are Rylie Sackman for Lind Elementary special education, Jessica Kidwell at Lind Elementary School, Easton Nelson at Ritzville Grade School and Jessica Cooper for Lind Elementary ESSER support.

ESSER, short for Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief, are funds appropriated under the CARES Act of 2020 for COVID-19 relief. The funds can be used for a variety of activities and to provide resources for school leaders to address specific needs as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

In other school business Jan. 24, Vanderholm provided a COVID-10 update during the Lind-Ritzville Cooperative School Board session.

He said the school districts were tracking 214 cases of positive tests or exposure among students and staff across the district.

There had been one COVID breakout on a sports team. Some school districts in the region had to change bus routes due to drivers being off the job due to COVID, but Vanderholm reported in Lind-Ritzville bus drivers were OK.

Some districts have had to curtail athletic activities due to shortage of test kits.

Vanderholm said the district is “in good shape on tests.

“Some larger districts are out,” he said. “We have enough tests to keep our kids going”