The Rising Sun Ohio County School Board accepted the retirement letter from music teacher and band director Ron Eads at its meeting on Friday, Aug. 24.
Superintendent Branden Roeder was given approval to hire a replacement without another board meeting.
Eads gave his notice on Friday, Aug. 17 and he met with parents and students on Monday before the opening was posted online.
Eads met with band boosters on Tuesday.
One applicant was interviewed on Thursday with seven slated for review on Monday.
Principals Keith Majewski and Noel Bostic will be doing the interviewing along with Roeder and assistance from Eads.
Board member Billy Hayes noted, “it’s going to be really hard to replace him (Eads).”
Roeder hoped to have a new hire named by Tuesday and have them here by Thursday.
This week is the annual band camp, Monday through Friday. It is hoped that the new hire will be here by the end of camp to get to meet students, parents and teachers.
Board member Gary Kinnett agreed that the band has been super successful but added marching at the Aurora Farmers Fair has always been a topic of discussion.
Roeder pointed out that the fairs are during marching season.
“It works out better to go get first place in competiion every Saturday,” noted Roeder.
Principal Keith Majewski commnded Eads for taking part in any type local event such as
Memorial Day or 9-11. A lot of times request for the band comes with just a 24 hours notice, noted Majewski who added “Ron has always been very accomodating.”
Eads served as band director for 29 years.
The board accepted the resignation of flag corps instructor Andrea Kirkpatrick who is expecting another child.
In other personnel matters, David Bowman was hired to fill the third shift janitorial position. Carrie Fisk was named to vacant elementary special education position.
Sheena Knigga will be the new transportation aide and will transfer ROD (Ripley Ohio Dearborn) special education students to Lawrenceburg.
Kasha Howell will be a new ROD aide at the high school (replacing Dave Selmeyer who moved to the middle school) and Jodi Rieman will be high school special education aide.
Extracurricular positions were approved at the high school for the following: Prom Sponsor- Lynn DeMuzio/Deb Cappel; SADD- Kevin Wirsch; National Honor Society and Student Council Advisor- Kevin Smith; Freshman Class Sponsor- Vickie Mills; Sophomore Class Sponsor- Christina Rumsey; Choir Director- Angie Wilson; Language Club- Mike Seipel; Senior class sponsor/Senior trip- Kevin Smith, Carol Stapleton, Sue Walcott; Junior Class Sponsor- Carol Stapleton, Ronna Billingsley; Yearbook advisor- Carol Stapleton; Letter Winners- Noel Bostic High School Academic Team- Vickie Mills, Jaron Bovard; and Mark William Tran Boetticher (formerly Minh Tran)
as volunteer boys soccer coach.
Extracurricular activities approved for the middle school included the following coaches: Soccer- Nathan Pelohowski; Cross Country- Chandra Phillips; 6-7th Volleyball- Gina Kremer; 8th grad volleyball- Erin Gregory; 8th grade boys basketball- Jamey Romans; 7th grad girls basketball- David Bowman; 8th grade girls basketball- Jessica Peelman; Girls track- Aryn Peters; Boys track- Caitlyn Sauerhage; 5-6th grade intramurals- David Brown.
The position of seventh grad boys basketball will be posted as David Brown resigned that position. Brown resigned from his high school softball coaching position earlier and that position remains posted.