By ROWENA PLETT

Staff writer

At a special board meeting July 29, Centre superintendent Brian Smith introduced the idea of developing a softball program.

The suggestion was made in light of the fact that Centre may enter into a cooperative agreement with Marion-Florence in baseball.

If the baseball agreement would be achieved and approved by both school boards, Title IX requires that Centre must also offer a girls’ program, Smith said.

He said the Herington school district has eliminated girls’ softball, so it might be possible to recruit five or more students from Herington to enroll at Centre and be part of a spring softball team.

Smith said Marion-Florence is waiting to see its official Sept. 20 enrollment before deciding to join with Centre in baseball. If the enrollment numbers, combined with Centre’s, would put Marion in 4A, the cooperative idea would be dropped.

Smith reported that athletic director Greg Wyatt was contacted by Rural Vista school district (Hope and White City) regarding possibly joining Centre’s junior high school football program. Rural Vista’s athletic director Steve Reidy told Wyatt the district is exploring its options and will not make a decision until after enrollment.

In an earlier special board meeting the same day, the board accepted the resignation of math teacher Laura Vinduska. Because she resigned after the legal date for submitting a notice of intent not to return, Vinduska will pay the district liquidated damages of $400.

The board then voted to employ Julie Keithline of Herington as seventh-through-12th-grade math teacher for 2014-15.

Special education teacher Yvonne Burhoop was employed to assist with wood shop classes for the 2014-15 school year. Centre will reimburse Marion County Special Education Cooperative for up to 25 percent of her salary.

Danielle Murrell, the new music teacher, was employed as the cheerleading sponsor for 2014-15.

The board approved $2,500 of repairs to the weight room building. Nickel Construction will repair holes in the interior walls and ceiling, replace exterior trim, and replace the trim and facing around garage doors. Two 8x7-foot garage doors will be replaced.