The District #18 Board of Education may be feeling like for every step forward, they are having to take a step back.
Meeting Wednesday night, April 14, the board approved the hiring of two applicants for vacant teaching positions at the school.
Hired were:
• Logan Douglas — A graduate of Chadron State College in 2020, Douglas was hired to teach special education to grades Kindergarten through sixth grade.
It has been the goal of the school district for several months now to hire a second person to provide special education. Last month, Jenna Lordemann was hired to do special ed for grades 7-12. Previously, Kim Zwingman taught special education. Zwingman resigned to take a position at Pope John XXIII Central Catholic High School.
Douglas’ hometown is Sidney, NE.
• Dylan Kaup — A native of Neligh, Kaup was hired to teach Spanish. He will fill the position vacated by Haley Guenther who was hired one year ago. Kaup is a graduate of Wayne State College.
That’s one step ahead.
The board, minutes later, accepted with regret the resignations of two teachers who had been with the district for a number of years. They were:
• Eric Mlinar. Superintendent Mike Brockhaus said Mlinar and his family are moving back to the Seward/Lincoln area. Principal Greg Wemhoff then told the board an interview was scheduled for later in the week. The superintendent said Monday a contract was offered and accepted. It will have to be approved by the school board at the May meeting.
• Kerri Drueke. Brockhaus said she resigned to accept a position with Pope John teaching science. Like with Mlinar, administration announced that an interview to fill the position was scheduled for later in the week.
As of Monday, Brockhaus said the search is “ongoing.”
When replacements are found, they will have to be approved by the school board.
