Kerry Henley voted District Teacher of the Year

By Sarah Gray/Managing Editor

The idea of universal school bus stops may come to fruition this upcoming school year, but that hasn’t yet been determined.

During a Marshall School Board meeting held Tuesday, May 14, board members approved the first readings of several items, including increasing secondary transportation to a two-mile radius.

The district this year has been implementing a one-mile radius. Prior to voting, board member Jack Lenz inquired about the radius and what it exactly meant. Superintendent Caleb Petet explained in greater detail.

“The state will give districts some funding for the students that they pick up, but they actually don’t pay for any students within 3 ½ miles of the school,” he said. “So any student in Marshall, historically, has (been) picked up door to door, no matter how close they lived to a building. Last year, we moved to a one-mile radius district-wide. So, we already do not pick up within one mile of the school.”

The reading approved Tuesday night was a proposal regarding transportation to the middle school and high school – for that to be changed to a two-mile radius, but for elementary transportation to remain the same.

“Less kiddos would be affected, less little kiddos would be walking a long way,” Petet said. “And we hope that if we do that … we could add some universal bus stops around town that would not qualify for reimbursement, but it would help those families that have a burden.”

The two-mile radius could also help the district in terms of the few number of drivers there currently are.

“Universal bus stops would help us to alleviate the burdens on the families, and closing three more schools would help it all be a moot point.”

In addition to the radius change, board members also approved the first reading for handbooks and phases 2 and 3 of job descriptions. There is still time for the board to think on and review information for all of these items prior to their second reading.

They also approved a tuition increase for the Saline County Career Center’s Practical Nursing Program. The increase of approximately $500 is primarily due to software packages and textbook updates.

During the meeting, several teachers were recognized for their work this year, along with the announcement of the district’s Teacher of the Year.

This year’s District Teacher of the Year is Kerry Henley, the Marketing and Management Instructor and DECA District No. 4 Lead Advisor at Saline County Career Center.

Henley stated she is humbled and honored to have been chosen.

“This recognition is a testament to the amazing students, supportive colleagues, and dedicated families that make the career center such a special place to learn. I am truly grateful for their continued support,” she said. “My passion lies in creating engaging lessons that spark curiosity and empower students to become critical thinkers and lifelong learners. I am particularly proud of developing the four-year marketing program that has helped students achieve significant gains in leadership that they might not have otherwise had enough time to develop.”

Henley said in a statement that in addition to academics, she prioritizes fostering a collaborative learning environment where “students can develop strong communication and interpersonal skills, preparing them to build successful networks in college and beyond.”

“I prioritize fostering a well-rounded learning experience that includes community service opportunities,” Henley continued. “This not only benefits the community but also helps students develop empathy, social responsibility, and valuable teamwork skills.”

Nominations throughout the district included: Kayla Gorrell for Marshall High School; Heidi Rogers for Bueker Middle School and the Northwest Elementary building; Carrie Pomerenke for the Tom Butterfield Early Childhood Center; Ashley Bichsel for Spainhower Primary School; Amber Kuecker for the Benton Elementary building; and Mckenzie Rowlett for the Eastwood Elementary building.

“I really am proud of them, and I think everybody knows what a great job they do,” Petet said.