Prairie View seeks candidates to replace District 3 board member

LA CYGNE – The Prairie View USD 362 Board of Education on Monday, March 6, announced plans to recruit potential board members from District 3 (see the district map below) to replace former member Brad Stainbrook.

Stainbrook resigned his post in a special meeting on Feb. 24. At Monday’s meeting, he was hired by the board as an assistant softball coach effective Feb. 28. He will replace Michelle Haupt, former assistant coach who was moved up to head coach at the beginning of the school year.

A school board member cannot be an employee of the district according to Kansas statute.

Haupt also coaches a club team of which several of the Prairie View softball players are members.

Superintendent Rex Bollinger said that the procedure to replace Stainbrook would involve advertising the vacant post for two weeks and taking applications from candidates living within District 3.

Applicants from the district will be interviewed in an open board meeting before a candidate is selected by the sitting school board members on a vote.

This appointment to the board of education could have a short shelf-life, though. The District 3 position is up for election this fall, and potential candidates will need to file for the office by June 1. The election is non-partisan.

In other personnel matters, the board approved the hiring of Marsha Windisch as kitchen manager from Jan. 27 through the end of the 2022-23 school year. Taylor Sanz and Joy Epperson were hired to take over as cheerleader head coach and assistant coach respectively through the end of the school year.

Chad Jones was hired to be the physical educator teacher at Parker Elementary beginning in August. Christopher Klehammer, Cecilia Holbrook and Laura Moore were hired as substitute teachers effective March 6.