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Ulysses High School will have new girls basketball coaches and Kepley Middle School will lose a sixth-grade math teacher and physical education coach following the resignations of Audrey Marshall and Marcale Marshall.
The USD 214 Board approved the resignations at its March 10 meeting, as well as the resignation of Kepley Middle School assistant football coach Freddy Romero, and Ulysses High School Family and Consumer Science teacher and yearbook sponsor Rachel Harmon.
Audrey Marshall was varsity girls basketball coach for three seasons at Ulysses High School in addition to teaching sixth grade math at Kepley Middle School, replacing longtime UHS coach Tim Hofferber. Hofferber coached Marshall at Guymon, Okla., in the early 2000s. Marshall previously coached the 2019-2020 season in Texhoma, Okla., before coming to Ulysses.
Marcale Marshall was previously the varsity boys basketball coach in Guymon, Okla. before joining the Kepley Middle School staff. He was also one of two assistant coaches for the Ulysses Lady Tigers'.
Romero was not new to the Tigers when he became assistant football coach, he graduated with the class of 2015. Romero was named assistant football for the eighth grade during a board meeting July 24, 2022.
During a hastily called special meeting Friday evening, the board – minus trustee Chad McCormick – approved a letter of resignation and retirement from Hickock Elementary School librarian Tammy Barb.
The board on Monday also approved several contracts for staff, including Ulysses High School Assistant Baseball Coach Eduardo Padilla, Hickock Elementary Teacher Elizabeth Martwick, Hickock Elementary Teacher Renna Marie Chavez, Kepley Middle School ELA Teacher Mary Albers, Ulysses High School Business Teacher Kim Brom, Ulysses High School ELL Para Kaede Edmondson, and USD 214 Sub Nurse Lizet Heredia.
The board approved contract extensions for Assistant Superintendent and Director of Student Learning Kevin Warner, Athletic Director Travis McAtee, UHS Principal Justin Coffey, UHS Dean of Students Chase Rietcheck, Kepley Middle School Principal Amy Wartman, Kepley Middle School Vice-Principal/Athletic Director Kevin Self, Sullivan Elementary School Principal Karie Gaskill, and Sullivan Elementary School Assistant Principal Carol McAtee.
During Monday’s regular agenda, UHS math teacher Bob Buhr spoke to the board on behalf of himself and Christina Ybarra – district nominees for Region 1 Kansas Teacher of the Year - to thank the board for the opportunity to participate in that experience. The Teacher of the Year awards ceremony and banquet is set for April 12 in Salina.
Travis McAtee introduced new UHS head football coach Mitch Foote to the board. Foote was in town touring the district and meeting the players and assistant coaches.
“We spent the whole day today doing multiple things, most important talking to the kids,” McAtee said.
“I do appreciate you guys giving me this opportunity to coach these young men,” Foote told the board. “I’m very excited for this opportunity, something I’ve definitely dreamt of for a while, and I can’t wait to get started.”
Superintendent Corey Burton gave an update on the roofing project at Kepley Middle School, saying crews are close to wrapping up the project. Burton also said the new storage building across from the high school tennis courts look good.
“It’s going to be a nice facility, and the sidewalks look great,” Burton said.
The board approved the 2025-2026 district calendar, the Chromebook/iPad policy (which remains the same), and approved a bid for the Ulysses High School locker room project – with trustee Nichole Winner excusing herself for the discussion and vote on that item. Athletic director Travis McAtee said the new locker room setup will be much better than the current scenario.
The board approved a JAG-K partnership agreement.
“We are super excited to be able to expand it down to the middle school,” Burton said. “We’ve been really happy with the high school program. We can pay this out of at-risk funds.”
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