By JAMES BELL
Hays Post
ELLIS — The Ellis USD 388 Board of Education welcomed its newest member Monday evening.
Stephanie Johnson was selected for the role following the opening of the monthly board meeting.
Johnson was the sole applicant for the position vacated by Jared Schiel, who moved out of the district. She will serve the remainder of his term, which expires in January 2024.
Prior to the board voting to approve Johnson for the position, she shared her background and qualifications.
She said she has lived in Ellis since 2002 after moving from Dodge City, where she served as the director of the Child Care Center at St. Mary’s. After her move to Ellis, she worked at Fort Hays State University.
“I worked at Fort Hays for 13 years with a variety of departments,” Johnson said.
She is currently a sixth-grade science teacher in the Hays USD 489 district, she said.
Board president Randy Honas opened the interview session with the first question.
“I’m just curious to know your comments on if you see any negatives with our district or are aware of things that may be corrected or worked on,” Honas said.
“I think just the small town,” Johnson said. “Everybody knows everybody’s business. That’s the only thing in the area that is always a problem.”
Despite that concern, she said, “There are no issues. It’s definitely a small-town atmosphere, which is not a negative at all.”
Coming from a much larger city, she said she enjoyed the community and its school involvement and had no significant concerns with the board or the district.
But she said her time at FHSU gave her insight into technological development in education and she wants to use the experience to ensure the district’s use of technology in Ellis schools is on par with other districts, including Hays and other larger districts.
Board member Cindy Hertel then asked Johnson what skills she would bring to the board.
“Just being an outsider,” she said. “Just bringing another look at things.”
She said her years at FHSU, including working on various committees, gave her the experience of learning to work together to accomplish goals.
Board Member Marty Hollern asked Johnson for specific highlights and challenges from serving on those committees.
Sharing a few examples, she said, “I enjoy being part of a solution. Everyone can talk about the problems and state their opinions but being able to be a part of the solution was the joy of those committees.”
Superintendent Janice Wilson followed up, asking Johnson why she desired the position.
“We have school officials on here, we have people that have been in the school district or in the town a lot longer than me,” Johnson said. “So, just being another voice, another person that can give another option, another thought.”
Wilson then asked what items the board needed to address.
Johnson said she would support technological development and help grow the district and the town through creative means.
“There are definitely a lot of positives,” she said. “And I think Ellis does stay right alongside the bigger schools. We just have our own small-town uniqueness.”
After telling the board that, with only one applicant, the board could vote on Johnson or wait and reopen the call for applicants, Hollern called for a vote.
Hertel offered a second, and Johnson was appointed unanimously.
Immediately following the vote, Johnson took the oath of office and was seated with her fellow board members, and the board moved into regular business.
