WAURIKA — When Cody Simmons’ family moved to Waurika and he was enrolled in second grade at Waurika Elementary School, the new student was greeted by a woman who was still adjusting to the job of principal.

Monday night, with retirement looming, that principal attended her next-to-last school board meeting in an official capacity. While there, Cindy Walker took a moment to welcome her replacement — Cody Simmons.

Following a 90-minute executive session that included interviews of Simmons and Joe Masoner, the other job finalist, board members voted unanimously to offer the position to Simmons.

“We have two very quality educators and candidates for the job, and I believe both would do a wonderful job. But at this time, I would recommend that the board offer the position of principal at Waurika Elementary to Cody Simmons,” said Superintendent Roxie Terry, who had joined board members, Walker and Waurika High School/Middle School Principal Dale Spradlin during the final interview process.

Simmons has spent 5 1/2 years as a second-grade instructor at WES. Masoner has been in the Waurika school district for 13 years and is currently physical education teacher at WES, and a coach at the elementary, middle school and high school levels.

During the executive session, board members also discussed a recommendation from Terry to rehire 18 non-certified employees for the 2009-10 school year. Upon returning to open session, the board unanimously endorsed that recommendation.

The non-certified personnel were Gina Brown, Patty Chick, Julie Couture, Carol Craven, Rebecca Cunningham and Donald Dalton.

Also, Robert Flores, Betty Guzman, Robbin Howard, Rose Irk, Robert Jacobson and Zona Houston.

Also, Jason McCarroll, Marsha McCarroll, Linda Prewitt, Wayne Rochelle, Fern Vinson and Barbara Wade.

One of the longest school board meetings of the past three years lasted three hours and included two presentations dealing with the district’s future.

Matthew A. Reichert, vice president of Stephen H. McDonald & Associates of Norman, spent 40 minutes outlining options to consider should district administrators decide to take a school bond issue to voters in the future.

“This is just an informational presentation,” Terry told board members, stressing that the financial numbers Reichert presented were “purely hypothetical.”

The board took no action following Reichert’s presentation, nor did it take any action following a 30-minute presentation by Pat Cook, coordinator of the Reading First program at Waurika Elementary.

Waurika’s Reading First program has been one of the most successful in Oklahoma, however, the school district is no longer eligible to receive federal funding to maintain the program.

Terry has proposed the district consider providing the funds necessary to offer the program in the 2009-10 school year.

Cook’s presentation highlighted the successes and benefits of Reading First, and some of the components needed for the district to run the program independently.

No action was taken following either presentation, but board members did unanimously approve the following agenda items:

• An annual agreement with the Jefferson County treasurer to collect and distribute ad valorem taxes for fiscal year 2010.

• Renewing a contract with Municipal Accounting Systems Inc., which provides personnel- and payroll-oriented software.

• Renewing a contract with Allied Health Research Laboratory to conduct drug and alcohol testing for the 2009-10 school year. The Lawton-based firm provides drug and alcohol testing for district bus drivers, at a fee of $40 per individual, and it also provides and administers drug testing to students involved in extracurricular activities in the district, at a cost of $25 per student.

• Encumbrances from the General Fund for 42 purchase orders for the 2008-09 school year.

• Increasing encumbrance of purchase order No. 385 to Marc Co. from $3,000 to $3,500.34 because of a low estimate.

• The Activity Fund detail ledger for March.

• Treasurer Rebecca Cunningham’s report for March.

• Minutes from a regular board meeting on March 9.