Bartlesville Radio: The area’s best source for news, weather and sports!

The Dewey Public Schools Board of Education approved contracts with 2nd Gear and VIP Technology on Monday night.

Superintendent Vince Vincent said the contract with 2nd Gear was for network switches at both the elementary and middle schools because they are aging in those locations.

The hope going into the meeting is that they could replace the old switches for new ones. Thanks to the board's approval of the contract, they will be able to improve the switches and much more.

Fiber lines will be ran to different areas of the Dewey Public School's campus that do not have internet connectivity. Vincent said the fibers would will be run to the district's indoor athletic facility and the agriculture farm thanks to their contract with VIP Technology. He said they are also leveraging an opportunity for e-rate federal dollars to be used for the projects.

80-percent of the costs will be covered, while DPS covers the other 20-percent. Vincent said the district is going to get approximately $60,000 worth of technology integration. He said the work is expected to begin and end this summer.

Also in the Dewey Public Schools Board of Education meeting on Monday night, two resignation letters were approved. Those resignation letters were from elementary school teacher Erica Mott and high school teacher Ashley Maker.

From there, the board entered into executive session to discuss the potential hire for three elementary school teachers and a middle school teacher who would also be the varsity girls basketball coach. When they exited the executive session, the hire were made.

Lindsay Henderson was hired as a Pre-K teacher. Henderson is currently teaching at Coffeyville Public Schools.

Also from Coffeyville Public Schools is Alison Andrews. Andrews was hired by DPS to teach first grade.

Schulyer Adkins was hired to be a music teacher at Dewey Elementary. Adkins has a master's degree in music from Oklahoma City University. He taught music for 10 years music at Oologah Public Schools and was an assistant principal for a charter school in Broken Arrow.

Paul McCann was hired on as a middle school teacher. McCann will also serve as a temporary coach for the varsity girls basketball team.

Lastly, two nighttime custodians were hired by the board. Those two individuals were James Owens and Chris Nienhuser.