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The Dewey Public Schools Board of Education approved a school policy regarding certification exams when they met on Monday evening.

Superintendent Vince Vincent said there is federal money that Dewey Public Schools could claim when a teacher goes to take a certification exam, specifically in the needed area of special education. He said the teacher would already have their initial teaching certification and would have been employed with Dewey Schools, but they'd be asked to take an additional certification exam.

If the teacher were to pass the exam, Superintendent Vincent said Dewey Schools would be able to pay for the exam and be reimbursed federally in the Special Ed programs for the cost of the exam. Vincent said this would be a huge benefit in a time of a teacher shortage. He said they wouldn't be able to do this unless they put the policy in place that says they could pay for this to happen.

The policy is brand new for Dewey Public Schools. Superintendent Vincent said each certification test costs $100. Vincent said they would be able to pay for one test per year, meaning someone could go and take two or three tests and be compensated for each exam. He said this process would be done at the discretion of the district.

If teachers opt into this option, Superintendent Vincent said they'd be required to work for Dewey Public Schools for the next year. He said this option will also be exercised if there is a great need for the district in a specific area.

Also in the meeting, the DPS Board of Education appointed board member Ryan Higbee to serve as a legislative liaison. From there, the Board approved the following Mentor Committees for the following first year teachers:

• Addison Johnson - Jerri Moore, Rachel Belong
• Taylor McDowell - Brent Dugger, Josh Stowe, Debra Thoreson, Sasha Yorman

The DPS Board of Education also approved the following resignations:

• Lorie Loyd - Elementary School Teacher
• Ron Turner - High School Teacher / Coach

Both Loyd and Turner's resignation will take effect at the end of the current school year.

Then, the Board approved to hire a special education paraprofessional before rehiring administrators for the 2021-2022 school year.