The Harlan Community School District approved three sharing agreements with three separate school districts. In a meeting Monday, the Harlan Community School Board approved the sharing agreements of a college English teacher with AHST, Librarian with the Exira-EHK district and an ESL/Curriculum Director with the Atlantic School District.

The college English teacher agreement is not something new as the Harlan Community and A-H-S-T districts have shared for 4 years. The district saves more than $9,600 in costs by sharing the position. The teacher/librarian position is a unique one for both districts. Harlan Community held a staff member last year for the position however Mrs. Evans-Winfield retired. Superintendent Justin Wagner said after posting for the job, the district didn’t have much interest so they asked Evans-Winfield back to share between the Harlan Community and Exira-EHK District. Wagner says it is a big benefit to both schools as EHK meets a certification and the Harlan Community School district saves about $35,000.

The final agreement approved was with the Atlantic School District for an ESL/Curriculum Director. The Harlan Community School District held a full time position last year for the ESL but this year the Primary-Elementary Principal Scott Frolich is stepping in for that role with the help from the Atlantic School District. Wagner said this is yet another cost savings as the Curriculum Director from Atlantic will cost a a little more than $11,870, which saves the district more than $15,890 altogether, over the last year.

With the agreements with the districts, the Harlan Community School District met state incentives from the state for additional money from the Operational Sharing Dollars. Wagner said that is an additional $240,000 because the district met the criteria in both scenarios.

The district will receive their operational sharing dollars at the beginning of next year. In other business, the Harlan Community Board hired Kent Klinkefus for head softball coach, Megan Tasler for assistant middle school cross country coach and Sam Brummer for head boy’s track coach. All three will start their position during their respective sport’s season.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)