Italy ISD School Board approves two new hires during special session
Randy Parks, was hired on Friday to be a science teacher at Italy High School and is the new Lady Gladiators head basketball coach. Vanessa Tanguma, was also hired as Italy’s new FCCLA teacher. (Barry Byers)
On Friday, the Italy ISD Board of Trustees called a special session to consider the hiring of two new school employees at 2:00 p.m. inside the school’s administration offices. Board Members in attendance were: Larry Eubank, Cheryl Owens, Mark Stiles, Jon Mathers, Curtis Riddle, Marty Haight and school superintendent Barry Bassett. Also, the school’s recently hired junior high/high school principal, Lee Joffre, was on hand for the announcements.
After a quick meet and greet by board members, Eubank, called the meeting to order and declared a quorum was present. An executive session was then called and the superintendent’s office was cleared leaving board members to deliberate in private.
Upon reopening the special session, superintendent Bassett, asked for an approval from the board regarding the hiring of, Vanessa Tanguma (not present), to become the new FCCLA teacher. Stiles, made the motion to hire, Tanguma. Haight, seconded the motion. Tanguma, was hired unanimously.
Superintendent Bassett, then asked the board to vote on the hiring of, Randy Parks, who was in attendance with his wife, Cherry. Parks, is a certified science teacher and would also be appointed as the new Lady Gladiators head basketball coach if hired. Parks, has been the girls head basketball coach at Dublin High School for the past 9 years and led the Lady Lions to three straight 2A playoff appearances in 2006, 2007 and 2008. The Lady Lions won the District Championship in 2008 and Parks was named Coach Of The Year in 2008, as well.
With the Parks’ awaiting the final decision from the board, as they sat just a few feet away, a motion was made by, Mathers, to hire, Parks, both as a science teacher and as Italy High School’s head girls basketball coach. Stiles, seconded the motion. The motion then carried unanimously as the tension in the superintendent’s office subsided.
Riddle, moved to postpone, indefinitely, the other teacher/coach slot being considered under new business.
Mathers, then motioned to adjourn the special session meeting. Haight, seconded the motion.
Eubank, announced the next regular school board meeting would be on Monday, July 18.
Congratulations to IHS’s new FCCLA teacher, Vanessa Tanguma, and to, Randy Parks, who will be an IHS science teacher and head coach of the 2011-2012 Lady Gladiators basketball program.