The Hiawatha School Board Monday evening filled another open teaching position and accepted the resignation of a longtime coach.
Following a closed door session, the board accepted the resignation of Hiawatha High School head boys basketball coach Gordon Gunderson.  Gunderson is stepping down after serving 19 years as head coach.
The board voted to hire Charles “ Chuck” Albin from Kansas City as the new high school chemistry and physics teacher. Superintendent John Severin said Albin took early retirement with the Kearney, Missouri school system and has been looking for a job in Kansas.  He will replace Joe Kern, who is resigning to take a job at Emporia State.
The board also gave Severin permission to fill several other open  teaching positions after interviews are completed.  They include an elementary art teacher, high school art teacher, high school vocational agricultural teacher and six elementary teaching positions.
In other business, Severin reviewed a revised three-year facilities improvement plan for the summers of 2012-2014.
An estimated nearly $236,000 worth of projects are planned this summer at the elementary school, high school and annex.  
The board gave Severin  permission to solicit bids for the projects. The board is to approved the revised plan at their April meeting.
And the board approved a three-week summer school program and summer driver’s education program, both to be conducted this June.
The district will again use the Atchison Driving School to conduct the driver’s education program at a cost of $350 a student.
The summer school program will be held June 11th through June 29th for students who need a little extra help.  Severin said last year’s program was very successful.