Dickinson Public Schools names principal of Prairie Rose Elementary

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Though the walls just went up a few weeks ago, Prairie Rose Elementary has a principal.

Sherry Libis, Heart River Elementary principal, has been hired to lead the latest addition to Dickinson Public Schools.

“I think it’s an exciting adventure,” the 13-year principal said. “It’s really hard leaving Heart River because it’s a great school, great staff and great families here. I look forward to hoping to create that in another building.”

Superintendent Doug Sullivan and Assistant Superintendent Vince Reep asked the DPS School Board Budget Committee on Wednesday at a meeting at the Central Administration Office to add 20 days to Libis’ contract to give her ample time to administrate the opening of the school.

“You can’t just throw somebody in the building and expect it to run,” school board member Leslie Ross said.

Consequentially, there is a principal opening at Heart River Elementary.

“We are also going to start the process of advertising for a replacement for Heart River very soon once we get some work done on getting faculty transferred and seeing who’s going to transfer there,” Sullivan said.

DPS will also be adding a second English language learner position before the end of the school year.

“As of yesterday we have 45 English language learner students in the school district,” Sullivan said. “We know those numbers fluctuate occasionally, but they’re not going to fluctuate dramatically.”

Sullivan and Reep requested the authorization of the committee to hire the second teacher.

“We’ve actually advertised for it as an anticipated opening,” Reep said. “We have to provide help for those children.”

The school is receiving $6,800 from the state for ELL services, he said. The position would pay $30,000 and $35,000 for the remainder of the school year.

The committee also approved replacement of the 30-year-old radio system that is in the district’s bus fleet with a digital system in wake of a narrow-banding regulation taking effect Jan. 1.

“It doesn’t make sense to retrofit the old,” Ross said. “The life expectancy has come and gone on those.”

The system was quoted at less than $17,000, versus retrofitting the current system at $15,000.

“It’s a no-brainer,” Reep said.

The committee approved all requests.

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