Lex Schools delay start

The start of classes at Lexington Public Schools originally scheduled for today (Thursday) has been pushed back one week, superintendent Chad Hall said Monday.

The district contracted with a plumber to install refrigerated water in the schools and the needed supplies haven’t been available.

Those supplies were to ship Wednesday.

Hall said if the order is further delayed, classes will still start on August 20.

“We will bring in pallets of bottled water if we have to,” he said.

Though no students were on campus this week, the district continued with in-service for faculty and staff.

Additions to the faculty for 2020-21 include a half-dozen new teachers and a new principal at the middle school.

They are Ryan Booher, Alec Bryen, LaKeta Ille, Jesse Prince, Ricki Lea Moore, Jackie Smith and Steffany Ward.

Booher is the new middle school principal. He is a graduate of Big Pasture High School and Cameron University.

He previously taught at Big Pasture.

“My wife (Ali) accepted the bariatric director position at Norman Regional,” he said. “I had heard great things about Lexington over the years.”

The couple enjoy travel and playing golf. They have two black Labs which they spoil.

Bryen will teach seventh grade math, eighth grade algebra and also coach junior high boys basketball and baseball.

He is a graduate of Lexington High School and East Central University. He previously taught at Preston High School.

Bryen and his wife, Hayli, have a daughter, Graycee. He said he moved back to Lexington to be closer to family.

Ille will teach fifth grade. This will be a return to Lexington for the longtime educator.

A graduate of Asher High School, Ille holds a bachelor’s degree from Midwestern State University and a master’s from ECU

She previously taught second, fourth and fifth grades  during 10 years at Lexington, fifth and sixth grades over three years in Wichita Falls, Texas, and three years teaching fifth grade at Asher Elementary.

“Lexington holds a special place in my heart and I’m excited to be back with so many family and friends in this school community,” she said.

Ille and her husband, Cale, have two children – Chloe and Seth.

Prince will be the high school librarian. She previously taught at Dibble.

She has a son, Kai.

“I took a year off to stay home with my son,” she said. “I knew I wanted to get back into education and this seemed to be the perfect fit for my family.”

Moore will teach fifth grade. She previously taught music at Lexington Elementary School in 2003-04.

She is a graduate of Putnam City High School and Oklahoma Baptist University.

“I’ve been home for 16 years and this just felt like the right time to return to teaching,” she said

She and her husband, Doug, have five children – Xander, Carter, Charli, McClain and Baker.

Smith will teach band and music to all grades.

Lexington is the first teaching assignment for the graduate of Southmoore High School and ECU.

“I was ready to start my teaching career and Lexington seemed like a great fit,” he said.

Smith is married.

Ward will teach special education for ninth and tenth grades at the high school.

She is a graduate of Wynnewood High School, University of Central Oklahoma and ECU.

She previously taught kindergarten, transitional kindergarten and first grade at Purcell and third grade at Wayne.

“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to grow professionally by gaining experience in special education,” she said.

Ward and her husband, Alan, have four children – Landon, Ryder, Maddox and Molly.1