Jones hired as new high school principal

Ben Jones was officially hired as the new Perkins County High School principal with the unanimous approval from the board on April 2. 

A first-year principal, Jones is currently the athletic director and business teacher at Blue Hill Community Schools. Prior to that he held the same position at Stapleton Public Schools.

Jones said he’s looking forward to becoming a Plainsman. 

 “I am excited for the opportunity to join a great school and become a part of the communities that make up Perkins County,” he said. 

Four candidates were interviewed on Wednesday, March 27. 

Four groups consisting of parents, students, board members, teachers and classified staff were involved in the interview process. 

One group consisted of students, one teacher and one board member. Another was made up of teachers and classified staff. The largest group consisted of parents, two board members, Elementary Principal Nicole Long, classified staff and teachers and the final group was  Superintendent Phillip Picquet and Activities Director Jeremy Struckman. 

Four students took each candidate to their specified interview location, and community members volunteered to provide candidates a tour around town. 

Picquet said he felt it was important to have the community and kids involved, and the process ran very smoothly. 

FCS eliminated

At the March 18 board meeting, the board discussed the low enrollment numbers in the family and consumer science program. At the special meeting on April 2, Picquet said after analyzing the numbers, it was really hard for him to justify continuing the program. 

Picquet said he did not make the decision lightly, but as his due diligence and a steward of the public dollars, he recommended to the board to discontinue the program. 

The board voted unanimously to end the program, as well as FCCLA. Picquet said the administration will now look at how they can take some of those curricular areas covered in FCS and integrate them into other classes.