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HARTINGTON — The Hartington-Newcastle School Board accepted the resignations of four teachers Mon- day and moved quickly to begin filling those vacancies by hiring three new sta members.
Special Education Director Abby Dybdal, elementary guidance counselor Tanner Fischer, music teacher Mary Hahne and fifth-grade teacher Katrina Kathol all submitted letters of resignation.
Hahne told the board she plans to retire, while Fischer has accepted a guidance counselor position in Ponca. Kathol and Dybdal did not disclose their future plans.
Superintendent A.J. Johnson said Wynot High School graduate Charlie Schroeder has been hired to oversee the STEAM program in the elementary school. The position became available earlier this year when Amber Davies resigned to accept a teaching position near Omaha.
Schroeder is currently student teaching in Ponca and will graduate in May from the University of South Dakota.
Kati Hahne of Coleridge, who is currently teaching at Laurel-Concord-Coleridge, was hired to serve as the district’s elementary guidance counselor.
Vermillion, S.D., native Joseph Mazour was hired as a physical education teacher and is also expected to assist with coaching duties. Mazour has six years of teaching experience and is currently teaching at West Middle School in Rapid City, S.D.
Johnson said the district has also interviewed a candidate for another opening and reached an agreement, but a contract was not finalized in time for Monday's meeting.
The district is still searching for an elementary classroom teacher and a music teacher, Johnson said, adding that someone has already expressed interest in one of the openings.
Also Monday, High School Principal Corey Uldrich told the board that students will soon begin setting their class schedules for the 2026-27 school year.
“As always, my hope is to have this all done before the students walk out of the building in May,” he said.
Johnson also informed board members that the new school bus ordered last year has arrived and is already in service on daily routes.
Uldrich added that Hartington-Newcastle juniors will take the ACT test on April 15.
