The Guthrie Center School Board approved hiring their new high school principal Monday.

Activities Director Ethan Lensch was hired for the position to begin on August 1st, succeeding Garold Thomas who returned from retirement to fill the position in the interim after the previous principal resigned last year. The Board also approved a fiscal year 2020 budget amendment with increases from $4.9 million to $5.12 million for advanced purchase of new student one-to-one laptops, an increase from $315,500 to $340,000 in non-instructional programs for a nutrition equipment purchase, and from $879,394 to about $1.22 million in total other expenditures for the start of the fitness center/weight room construction project.

The Board also approved the salaries for certified staff and classified and administrative staff, an insurance renewal through State Street Insurance in Guthrie Center, and approved the list of high school graduates, of which there are 60 that have met graduation requirements and two that are still seeking to meet those requirements.