Todd Morgan is returning to the Mineola ISD school board.

The board named Morgan last week to fill the unexpired term of the late John Abbott until the next election.

Morgan was appointed to fill an unexpired term last year after Jay McGough resigned so his wife could be considered for a position with the district.

McGough then ran for and won the remaining year of the term in May.

Abbott’s term is for a full three years, so Morgan will serve until the election in May 2024, when the position will be on the ballot for the remaining two years.

McGough’s position will be on the ballot for a full three-year term, as will the position held by Robbie Ballard, who is serving his first term.

Eight persons applied for the board seat.

The district has also announced that the first round of Teacher Incentive Allotments has resulted in $203,505 being paid out to 23 teachers, ranging from $4,866 to $18,352, based on one of three possible designations.

Those amounts will be paid annually for five years and are funded by the state.

Superintendent Cody Mize said this program rewards high-performing teachers for excellence in the classroom based on student growth and principal evaluations.

He pointed to the additional work put in by Assistant Superintendent David Sauer and campus principals to address this complex program.

The board took action to hire the following new employees:

Ashley Scott, elementary teacher

Taymont Lindsey, high school teacher/coach

Jacoby Harle, high school teacher/coach

Trey Neighbors, high school teacher/coach 

Paula Tapley, Wood County Co-Op - educational diagnostician

The following resignations were received:

Maddie Wood - elementary teacher

Kerry Bullard - Wood County Co-Op educational diagnostician.