Three Stony Creek and one Round Prairie school teachers have resigned.

The Williston New Public School District 8 board heard on Tuesday that Leann Hovde, sixth-grade teacher at Stony Creek; Lori Olney, fourth-grade teacher, Stony Creek; Kimberly Roth, second-grade teacher at Round Prairie; and Melissa Oyloe, third-grade teacher at Stony Creek, all tendered their resignations.

The board had two letters and a copy of an e-mail in their packets. Superintendent Greg McNary said he didn't receive an official letter from Olney, but she informed Principal Keith Jacobson she had signed a contract to teach in Beach.

In her letter, Oyloe states she plans to teach third grade in New Salem.

Hovde said in an e-mail she plans to sub during the fall and spring, and travel in the winter; and Roth doesn't say in her letter what she plans to do in the future. The board tabled Olney's and Hovde's resignations because they have yet to formally submit them in writing. In her e-mail to McNary, Hovde said she would like to set up a meeting with him and hand in her formal resignation.

The board's Curriculum Committee met Thursday and heard from McNary that Sarah Boston, who taught fifth and sixth grade at Round Prairie, would like to be the second-grade teacher at Round Prairie, filling the vacancy left by Roth. After some discussion, the committee decided it would like to hire someone to teach third and fourth grade combined at Round Prairie, a fourth-grade teacher at Stony Creek and a sixth-grade teacher at Stony Creek.

Also, McNary brought up the possibility of combining the fourth- and fifth-grade classes at Stony Creek, but Tara Christoffersen, who is the fifth-grade teacher at that school, said she didn't think it was a good idea to combine the two because it would be hard to schedule activities some children needed such as speech therapy and Title I programs.

"Am I capable, yes; I'll make it through the year, but I won't do the kids justice," she said.

Thus far, 10 fourth-graders and 12-fifth-graders have been registered for Stony Creek School, McNary said. The committee agreed with Christoffersen's recommendation not to combine the classes.

So far, about nine people have applied about the open teaching positions, McNary said.

"We've got some outstanding applications," he said.

Actions taken by the committee will go to the Budget Committee next week and then to the full board at its Aug. 10 meeting.