Sunday's Internet Edition, September 07, 2008.
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W.Va. Division of Highways personnel clear up a rock slide last week on Cranes Nest Road. Several rock slides and fallen trees have kept road crews and fire departments busy as the ground is saturated with water following recent heavy rains. |
By DAVID HEDGES
Publisherr - The annual Reduction in Force and transfer lists approved by the Roane Board of Education Tuesday night went a little deeper than cuts in recent years.
Superintendent of Schools Steve Goffreda said the 11 teachers and 10 service workers placed on the RIF list, plus 11 more teachers and three service workers on the transfer list, were a reflection of the decline in enrollment. The county lost 50 students this year, which Goffreda said would mean a loss of about $200,000 in state funds.
The cuts will not take effect until the next school year. He said there could be more cuts before the April 1 deadline for notifying employees.
He said some of the cuts might be relieved if federal class-size reduction funds are not eliminated. Those funds would eliminate plans for a split first- and second-grade classroom at three schools: Geary Elementary/Middle, Spencer Elementary and Walton Elementary/Middle.
In addition, a Title I remedial teaching position at each of the same three schools was cut in anticipation of a loss in federal funds.
Others cuts were a fourth-grade teacher and a special education teacher at Geary, a kindergarten teacher at Spencer Elementary, a language arts teacher and a special education teacher at SMS and two positions at Roane County High School, one for a physical education/health teacher and another split between English and attendance director.
Service positions eliminated were an autism mentor at Geary, kindergarten aides at Spencer Elementary and Walton, pre-school aides at Reedy Elementary and Walton, special education aides at Walton and another split between Spencer Elementary and RCHS, a custodian split between SMS and RCHS, half of a secretary’s position at RCHS and also at SMS, and a county maintenance position.
Goffreda said some of the positions might be restored, depending on funding or enrollment changes.
• Teachers placed on the RIF list were: Pam McDonough, Amber Osborne, Michelle Keen, Amy Cole, Andrea Hays, Sondra Hall, Lora Matheney, Denise Holliday, Jana Smith, Gwendolyn Richards and Rachelle Ochoa.
• Service personnel placed on the RIF list were: Dixie Hall, Linda Keaton, Barbara Bowers, Theresa Casto, Sue Smith, Jo Ann Hunt, Sherrie Nichols, Tim McGlothlin, Debbie Wright and Janet Rucker.
• Teachers placed on the transfer list were: Darlene Norman, Kristi Drake, Lorra Tanner, Stacy Richards, Jeniffer McCulty, Michael Brohard, Stacy Engle, Laurie Hill, Lisa Alfred, Tammy Cook, Sati Boggs.
• Service personnel placed on the transfer list were: Tim Schoolcraft, Pam Ruediger and Roger Starcher.
The board also revisited two issues from earlier meetings.
The board agreed to pay Ron Bradley, SMS head boys basketball coach, half the salary for the assistant’s position. The other half will be given to the school to be used for the basketball program.
Goffreda said the same funding method is used in other counties when assistants cannot be found.
Bradley, who attended the meeting with several supporters, said he had not asked for any additional pay when no one applied to be his assistant coach.
“This was not my intention to get extra money,” Bradley said. “If you don’t think I deserve that money, don’t pay me.”
He said the discussion seemed to be more about him than his coaching.
“If you have an issue with me, say so,” he told board members.
Board member David McCutcheon said he was only concerned about the problems of having two teams and only one coach.
“It’s a safety issue, not a character issue,” McCutcheon said.
Bradley said he had witnessed the girls varsity and JV coach at RCHS both on the bench with the JV team while their varsity team was in the locker room alone.
He also pointed out that the board had hired a freshman girls basketball coach although there was not a freshmen girls team.
Bradley said if he were ejected from a game, the team would have to forfeit, just as other teams that have no assistant coach must do.
Bradley said he came to the meeting with resignation letters for all his coaching positions. He is also head football coach at SMS and assistant baseball coach at RCHS. He did not resign.
Parents in attendance praised Bradley’s efforts and board president Randy Whited added, “I’ve never heard a negative comment.”
The board also discussed the old Newton school property.
Mike Collins, who lives next to the property, said he opposed any use of the property as a park. “I would never get any sleep,” he said.
He said he did not oppose it being used for school purposes.
He also offered to buy the property from the board for $50,000.
Another adjoining landowner, Mary Hudson, renewed her request to use the property for a horse ring. She also said she did not want to see a park there.
Joe Ross, president of the Three Forks Community Action Association, said the group had no plans to move its community building there. He said the group might help with a walking trail or basketball court on the property.
Whited said the immediate plans were to allow Philip Linger, a Newton resident and heavy equipment operator, to tear down what was left of the school and clean up the property. He said the various groups should work together to fund a suitable use for the property.
Goffreda said anyone who wants to use the property would have to submit a written request such as those used for other school property and buildings.
In other business, David Kinison, assistant superintendent of finance and administration, said the board was allowed to hold on to $88,000 in state funds a little longer. At the last meeting he said he had already returned the money, but he told board members Tuesday that state officials said the county could keep the money until the end of the fiscal year on June 30, when it would have to be returned. The loss in funds was linked to the drop in enrollment.
Before adjourning until their next meeting, set for 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 17 at RCHS, the board also approved the following:
• Resignations: SMS social studies teacher Meryleen Walsh, RCHS and transportation department secretary Janna Nichols and bus operator James Michael Looney, all for retirement at the end of the school year; Kimberly Wilson, substitute teacher and substitute secretary; Doris Drake, asst. track coach at Geary and Jessica Welsh, webmaster, Reedy Elementary.
• Transfer: Russell Williams, bus operator from bus #66 to bus operator for bus # 23 and special education aide.
• Employments: Amanda Starcher, substitute teacher and Paul Vannoy, substitute mechanic. Under contracted services, Antonia Hall was approved as a substitute sign interpreter.
• Extra-curricular assignments: beginning teacher mentors Sandra Cooper at Spencer Elementary, Donna Dunn at Geary and Esther Morrison at SMS.
• An agreement with Westbrook Health Services for student services to combat substance abuse and bullying problems. The program is being paid for by a grant obtained by Westbrook.
