Thursday's Internet Edition, 04:46 PM, September 02, 2010.

“We’re out of last place now,” Superintendent Steve Goffreda told Roane Board of Education members at their meeting Thursday.

“We had more gains than losses, and some of the gains were pretty significant,” Goffreda said.

Board members Greg Boggs, Paul Cummings, Chris Mealey, Joe Painter and Tom Young reviewed data from the WESTEST administered in the spring that showed individual schools moved up when compared to others in the state, led by a 99 place jump in reading/language arts at Reedy Elementary (see chart).

There were almost as many declines as gains, but the loses were usually smaller. The largest of those was a drop of 29 places in math at Spencer Elementary.

“We had more gains than losses, but some of the gains were pretty significant,” Goffreda said. “Our county improved at a higher rate than the state did.”

He said the graduation rate at Roane County High School was one of the best in years.

“I’m encouraged we’ve made some gains,” Painter, the board president, said.

Board members also reviewed scores on the ACT college entrance exam. Roane students had a composite of 20.4 in 2010, just below the state average of 20.7. This was the closest the county has come to the state average in five years.

The data showed 13 percent of RCHS grads were prepared for college level courses in English, algebra, social science and biology, compared to 18 percent statewide.

In other business, board members resumed their discussion about the county’s maintenance needs.

After the maintenance staff was cut from three to two, the schools have struggled to keep up with replacement of HVAC system filters.

Goffreda has proposed offering a $5,000 extra-duty contract to the county’s HVAC technician, Gary King, to replace filters after hours. Including another $2,000 to purchase materials, the cost was still about half the lowest bid from outside contractors.

Mealey asked if the duties were part of the employee’s regular job description.

Goffreda said they were, but there was not enough time in the regular workday.

“Even when we had three maintenance people, we contracted with Charleston Filter to get it done,” the superintendent said.

Mealey suggested there could be a savings if the third position was restored, perhaps through replacing lights and toilets with energy efficient units.

“At some point, you’re losing money by not performing routine maintenance,” Mealey said. “It looks cheap to do it this way, but is it cheap five years down the road?”

As they did at the previous meetings, board members rejected the extra-duty contract proposal on a 2-3 vote, with only Boggs and Painter in support.

Facilities director Jerry Garner asked members how they wanted him to handle filter replacement.

“I still need filters replaced,” Garner said. “We’re going to have units go down if we don’t change them.”

Garner did not receive an answer.

On a question from parent Mark Kennell, Garner reported that the new gym and classrooms under construction at Geary Elementary/Middle School were on schedule. The expansion is set to open next school year.

Before adjourning until their next meeting, set for 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 9 at Geary, board members approved the following personnel items:

ν Resignations: Stephanie Eastman, LD/BD/MI/AU teacher and Stephanie Blosser, head volleyball coach, Walton Elementary/Middle; Jonathan Gaston, asst. softball coach, Roane County High; Elizabeth Tawney, after-school tutor, Geary; Marjorie Violet Paxton, custodian III, Spencer Elementary for retirement; substitute teachers Bryan Bush and Holly Cecil Bush and substitute secretary Patricia Bailey.

ν Leave of absence: Andrea Hays, teacher, Walton for maternity leave.

ν Transfer: Greg Hamric, LD/BD/MI/AU teacher, Walton.

ν Employments: John Workman, LD/BD/MI/AU teacher, Spencer Middle, pending certification; Jenna Partridge, speech assistant; substitute teachers Trish Barnhouse and Theresa Parker.

ν Extra-curricular assignments: beginning teacher mentors Rebecca Boggs at Geary, Greg Hamric at Walton and Deana Kendall at Spencer Middle; after-school tutor Sara Caldwell, Spencer Elementary and Jennifer Elliott, fall and spring JV cheerleading coach, RCHS.

ν Removed from Reduction in Force list and assigned: Joe Rector, PE/health teacher, Walton.

ν Contract: Donna Dunn, Reading First mentor for 10 days at Geary at a rate of $259/day.