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Textbooks, New Classes, Support for Superintendent
Tuesday Apr 20, 2010
Monroe County Schools
News Release
For immediate release - April 21, 2010
Monroe County’s Board of Education met 5:00 p.m. April 20, 2010, at the Board Office in Union. Following the approval of minutes from the April 1, 2010, special meeting, and the April 6, 2010, regular meeting, the Board heard from three individuals speaking as delegations.
Jeana Carr, Director of Head Start/Early Head Start gave an update on the program, and asked the Board to approve a supplemental grant. Rebecca Allen reviewed textbook adoption information, noted that the costs would be well within budget, and recommended that the Board adopt those texts recommended by the textbook committees. Paul Lovett, Director of Monroe County Technical Center, reviewed the class Globaloria and stated that the Tech Center might be one of the 18 schools to come online with the highly successful program that incorporates hands-on digital skills with computer gaming to learn core subjects. He stated that he would present the class for approval at the next meeting.
Seven individuals spoke regarding the superintendent’s contract or the process by which the Board was addressing the issue: Kathryn Wilcox, Tom Spencer, Sherry Allen, Howdie Hentritz, Lauren Yates, Judith Bair, and Susie Henritz. April Hobson appeared to see if there were any questions regarding her travel request.
During the Superintendent’s Report the Superintendent informed the Board of corrections that would need to be made in the near future following Board of Risk Management inspections. Big ticket items to be addressed included the replacement of the final fuel tank, as well as bleachers that needed to be replaced to meet guidelines. She also presented the Board with information regarding revenues from the excess levy of the past several years, stating that because Monroe County citizens paid taxes at a higher rate than the state average, revenue from the excess levy was often higher than budgeted. She noted that April 26 was the date the county would learn whether it was successful in garnering funds from the School Building Authority for a new Peterstown Middle. Finally, she presented information concerning personnel over the formula compared to enrollment figures. Since 2005, student enrollment has gone down a couple hundred students, according to the information, while the county employed more personnel in 2010 than in 2005. However, some personnel had to be employed based upon legal requirements over which the Board had no control. She presented Board members with a review of the personnel numbers over the past five years, as well as legal situations requiring additional personnel.
Under Policy Development the Board approved an amendment to Policy IGB Special Programs, noting that the county would follow WV State Board Policy 2419 with respect to special education programs.
Under Finance, after reviewing and then voting to pay bills, Finance Director Tim Berry reviewed the proposed budget for the 2010-11 school year. The budget was approved. Berry also answered questions about the Fiscal Year 2009 audit under Old Business.
Under New Business, the Board approved the Head Start supplemental grant, approved joining the WV School Boards Association for the 2010-11 school year; approved textbook adoptions for the upcoming school year; and approved two travel requests, the first from Milken Award Winner April Hobson, who requested professional leave for her trip to the National Milken Award Ceremony in Los Angeles, CA, in early May. The Board also approved a JMHS band trip to Dollywood, leaving on Friday after school and returning Saturday evening the second weekend in May.
Board members approved using 25% of Step 7 for Personnel; and approved Option 2, for the calendar for the upcoming school year as overwhelmingly supported by the staff voting on the calendar. This calendar provides a full week for students at Thanksgiving, the traditional winter break, and a full week for spring break. It allows for 8 possible make-up days due to inclement weather. Students will start school on August 24, two days earlier than before and the last day for students will be June 8.
Under Personnel, the Board approved the resignation of Chris Booth as Athletic Director at Peterstown Middle; approved Mandy Munsey as a volunteer at Peterstown Middle and corrected an error regarding probation rehires as identified in March. One name had been included in the list that was not eligible for rehire due to the contract being a one-year contract.
The meeting adjourned at 7:00 p.m. The next regular meeting will be May 4, 2010, 5:00 p.m. at the Board Office in Union. [Note: This meeting was later moved to May 6, 2010, 5:00 p.m. at the Board Office in Union.]
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