School Board Meets
April 18 2023
School Board meetings are getting more interesting. On April
18th the full Board met for a regular meeting of the group.
Every seat in the room was taken as well as overflow in the
hall and more in the backroom.
In 2023, we've seen two contingencies form. The three new Boardsters are holding tight as a voting block while long time member Dave Pierson and Susan Bodkins are voting as a block, maybe a resistance block. You will see that rift several times during this gathering.
CCHS band has been raising $$$ to take a trip to Disney World. While they have raised lots of loot, it ain't enough. The needed $4500 more by this Friday. With the need not on the agenda (an action item as they call it), the Board could not vote on the request. With Dave Pierson pushing for some kind of work around on the voting issue, you could see the frowny lines forming on Superintendent Joan Haynie's forehead.
Here's the deal. Haynie knows there ain't no extra slush funds (Excess Levy for instance) laying around as has been the case in the past. She's also making it well known to her Board, teachers will be laid off as well as school service personnel including bus drivers this year. Her notion (plan) is to keep the great ship of edumacation operating in the black as required by law.
As a side note, we've not heard a peep on cutbacks in the Pentagon. While we think the way to save real money is to board up Clay Middle School and distribute the brats between the grade and high schools, there's some extra fat that can be rendered away with belt tightening in the administration, Pentagon.
Back to the meeting. A work around was found for that $4500. Not a vote, but it sounded like a consensus was formed to cover the $4500 and then vote the measure during an upcoming meeting. Dave Pierson was leading the charge for the hand out.
Superintendent Haynie
In 2023, we've seen two contingencies form. The three new Boardsters are holding tight as a voting block while long time member Dave Pierson and Susan Bodkins are voting as a block, maybe a resistance block. You will see that rift several times during this gathering.
CCHS band has been raising $$$ to take a trip to Disney World. While they have raised lots of loot, it ain't enough. The needed $4500 more by this Friday. With the need not on the agenda (an action item as they call it), the Board could not vote on the request. With Dave Pierson pushing for some kind of work around on the voting issue, you could see the frowny lines forming on Superintendent Joan Haynie's forehead.
Here's the deal. Haynie knows there ain't no extra slush funds (Excess Levy for instance) laying around as has been the case in the past. She's also making it well known to her Board, teachers will be laid off as well as school service personnel including bus drivers this year. Her notion (plan) is to keep the great ship of edumacation operating in the black as required by law.
As a side note, we've not heard a peep on cutbacks in the Pentagon. While we think the way to save real money is to board up Clay Middle School and distribute the brats between the grade and high schools, there's some extra fat that can be rendered away with belt tightening in the administration, Pentagon.
Back to the meeting. A work around was found for that $4500. Not a vote, but it sounded like a consensus was formed to cover the $4500 and then vote the measure during an upcoming meeting. Dave Pierson was leading the charge for the hand out.
Superintendent Haynie
Brittany
Ramsey (above) updated the Board on life at Lizemore
Elementary school. Her power point provided, life is good,
everything is improving and student attendance is the best
rate in the county.
Tasha McDonough
For
decades, it was an automatic thang, as soon as anything
important was to be decided, the Sch Bd would go behind closed
doors. Poof! They disappeared without a second thought and
worked out the dirty laundry / deal making away from taxpayers
and then reemerge smiling. When asked, the response: NO we
didn't make any decisions,We just talked about the weather for
three hours... Decision? Noooooo not us!.
With voters bringing in a new Bd majority last June, things have changed. Under the direction of new Board Chair Phoebe Nichols, there has been a new attempt at operating the meetings lawfully. Get this. On employee matters, there is never a time when they MUST be discussed in secret. One of Nichols changes has been to ask the affected, do you want to do this in public? For the most part, now, when given the chance to stay in open session , the employee decides to keep things open to the taxpayers.
For this meeting, Tasha McDonough was on the chopping block. The aide read from her written paper, it was quite lengthy. One of the big items was, according to McDonald, she had not been given clear reasons for the axe-manship after her years of doing good stuff for the students.
Here comes the velvet meat clever readers.
Superintendent Haynie was very complementary of McDonald blah blah blah but: lay offs are based on the seniority list and the school system can NOT operate in the red. Haynie does an earnest job during each tossing. She has a tough position to be in. She is the one that pulls the lever and removes employees. She did leave a slight crack open. Haynie said if the $$$ returns, people would, could, might, in a long shot, might be rehired.
With voters bringing in a new Bd majority last June, things have changed. Under the direction of new Board Chair Phoebe Nichols, there has been a new attempt at operating the meetings lawfully. Get this. On employee matters, there is never a time when they MUST be discussed in secret. One of Nichols changes has been to ask the affected, do you want to do this in public? For the most part, now, when given the chance to stay in open session , the employee decides to keep things open to the taxpayers.
For this meeting, Tasha McDonough was on the chopping block. The aide read from her written paper, it was quite lengthy. One of the big items was, according to McDonald, she had not been given clear reasons for the axe-manship after her years of doing good stuff for the students.
Here comes the velvet meat clever readers.
Superintendent Haynie was very complementary of McDonald blah blah blah but: lay offs are based on the seniority list and the school system can NOT operate in the red. Haynie does an earnest job during each tossing. She has a tough position to be in. She is the one that pulls the lever and removes employees. She did leave a slight crack open. Haynie said if the $$$ returns, people would, could, might, in a long shot, might be rehired.
That smooth round thang in the foreground, no that's not a mushroom, that's Barry Peyton's head
Middle
School Principal Leslie Goes (above, standing) gave a pep talk
to the Board about keeping kids first and maintaining
personnel on the job.
At the beginning of this article, we mention the two contingencies at odds. Here's a couple examples.
During the early April meeting, up for decision was hiring an athletic director for the Middle School. We could see that rift when Pierson wanted a vote without discussions in secret. He didn't get his way. No vote was taken last time around.
For this meeting, instead of hiring Jessica Ramsey for the job, her name was gone and Sean Krejeski's name was on the agenda. In anybody's mind, Krajeskie was hands down the most qualified and experienced for the $4000+ a year slot. For this split decision, the three newbee's supported Sean with Susan Bodkins a solid No and Dave Pierson abstaining from the vote.
For those that don't know, "abstaining" amounts to a yes vote but just treated differently. In the background, something was going on. Maybe some jockeying for position on future votes comes to mind first. Family and friend connections pops up next.
The Board rift continued...
Item 13 was the termination of that McDonough and a Becky Barss due to a more senior person taking the slot. Two nay votes from Bodkins and Pierson were heard. Item 13 passed
Item 14 was firing (terminating) Andrea Hamrick and Amanda Jackson due to lack of $$$. Again Bodkins and Pierson were against the decision it passed anyway.
Shedding some light... At some point, Dave Pierson told his compardres, he wanted to wait on the getting rid of personnel until after the new budget is more solid, voted on. That makes sense but, there is a state law mandate on when such actions shall be completed. Even if there wasn't some kind of law on the books, if you're getting the axe, wouldn't you want notice as soon as possible?
The Board voted in the new year school calendar and updated a policy on how, how long, and when the public can make presentations during a public meeting.
What didn't pass was a new policy on school employees transporting kids to school events. That vote will come after wrinkles are ironed out with a first reading next time. On that transportation policy, we did not see any mention of requiring the yard apes to wear seat belts at all times.
With fewer students and during belt tightening, new slimmer bus routes are coming folks.
And as for hiring a new Superintendent, around 7:40 pm, secret time came for discussion on that new hire. Chair Nichols told all, there would be no decision made after secret time.
We skedaddled. Two last notes....
We think the decision on hiring the Super is a heated one. With the two camps cutting back unanimous votes for the most part, how about some speculation. Haynie is the interim Superintendent and has said she would like to be around for a year to get the county back on solid footing. After last Nov's tossing of the old Super followed by a State investigation revealed tons of shortcomings, getting back on solid ground is mandatory unless you want the State folks to screw everything up and take over the local school system. That last part, it's still possible!
Secondly, we understand people wanting to keep their jobs. But, it ain't going to happen. Money is an issue but the slide in student population is even a bigger issue.
If you look at the middle school and grade school numbers, fewer students are coming thru the system.And, that number for the High School to deal with, certainly provides, fewer teachers will be needed not this coming year but the year after. The cutbacks are coming for next several years.
At the beginning of this article, we mention the two contingencies at odds. Here's a couple examples.
During the early April meeting, up for decision was hiring an athletic director for the Middle School. We could see that rift when Pierson wanted a vote without discussions in secret. He didn't get his way. No vote was taken last time around.
For this meeting, instead of hiring Jessica Ramsey for the job, her name was gone and Sean Krejeski's name was on the agenda. In anybody's mind, Krajeskie was hands down the most qualified and experienced for the $4000+ a year slot. For this split decision, the three newbee's supported Sean with Susan Bodkins a solid No and Dave Pierson abstaining from the vote.
For those that don't know, "abstaining" amounts to a yes vote but just treated differently. In the background, something was going on. Maybe some jockeying for position on future votes comes to mind first. Family and friend connections pops up next.
The Board rift continued...
Item 13 was the termination of that McDonough and a Becky Barss due to a more senior person taking the slot. Two nay votes from Bodkins and Pierson were heard. Item 13 passed
Item 14 was firing (terminating) Andrea Hamrick and Amanda Jackson due to lack of $$$. Again Bodkins and Pierson were against the decision it passed anyway.
Shedding some light... At some point, Dave Pierson told his compardres, he wanted to wait on the getting rid of personnel until after the new budget is more solid, voted on. That makes sense but, there is a state law mandate on when such actions shall be completed. Even if there wasn't some kind of law on the books, if you're getting the axe, wouldn't you want notice as soon as possible?
The Board voted in the new year school calendar and updated a policy on how, how long, and when the public can make presentations during a public meeting.
What didn't pass was a new policy on school employees transporting kids to school events. That vote will come after wrinkles are ironed out with a first reading next time. On that transportation policy, we did not see any mention of requiring the yard apes to wear seat belts at all times.
With fewer students and during belt tightening, new slimmer bus routes are coming folks.
And as for hiring a new Superintendent, around 7:40 pm, secret time came for discussion on that new hire. Chair Nichols told all, there would be no decision made after secret time.
We skedaddled. Two last notes....
We think the decision on hiring the Super is a heated one. With the two camps cutting back unanimous votes for the most part, how about some speculation. Haynie is the interim Superintendent and has said she would like to be around for a year to get the county back on solid footing. After last Nov's tossing of the old Super followed by a State investigation revealed tons of shortcomings, getting back on solid ground is mandatory unless you want the State folks to screw everything up and take over the local school system. That last part, it's still possible!
Secondly, we understand people wanting to keep their jobs. But, it ain't going to happen. Money is an issue but the slide in student population is even a bigger issue.
If you look at the middle school and grade school numbers, fewer students are coming thru the system.And, that number for the High School to deal with, certainly provides, fewer teachers will be needed not this coming year but the year after. The cutbacks are coming for next several years.
If you want
teachers to keep their jobs... if you want community
schools to remain open, it's time to hope in bed and start
producing new snot lickers. Turn off the TV and do
something constructive!
aw