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WashCo schools get good report from state Washington County's teachers report for In-service Aug. 9th and the Board of Education had a marathon agenda with 32 items of hirings, resignations, finances when they met Aug. 8. Superintendent of Schools Tim Savage passed to members the School Report Card from the State Department of Education. "All schools in the Washington County system made AYP (average yearly progress)," Savage announced. "However, there are two schools on oneyear delay who will have to clear AYP next year due to drop out rate." Two of the county schools, McIntosh Elementary and Fruitdale High School have been plagued with resignations for the past year. This caused several minutes of intense discussion as board members expressed concern about this matter. Discussion began when Savage recommended the transfer of a teacher from McIntosh Elementary to Leroy High School. Nollie Dees, member District 4, said that he wanted the board to work together for the betterment of the children and felt that a transfer this late in the year was disruptive for students at the two schools. He stated, "We have a bunch of teachers running, it seems; and I'm sure some of them have good reasons for wanting to move, but our schools need stability." He indicated that he had received many calls about this particular transfer and members Kesler Weaver and Vera Dean indicated this as well. Clatis Becton, board member from the Millry area, said: "People generally do better when they're happy. We have lot of homegrown teachers and many of them are attempting to get back home to teach." Dean, McIntosh board member, said it appears that McIntosh "has become a proving ground." She added that she had heard many teachers say, "'I've spent my time in McIntosh.' Well, if McIntosh is to be a proving ground, give us a demonstration school and we will train teachers for the system and send them out." Sharon Beech, board president, stated that she has seen the plans in the works to keep key teachers in the schools. "I am happy to see that in the works, Mr. Savage." Weaver, board member for McIntosh Elementary and Leroy High School, expressed the desire that the school board get "into the nepotism laws." "When there is too much family in one school, it creates conflict, animosity and resentment among the faculty. My relatives can work over there with me, but I cannot supervise them," he said. Weaver is a Washington County sheriff's deputy. Second budget hearing conducted Larry Moss, school accountant, conducted the second budget hearing. Since the first hearing the system has received notice of three additional funding sources: Title II part D, Twenty-first Century, and Drug Education. He said there are still four more sources to hear from. Cynthia Older, Uniserve director, questioned whether Washington County's salary schedule had been voted on. Moss said that it was included in next year's budget and had thus been voted on. Older questioned if the salary schedule had been voted on separately. Moss said that it had been voted on as a part of the budget. At one point, Older said, "So bus drivers who have worked for 20 years make the same salary as one who has worked for one year?" She added, "That is a real shame." After the meeting adjourned Older said the point she was making was that three categories of school workers are not on a step-schedule for raises: teachers aides, bus drivers and custodians. She said, "Look at the salary schedule. Central office personnel, both professional and non-professional; executive secretaries and clerks, school secretaries and childnutrition personnel all get threestep raises; their salary is raised every three years. But not these three groups." Hires Special Ed. Aide system wide Christy Snow Library Aide Millry Karen Baxter Reading Teacher LeroyCasi Roe Business Teacher Leroy Teresa Sterne CNP Worker Leroy Penny Gaston Elementary Teacher Leroy Cathy Sturdivant Elementary Teacher WCHS Renee' Thornton English/Foreign Language McIntoshEglasia Barnes Social Studies Teacher FruitdaleJames M. Chatham Bus Driver Fruitdale Leland James Elementary Teacher McIntosh Elem.Amber Williams Elementary Teacher McIntosh Elem. Edwana Newton Resignations and retirements Robert Murphy Fruitdale Richard Baswell Fruitdale Jana Elmore Leroy Greg Craegar Leroy Laura Phillips McIntosh High School retirement Family Medical Leave Shannon Odom Fruitdale Leave of Absence Reyna Brown (CNP) Fruitdale Leave of Absence-Jennifer Thompson-McIntosh Elem. In other business: *Bumpers Oil had the low bid and received both the gasoline and diesel contracts for the 0607 school year. *Dr. Barbara Waite reported that the New Teacher Mentor Training went very well and that teacher-mentors are in place for all new teachers in all schools except three. *In order to attract and hold highly qualified teachers, Dr. Waite reported that the State Department of Education is advocating the system revise its hiring practices to include financial incentives.
The Board is scheduled to meet again Aug. 24.
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