School Board Hires Several
Members of the Jasper County Board of Education voted to approve several new hires for the next school year, at their first board meeting since the end of school last Tuesday.
The board voted for the following new hires for the 2015-2016 school year:
For Jasper County High School (JCHS); Timothy Brown, PEC teacher; Kathleen Hatchett, Spanish teacher; Dr. Patricia Stafford, English teacher; and Pam Harris, registrar clerk (part-time).
For Jasper County Middle School (JCMS); Keldrick Davis, paraprofessional. At Washington Park Elementary School (WPES); Allison Booth, fourth grade teacher; and new hire for Jasper County Primary School (JCPS), Lauren Deck, Pre-K teacher.
Some of the approved positions that will support more than one school included new hires, Logan Gerlach, technology support; Jessica Sanders, bullying counselor, JCMS and JCHS; and Jeanie Cape, psychologist, JCPS and WPES. Ms. Cape’s position was one of those funded with the Board of Education’s $1.1 million Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Grant. This was the first of the money to be used.
Amanda Behling was transferred from media center paraprofessional at JCPS to media specialist at JCMS.
Resignations approved at the board meeting included Kelly Anderson, counselor; Lisa Cronan and Marvin White, bus drivers, Suzanne Zech, PEC inclusion paraprofessional; and Alison Hughes, PEC teacher.
Tuesday night the board voted to approve All South Roofing, who had the low bid of $326,250 to repair the roof at the primary school. Superintendent, Dr. Mike Newton said that this was the low bid and was gone over carefully. He stated that there was a 20 year warranty and that the company was local.
As for the FY16 budget for the board of education there are hearing dates listed as June 16 at 6:30 p.m. and June 19 at 3:30 p.m. in the board meeting room. The final levy and budget will be passed during the regular business meeting on July 14 at 7 p.m. The proposed budget has an additional three school days and has added staff positions.
Dr. Newton noted that there would not be a change in the rollback rate as of next budget year as he was “fearful of change in the FY17 budgeting process on the equalization end of funding.”
The state has discussed reworking the formula that currently allots monies to districts and previously Jasper County has been hurt financially by a loss of funds.
Dr. Newton said that he is still erring on the side of caution and “it is unfortunate that local taxpayers have had to pick up the pieces when the money is not there.”
The board also voted to approve the HeadStart grant that is done annually. They also approved policy JB on attendance that is less prescriptive and is more in line with current state laws.
