July 17, 2008

Smallwood named as Stanton interim principal

By David J. Griffin, Times Reporter

Newly hired Superintendent Evelyn Neely was promptly given a task for immediate attention at a special meeting of the Stanton Elementary School Based Decision Making Council. Because the school year is just around the corner, Neely was asked to recommend someone to serve as interim principal.
The position needs to be filled in order to assist with beginning-of- the-year duties until a permanent principal can be hired. Neely recommended Ernie Smallwood to serve in this capacity, and the council approved the recommendation.
Smallwood said, “I will be doing whatever they need until a principal is hired.” He presently serves as the Transportation Director for Powell County schools, a position that he will retain.
The council will be reviewing applications for principal until a decision is finalized. The reviewing process is conducted behind closed doors. The council hopes to permanently fill the position by the first of August.

Board approves, school lunch prices to rise
By James Cook, Times Editor

The Powell County School Board met Monday night for the first time under the direction of newly hired superintendent, Evelyn Neely. Her first meeting had a little of everything, as the school district prepares for the new school year.
With the rise in the cost of fuel and food, transportation and food costs became an important topic for the board. Powell County Schools Food Service Director Laura Young told the board that an increase in breakfast and lunch prices would be necessary for the 2008-2009 school year if the systems free and reduced meal levels did not reach 80 percent. “Right now we are at 65 percent, so we would need about 80 more kids per school,” Young told the board. “We believe there are some out there who would qualify and we just need to get them to fill out the forms. So we will be at every back to school night to meet with parents and try to get those forms right then.”
If the reduced or free meal levels were to reach 80 percent then every child in the school system would be able to eat lunch for free, according to Young. “If everyone fills out the forms, some may not qualify, but if we get the 80 percent then you’ve helped another child get to eat free,” Superintendent Neely told the board.
The school system had an average cost of $110,000 for food last year. But they also ended the year with $6,000 in lunch charges. The Powell County School System has the fifth lowest breakfast and lunch prices out of 51 surrounding districts.
Young asked the board to raise the prices. Breakfast would go from 65 cents to 75 cents, while lunch prices would rise from $1.25 to $1.30.
Board chairwoman Alfreda Feltner asked if cutting the choices that are offered would help. But Young was not sure and would look into it. “I would really hate to cut those choices, the kid’s love it and we have a good thing going,” Young said. “But I don’t want to come in here later and have to ask for a larger raise in the prices.”
Board member Gary Thompson made a motion to approval the price increase now instead of hoping things would get better soon. Fellow member Mendel Tipton seconded the motion, while the remaining members hesitated. After about two minutes Thompson stated, “I have a motion on the floor, it has been seconded are we going to vote on it?” The members voted, slowly, 5-0 to increase the prices.
As for transportation, the district’s director Ernie Smallwood, told the board that fuel costs were also taking a toll on the school system. “Diesel has risen from $1.30 to $3.85 per gallon for us and they can not tell us how much a load will be until they get here, so the situation is fluid,” Smallwood said. “We currently charge 93 cents per mile for reimbursement for trips. But I am requesting that we raise that to $1 for competitive trips like academic teams or sports teams and $2 for non-competitive trips like field trips.”
Smallwood said that the newer buses only get about six or seven miles per gallon, while the older buses get about five miles per gallon. The board approved the request.
In other business, the board approved a renewal of the contract for the school resource officer for the 2008-2009 school year. They also approved a recommendation to review the student handbooks and a second reading of the policies for the new school year. The board also approved the contracts for Homebound instructors Ethel Allen, Myra Goodwin, Rose Hall, Lois Spencer and Roy Turner. Former teacher John Combs was also approved a contract as Dropout Prevention Coordinator. Combs will work three and a half hours per day for 185 hours at a rate of $20 per hour.
The board also approved the renewal of contracts of the Adult Education instructors Brenda Burton, Fern Brewer and Sandra Farmer Hall. The board also approved a non-resident contract with Clark County and a contract with Allen/Clark Speech language Rehabilitative Services for the upcoming year.
The board also approved hiring Doris Mullins to fill the remainder of the secretary position for the board. Also Susan Watson discussed the Adult Education Program and their most successful year in her 10 years with the program. According to Watson, 82 people received their GED this past year and six have gone on to college. Athletic Director Monroe Jones advised the board of the monies that the sports programs receive and some of their costs. He also put forth a wish list that included looking at getting the coaches a pay raise. “The coaches’ salaries have not changed in 20 years and we have good coaches,” Jones said. “I’m not sure how long we can keep them if we don’t address this issue.”
The school board will conduct their annual school walk-through of the district’s buildings on July 30, beginning at 5 p.m. “I am actively making sure that the schools are ready for the adults on August 4 and the kids on August 11,” Neeley said. “It is looking like we will be ready for the new year.”
The board ended their meeting with a closed session meeting dealing with a personnel issue. “It deals with a hiring and firing issue,” board attorney Donna Hale said after the meeting. The board came out of the meeting announcing that Hale would conduct an investigation into the matter.