Randy Garrison

Hartselle Enquirer

The Hartselle Board of Education met for a regular meeting on May 24, 2016. After approving the minutes and establishing a quorum, Superintendent, Dr. Vic Wilson recognized the third grade Tennessee Valley Basketball Association State Champions. The team is made up of third graders from all three elementary schools. The team had a 22-1 record and is coached by Jeanice Slater.

During May’s board meeting, Hartselle City Schools Chief Financial Officer, Jonathan Craft gave another positive report to the board of education. After seven months of the current year, ending April 30, the system is at 61.84% of its budgeted revenue and 59.57% of budgeted expenses. That is $588,027 in revenue over expenses for the year. The system’s general fund is standing at 3.69 months of operating expenses.

The system is spending $20,350 per month less in the 2015-2016 school year than in the 2014-2015 school year. That also amounts to $678 per day.

He also mentioned that utility costs continue to trend down, but local tax revenue is also trending down a little each month.

In his superintendent’s report, Wilson said parents want more education and a new app will give them more of this each day.

He also reported there were 0 deficiencies in the report on the transportation system. He commended Coach William Booth and Tim Baker for the results of this report. He reported the system is also vetting software companies to help with reporting of the number of students being transported. The system is looking to absorb the five routes that had drivers retire this year.

Wilson told the board there were 11 people who retired, five bus drivers, five teachers and 1 aide. He explained even after paying the retirement incentive and hiring new teachers, there would still be a savings to the system. There would be a net savings of $55,000 if all bus drivers and four teachers were replaced. The aide will not be replaced. After a transportation conference in June, a decision on replacing the drivers should be made at the July board meeting.

Wilson also commended LeeAnne Pettey for her monitoring of special education. The system is in compliance and she did an outstanding job in correcting all findings.

In other action items the board:

Approved the following requests for the use of buses during the summer:

• Central Baptist Church to use buses for their Vacation Bible School activities on June 6, 7, 8, 9,and 10, 2016. Central Baptist will pay expenses bus drivers and mileage.

• The Housing Authority of Hartselle to use buses for the OWO Center summer program. Buses will be needed each Friday throughout the summer for various activities.

• Approved the first reading of the Virtual School Policy.

• Approved the food service agreement with Community Action Partnership of North Alabama, Inc., to supply meals to the child/adult care center of Head Start at Hartselle.

• Approved the request to increase all school lunch program prices by $0.10. This is a federal mandate and the increases can be made incrementally instead of all at once.

• Approved seventy-six (76) new out-of- district students beginning with the 2016-2017 school year. This brings to the total over 600 out-of-district students attending Hartselle City Schools. Wilson mentioned the importance of the out-of-district students by saying “Without these students the system would be looking at closing one building and laying off 20% of the staff.” He also mentioned the system had to be careful to not let in discipline problems. But he also mentioned that something magical happens when kids get into Hartselle schools. He expects to bring in two more slates of out-of-district students to the board later this summer.

•Approved Career Prep B and Remedial summer school classes at Hartselle Junior High School

• The board on a motion by Dr. James Joy approved maintaining the current board officers until after the upcoming election. The vote was unanimous, which will keep current board chairman Randy Sparkman, in place and Venita Jones as vice chair.

In personnel items the board approved:

• Leave request for Brooke Tankersley, FMLA from the beginning of the 2016-2017 school year thru Sept. 23, 2016. Her plans are to return Sept. 26, 2016.

Resignations approved:

• Anna Marie Perrin from the position of instructional aide, based at the Central Office, currently assigned to Hartselle High School, effective May 4, 2016

• Dylan Bunnell from the position of Instructional Assistant (Aide) and football and basketball coach currently assigned to Hartselle High School, effective with the end of the 2015-2016 school year

Transfers approved:

•Shane Owens from the position of elementary teacher at Hartselle Intermediate School to the position of elementary teacher at F.E. Burleson Elementary School, effective with the beginning of the 2016-2017 school year

•Scott Holladay from the position of secondary teacher at Hartselle Junior High School to the position of secondary teacher at Hartselle High School, effective with the beginning of the 2016-2017 school year

Employment approved:

• Jordan Hutchison to fill the position of kindergarten teacher at Crestline Elementary School, effective with the beginning of the 2016-2017 school year

• Jessica Bankester to fill the position of part-time speech/language pathology teacher at F.E.Burleson Elementary School, effective beginning with the 2016-2017 school year

Stipends approved:

•Christy Williams to be paid for teaching Career Prep B summer school class

•Tasha McKee to be paid for teaching remedial summer school classes

Kindergarten teachers at Crestline Elementary to be paid a stipend to conduct Kindergarten Camp

•Approved Melissa Paul-Hill to begin working with the Hartselle Junior High volleyball coach on a volunteer basis.

After the personnel items were approved, Wilson commended the principals for a great job in recruiting, hiring and retaining good teachers.

In a special called meeting on May 3, the board approved the following personnel items.

Approved the retirements of:

•Lisa Shelton, teacher at Crestline

•David Harris, instructional aide at Crestline

•Carol Powell, teacher at Burleson

•Gary Orr, teacher at Hartselle High

•Larry Long, bus driver.

Approved the employment of:

•Kim Benefield, teacher at Hartselle Intermediate

•Kyle Kugler, teacher at Burleson

•Susan England, teacher at Burleson.

The next board meeting will be held June 13, 2016, at the central office.