School board discusses how to keep status quo
Posted on Thursday, July 22, 2010 at 9:00 am.
 | By Clif Knight |
Facing a November referendum that could change the way its members are selected, the Hartselle School Board is going on the offensive to educate the public on why it should keep its current appointee system.
A special referendum will be conducted Nov. 2 as a part of the general election to give voters the opportunity to decide if they want to change from an appointed school board to one that is elected. Should that occur, voters would go back to the polls in August 2012 to elect a new school board.
The discussion at Monday’s school board meeting came on the heels of chairwoman Jennifer Sittason’s question if it was proper for the board to take a public stance on the issue.
“I’m in support of taking the initiative to get pertinent information into the hands of voters, this is something that is coming up and I care about our schools,” she said.
“I feel like we haven’t done a good job of educating the public about the importance of having an appointed school board.”
“I don’t think it would be advisable for employees to talk for or against a board change,” Superintendent Dr. Mike Reed said. “However, as citizens of the community we can certainly communicate what we think. I would not want to discourage our employees from speaking their views.”
Board member Jeff Gray said part of that effort should include a “snapshot” of the system and its accomplishments. Dr. James Joy said he’d also like to see others in the community that support the current system speak up in support.
“When someone talks to me about it feels awkward to respond,” Joy said. “It would be nice if others would stand up and speak out for the school board. If you like what we’re doing, we’d like to hear from you.”
In other items:
The board acted on the following items:
• Approved low bids on supplies for the 2010-2011 school year as follows: Ice cream—Purity Dairies, Nashville, Tenn.; Bread and bakery, Sara Lee, Birmingham; Dish machine—Central paper Co., Birmingham.
• Adopted new textbooks in accordance with the State Textbook Commission.
• Adopted revised board policy JCE—harassment.
• Approved a first reading of proposed board policy changes as follows: INA—grading system, IHAA—final examinations, IHE—promotion and retention, IHE-R—delete promotion and retention policy and adds portions to IHE and JBD—absences and excuses.
• Approved the enrollment of 54 out-of- district students from 58 requests as follows: 48 in elementary grades, three in junior high and three in high school.
• Approved salary schedules with minor changes for the 2010-2011 school year.
Personnel items were acted on as follows:
• Approved the resignation of Johnny Berry as head boys basketball coach at Hartselle High School, effective July 14.
• Approved the resignation of Debra Harvel as counselor at F.E. Burleson Elementary School, effective July 14.
• Approved the resignation of Margaret Campbell as speech language pathologist at F.E. Burleson Elementary School, effective July 19.
• Approved the employment of Donna Legg Battles as assistant varsity. Junior varsity volleyball coach at Hartselle High School for the 2010-2011 school year.
• Approved the employment of Daniel Bennett as a special education teacher at Crestline Elementary School for the 2010-2011 school year.
• Approved the employment of Lacy Stancil as an eighth grade math teacher at Hartselle Junior High School for the 2010-2011 school year.
• Approved the employment of Eddie Stewart as ninth grade assistant football coach at Hartselle High School for the 2010-2011 school year.
• Approved the employment of Johnny Berry as athletic director for the 2010-2011 school year.
Comments
Comments:
 | on July 23, 2010 The school Board needs to be elected by the people of hartselle. With an appointed board they do what they want with out haveing to worry about there jobs, Make them worry about haveing to explane to the voters why they have put certain polices in place. Make them accountable, make them an elected body come november. |
| | on August 2, 2010 Didn’t the school board place a moratorium on taking out of district students last year in order to curb the overcrowding problems? |
| | on August 3, 2010 I wonder then why is it that in the three county area of Morgan, Lawrence, and Limestone that Hartselle and Athens have the top school systems which are appointed. All others are elected. If the school board is doing such a bad job, is this just coincidence?? Hmmm. |
| | on August 4, 2010 Exactly what part of a school board having anything to do with the school being a “top school system?’ I equate this to a 50/50 split among the tyeachers and the students. School boards are only the executive branch, if you will, not the educative aspect. |
| | on August 10, 2010 With a elected school board,you could ask why is it that the 9th grade volleyball and the 8th grade football teams has a unqualified (don’t know what they are doing) coaches. |
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on July 23, 2010
Approved the enrollment of 54 out-of- district students from 58 requests as follows: 48 in elementary grades, three in junior high and three in high school.
Wonder why they did not approve all 54 request’s? And wonder how they went about how they were selected? There is no publish criteria on how they go about selecting out of district students. School board should be elected and not appointed.