School Board Gives Nod to Calendar and Elementary Basketball

The Jefferson County School Board met April 21, 2015 and, after awarding Director’s Art Gallery Winners and Teachers’ of the year, opened the meeting with a motion by Vines to accept the agenda, which was seconded by Cavanah and quickly passed. Lowery made a motion to accept the schools’ field trips as presented, also accepted by Cavanah, which passed. Edmunds gave a brief update on the 2015-2016 budget, stating no solid information has been received from the state regarding salaries.

Concern was raised regarding the raise to teachers’ salaries in comparison to nonclassifieds, and Potts made a motion proposing that nonclassifieds and teachers’ receive an equal percent raise, whatever that percent may be. The motion was seconded by Bradley and passed 6-0. General Budget Amendment #13, Federal Budget Amendment #13, and Food Service Budget Amendment #4 were accepted in a single motion, proposed by Vines and seconded by Bradley, which followed suit with a 6-0 vote.

Books adoptions were addressed next, with Cavanah making a motion, seconded by Vines, to accept both the adoptions of new textbooks, and the special adoption of textbooks currently utilized in elementary schools. Again, the motion passed with a unanimous vote. The school calendar was unanimously approved in a motion by Cavanah and seconded by Lowery.

Appropriate use of the $117,878.34 remaining balance at the Patriot Academy was a matter of debate for the board. Following a withdrawn motion from Bradley to use $9,000 out of the account for the repairing of a curb, Vines made a motion to return the $117,878.34 to the county. This motion was seconded by Potts, though following a brief discussion Potts would proceed to make a motion that Vines’ proposal would be postponed. Potts’ motion was seconded by Vines and passed 5-1.

Vines would go on to make a motion that the elementary basketball proposal be accepted, but to amend the program so that games would be played at the local schools. The motion failed due to lack of a second. A compromise was reached with Bradley’s proposal that the basketball program be approved for a year, then reevaluated to see if further games should be played in schools, or whether to continue the program at all. Vines would second this motion, which would pass 4-1, with Jarnigan passing on a vote. Vines proposed to adjourn, seconded by Lowery, which was accepted 6-0.