By Heather Clower
The Parsons Advocate
The Tucker County Board of Education came together via teleconference to address the next school year calendar and other business items. All members were present with the exception of Board Member Chris Gross.
Board President Tim Turner called the meeting to order, first asking Attendance Director Amber Kyle to speak on behalf of the proposed calendar for the 2020-2021 school year. Kyle began, “We are still proposing calendar C which was the calendar that began for teachers on August 19.” She continued highlighting main events and dates, which included first day for students on Tuesday, August 25, a week off during Thanksgiving, approximately a week and a half off during Christmas using a Faculty Senate day on December 22 and an Out of School day on December 23, teachers would return Monday, January 4 and students would return Tuesday, January 5. “We would have three, out of calendar days for Easter break, which would give us an Easter break of Thursday, Friday, and Monday, which is Good Friday weekend,” Kyle continued. The last day of school would be June 2 with June 3,4,7,8, and 9 as potential make up days for snow days, and the teachers would conclude on June 10. Kyle announced that this particular calendar was the one that received the most votes from the staff when given four different options.
The board then moved from the special session into their regular meeting which had no delegation, recognitions, presentations, or reports. Superintendent Alicia Lambert announced she has provided the latest updates regarding COVID-19 to the board, and that information will continue to be made available as it is presented. Per the latest, school will remain closed through April 30.
This meeting also had no discussion items or attendance exemptions to be made aware of, bringing the meeting to the consent agenda items. New business began with the approval of the calendar as presented by Kyle, which received a motion by Vice President Daniel “Chopper” Evans and a second by Board Member Jessica Wamsley with all in agreement.
Moving into personnel, Lambert began discussing the annual reduction in force. “A lot of these are formalities and will be reposted,” she explained. Under professional personnel, Lambert began with Jonna Burnside, Interventionist at TVEMS, Emily Thompson, Interventionist at TVEMS, Tara Dilly, fourth grade teacher at TVEMS, James Gilbert, first grade teacher at TVEMS, and Christine O’Brien, first and second grade split at DTEMS. Brief discussion commenced regarding the need to RIF the newly added positions, which Lambert explained it was required due to contractual requirements and that those positions were not being omitted.
Service personnel reductions in force followed with Lambert recommending the following: Donna Bolinger, special education and bus 2A aid at TVEMS, Trina Carr, kindergarten and bus 4A aid at TVEMS, Doris Bunnel, 200 day TCHS secretary, Roxcella Owens, 200 day TCHS secretary, Lois Lambert, 200 day secretary at TVEMS, Jane Leard, 200 day secretary at TVEMS, and Gwenn Rapp, 200 day secretary at DTEMS. “And these are all formalities, again if you have any questions I can answer them, everybody is going to end up back in their position,” stated Lambert.
Personnel transfers for the 2020-2021 school year followed with a recommendation of James Gilbert and Christine O’Brien. All board members were in agreement of all RIFs and transfers.
The next Board of Education meeting will be on Tuesday, April 21 at 4:30 p.m. followed by a special meeting immediately following. This meeting is expected to be held by teleconference again with all other county events currently on hold.
