Some local
teachers may be laid off soon Reductions not expected to be as deep
as in other counties
By Scott Nicholson
The Watauga County school system ended its year Monday,
but the school board’s summer vacation lasted a scant seven
hours before it adjourned for the regular June meeting.
Hemric
The school board approved a final budget for the fiscal year that
will soon be finished, adjusting final numbers for a budget of
$49.9 million, about $1 million higher than the adopted budget
and despite a reversion of more than $300,000 in state funding.
The school board also adopted an interim budget that takes effect
July 1 as required, since a budget can’t be approved until
the state budget is finalized.
Disbursements in the interim budget continue at the current year’s
levels. However, the system is already facing a transportation
crunch for the year ahead.
Schools superintendent Marty Hemric said there would be some teacher
cuts announced soon, but said an unusual number of retirements
would reduce the number of terminations. However, the number of
overall positions will decline.
Hemric said the school system is legally required to notify teachers
of their status by June 15, and said the administration still
has some options while waiting for the final state budget.
“We’ve not taken the degrees of loss that some other
places have,” Hemric said. The system hopes to be able to
add some positions back once the state budget is finalized.
Hemric said any additional teacher hirings would follow hiring
laws for state positions, with the jobs posted and leading to
an application and interview process.
Toni Floyd, school transportation director, said state funding
would be cut $95,000, plus the difference of funding for fuel
reimbursement will drop to $2.05 a gallon.
She said there would probably be a $245,000 total shortage next
year, with a cut in replacement buses as well.
Floyd said she is working on policy changes that would reduce
mileage, and she said since the system was already operating efficiently,
it would be difficult to cut the number of route miles.
She said more people had trained to be bus drivers, which will
help reduce overtime, and said other options include dropping
convenience stops for out-of-district students.
Floyd said bus service for students living within half a mile
of Blowing Rock, Hardin Park or Watauga High School might be eliminated,
along with some “side-road mileage.” She said those
options would be in compliance with state law and save money.
She also has a goal of eliminating all overtime for bus drivers.
“I assure you that with any changes we make, particularly
in the half-mile walk zone, we’ll take safety into consideration,”
Floyd said. “I’ll make as few changes as possible to
get us where we need to be.”
Floyd said it’s always been a parent’s responsibility
to get children on the bus safely, and said the school system
is not legally required to provide bus service. “Everything
we plan to do will be covered by state law, state school board
policy and local policy,” she said.
Hemric noted the end of the school year and reported a successful
school year despite challenges. The board also recognized Dacia
Tretheway of Bethel Elementary School for being selected Teacher
of the Year. The Future Farmers of America were also recognized,
with Jennifer Rominger introduced as placing in state competition
for advertising.
Jennifer Greene, educator with the Appalachian District Health
Department, presented information on the recently completed Childhood
Obesity Prevention Grant. Plans for new produce gardens were started
at Mabel and Bethel elementary schools, and the grant created
a training program called Sports Play and Active Recreation for
Kids that purchased additional physical-education equipment and
funded staff development programs. The grant also helped put local
fresh vegetables in the schools, and all schools participated
in a wellness program to reduce sugar-sweetened beverage consumption.
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