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Show School Board Approves Variety Of Decisions Minutes of the December meeting of the Garfield County School Board approved in January show a variety of board decisions and activities. The board accepted the resignation of Kathleen Richardson and Louise Liston. Mrs. Liston was elected to the Garfield County Commission in November and took office in January. Mrs. Liston taught in Escalante and Miss Richardson at Bryce Valley Elementary. Jack Soper, vocational agriculture teacher at Panguitch High School and students Tim Tebbs and Pat Graff reported to the board regarding their trip to the National Future Farmers of America Convention Con-vention held in Kansas City, Kansas. Graff thanked the board for the opportunity to attend the convention. con-vention. All three reported on ac tivities at the convention. Board President Quay Simons explained to the board that the Garfield Education Association had made a proposal to the board not to carry out two phases of the Career j Ladder Program and give the certified teachers a bonus. Simons was concerned how the classified employees and other employees would feel. Board member Ray Englestead said he felt the Career Ladder Program belongs to the teachers. ' Simons also expressed concern about the legal aspects of the proposal. He said he felt that the proposal was just quasi-legal. Englestead stated that Supt. Jerold Judd recommended that the money be given to the teachers and the board should go ahead and do it. Jim Clarke, representing the GEA, i (See SCHOOL BOARD Page 5) . r I I School Board GIIEEIlD stated the superintendent had a 1 letter, and he (Clarke) had a copy of , it, which stated the Career Ladder I money could be given to all teachers. Simons explained that the I proposal gives the Career Ladder I money to make up the 2Vi percent k budget cut and frees up money in the j free revenue categories. Board Member Sam Allen i recommended that the board get I legal opinion since free revenue can be disbursed to all employees. Board member Margaret Shakespear said she felt even though it becomes free revenue, it should be given to the teachers. Englestead stated the board should not take Career Ladder money and give it to the cooks and bus drivers. Board Member Phil Allen said he felt the money should be equalized for all employees but that more research was needed on legal j aspects. Simons said he had no objections if the proposal did not I present a problem. He suggested the ! board give the superintendent a ! conditional approval to follow the proposal. The board acted on two motions. The first, that the board take the money and place it back into free revenue and then give it to the teachers in a Christmas bonus, I failed to pass, with Phil Allen and j Sam Allen voting no, Margaret Shakespear and Ray Englestead voting yes, and Simons abstaining. A second motion stated that the $64,257 decrease in the 1986-87 budget required by the 2 percent reduction be taken from Career Ladders in the amount of $36,000 from performance bonus and $15,407 from Career Ladder levels for a total of $51,407 from Career Ladders and the remaining $12,850 be taken from the basic program grades 1-12. The motio passed with all members mem-bers including Simons voting yes. Next, a motion was made that if it meets requirements, $51,407 be taken from free revenue categories and given to certified teachers as a Christmas bonus. The motion again passed unanimously. Principal Myron Cottam of Escalante High School reported to the board that Supt. Judd, Doug Austin and he met with several department heads at the State Office of Education and reviewed floor plans for the new Escalante High School. He said they also explored the possibility of additional funding. He said he felt that all areas have been designed as adequately as possible except the home economics room which is too small. Cottam also explained to the board different types of construction being considered. con-sidered. The board reviewed the latest floor plan revision with Cottam and asked questions regarding the design and types of construction. Englestead and Simons discussed the insulation in the proposed construction. Sam Allen encouraged the board and Cottam to make a decision so the . project can get underway. The board approved the plan by motion. The board approved plans to travel to the Utah School Boards Association Convention set for mid-January mid-January at Little America. As Mrs. Shakespear turned her duties over to the new school board member, Rod Syrett, Simons suggested that someone would need to take Mrs. Shakespear's place on the Negotiations Committee. Phil Allen suggested the board follow the procedure outlined in the workshop for new board members, which had recommended that board members not be members of negotiations committees and that the committee should be composed of principals. Sam Allen explained how principals could function on the committee. Simons said he felt principals should not be members of the teachers' association. He suggested the board proceed as organized for this year and consider the change for the coming school year. Phil Allen also mentioned the importance of having complete unity among board members. He said he felt individual board members should not work independently in-dependently and make commitments com-mitments to individuals or groups. He said that all matters should be discussed with all board members and the board should work as a group. Mrs. Shakespear suggested that Sam Allen continue as the board member on the Negotiations Committee. The board scheduled further discussion on the matter for the January meeting. Simons expressed appreciation to the board for their support during his 1986 tenure as board president. Sam Allen will serve as board president during 1987 and a new president-elect will be selected at the January board meeting set for Jan. 22 in Panguitch. |