Administrative position reinstated (02/28/06)

A lengthy discussion and a split vote preceeded the creation of a new administrative position with the Jay School Corporation.

The Jay School Board voted 4-3 Monday to move forward with the creation of an assistant superintendent position by July 1.

Board members Jay Halstead, Mike Shannon and Greg Wellman cast the dissenting votes.

Jay Schools previously had an assistant superintendent position, which was filled by current superintendent Barbara Downing. When Downing was named as the replacement for previous superintendent Dr. Tom Little, the board voted to not fill the position due to budget constraints.

According to a sample job description and possible salary structure prepared by Downing, the person in this position will oversee curriculum development and grant proposals, among other items, and come with an estimated $130,000 price tag — including salary, benefits, and incidentals such as mileage reimbursement.

Downing said that those numbers were based on 2004-05 Indiana School Board averages for the state and region, but that the salary is still negotiable.

Some board members expressed concern that the money could be better spent elsewhere.

“Most of the people are telling me they are concerned with the classroom size and would rather see more teachers than another administrator,” said Shannon.

Board member Bryan Alexander said that while it was an expensive position to reinstate, it is a valuable position that has been discussed for several years.

“This is going to be a highly compensated person, which may not sit well with (taxpayers) who are paying their salary,” he said. “But I think it would be extremely short-sighted of us not to do it.”

Alexander also said that reinstating the position could result in allowing the current administration to be more efficient, since many of the new position’s responsibilities have been taken over by school principals and Downing’s staff.

“I’m amazed that we’ve been as good as we have been without this position. It’s a compliment to Mrs. Downing and her staff,” said Alexander, “but if you look at this job description, there is no way we are spending enough time on some of this stuff.”

Board president Doug Inman said that now is the time to follow through with the plan, as the school corporation is enjoying its third year with a budget surplus.

“Even though this is a split decision, it is a board decision, and I ask that we all get behind this plan and move ahead,” said Inman.

The board also awarded several contracts for the high school renovation project, despite lackluster response from area contractors.

“The interest in the project, we thought, was very good,” said architect Kari Vilamaa. “But we realized when we opened the bids that we did not get nearly the response we anticipated.”

Vilamaa said he suspected that distance may have caused some contractors from farther-flung locations not to bid, but that he has worked with the selected contractors on other projects and feels confident about their abilities.

“I feel good about the contractors,” he said. “I would like to see the numbers a little bit lower, as always, but I think this is going to be a good project.”

Robert E. Crosby & Son of Fort Wayne will be the project’s general contractor; A. Hattersley & Sons, Inc., also of Fort Wayne, will be the mechanical contractor; electrical work will be done by Engineered Systems, Inc. of Fort Wayne; Trane Company of Fort Wayne will handle temperature control work; and DECO Associates of Indianapolis will install plastic laminate cabinetry.

The board also voted to approve several alternate projects, including renovating several locker rooms. Robert E. Crosby & Son bid that project at about $312,250; a price the company said it will honor through January 2007, should the board choose to follow through.

Downing said they would discuss the alternates in a couple months, once construction was underway in the previously approved areas.

The total cost of the project, including alternate bids, is around $15 million.

Demolition and renovation should begin early next month.

The board also voted to allow Jay Schools business manager Brad DeRome to begin advertising a project to replace the gym floor at West Jay Middle School to potential contractors.

DeRome said that while $85,000 has been allotted for the project, that number may change.

“We can’t hang our hat on that number yet,” he said.

DeRome said he would have a timeline for the project ready for the board’s March meeting.

In other business:

•The board voted unanimously to approve an amendment to the high school course description that will require all juniors and seniors to be enrolled in English 11 and 12, respectively, unless they are taking an Advanced Placement english or college literature course.

“This would not mean that students couldn’t also take electives, but the standard pieces of grammar, literature and composition are what they really need,” said Downing.

This change will be effective with the incoming freshman class of 2006-2007.

•Downing recognized Bloomfield Elementary teachers and staff for their continued excellence as a Four Star school, and Inman, for being named the Portland Area Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year.

•The board voted to approve 60 volunteers for the Kids Hope USA mentoring program in place at East, General Shanks and Bloomfield Elementary schools.

Downing said she personally completed all of the criminal background checks and recommended them for board approval.[[In-content Ad]]