Search on for new superintendant (06/06/06)

The hiring of an assistant superintendent has been delayed after the retirement of Superintendent of Jay Schools Barb Downing was announced Monday.

“That has been put on hold until we decide what to do about the superintendency,” board president Doug Inman said today.

Board members Jay Halstead, Mike Shannon and Greg Wellman cast dissenting votes when the position was approved at the Feb. 27 meeting.

Inman said today that the decision to wait to hire someone for the the position was made when Downing announced her retirement to the board about three weeks ago.

“We thought it would be better to wait and hire her successor first,” he said.

Inman said today that the executive session after the special board meeting was held to discuss the process of hiring a new superintendent, and that board members will meet in executive session with executive director of the Indiana School Boards Association Frank Bush on June 13.

“He will be guiding us through the process of hiring a new superintendent,” he said.

Though Downing’s retirement will be effective January 1, 2007, she estimates her last day on the job will be November 22, 2006, due to unused vacation and personal days.

Her current contract expires in June 2008.

Downing read from a lenthy prepared statement that her decision to retire was a personal one and not the result of conflict with the board.

Downing said she plans to spend more time with her family, church and not-for-profit organizations.

In her statement, Downing said “It is time for the district to do some deep and serious thinking of the needs of children and how they will address the needs of children.”

In the remainder of her statement, Downing listed several of her accomplishments before board members voted to approve her retirement package.

“Your retirement came as a bit of a shock to me and other board members,” said board member Bryan Alexander.

“You will be missed,” added board member Frank Vormohr.

Also Monday, Jay County High School athletic director Phil Ford sought clarification of changes in the wording in the student handbook concerning disciplinary infractions by athletes.

Under the language printed in the 2005-2006 handbook, any student found to be in possession of or using controlled substances, including abusing over the counter medication, or stealing, on or off school grounds, would have the option of choosing between suspension from athletics, including practice, for 25 percent of the season, or setting up an evaluation appointment and attending counseling at an approved organization.

Last week, the board voted to change the wording to include both “satisfactorily” completing counseling and suspension in the punishment, and updating the middle school policy to reflect the same wording.

The handbooks were brought to the board for final approval at Monday’s meeting.

Ford expressed concern that the time between the initial infraction and receiving an evaluation from a counselor may already be 25 percent of the season, and completion of treatment may take much longer.

“Because of the availability of those services, it may be as much as 50 percent or 100 percent of the season,” said Ford.

Ford said he wanted to be sure he understood the policy so he could effectively enforce it.

“I’m not sure that what’s written is what we all want,” he said.

After a lengthy discussion, Inman called for a vote, saying “Heaven forbid we punish a kid for making a stupid decision. I can’t believe we spent the last ten minutes even talking about this.”

The board passed the revised handbook as presented.[[In-content Ad]]