| Principals reassigned; concerns expressed | | Posted: Tuesday, May 8, 2012 9:06 pm
| By CHRIS MENEES
Staff Reporter
School principal assignments were officially recognized Monday night before a standing-room-only crowd at the Obion County School Board’s monthly meeting.
One of those assignments — the transfer of Dennis Buckelew from Lake Road Elementary to Black Oak Elementary — drew a large crowd of the principal’s supporters seeking a reason for the decision.
The concerned parents, as well as several Lake Road teachers and students, filled the meeting room at the new Obion County Agricultural Learning Center at Obion County Central High School.
The transfers for the next school year include Buckelew moving from Lake Road to Black Oak, with current Black Oak principal Sheila Stone transferring to Lake Road as principal; and South Fulton Elementary principal Elise Braswell and assistant principal Patresa Rogers transferring to Ridgemont Elementary as principal and assistant principal, respectively, with Ridgemont principal Don Capps moving to South Fulton Elementary as principal.
Tasha Bell addressed the board on behalf of Lake Road parents and gave an emotional plea as she told of their disappointment with the decision to transfer Buckelew — whom she described as a positive male role model to many students — and asked for a reason. She said she has petitions with nearly 300 signatures of those who want Buckelew to stay and said the children also circulated petitions on their own.
Obion County Director of Schools David Huss said he and the board have an obligation to the county to provide the best educational programs for everyone. He said he looks at the school system’s strengths and weaknesses as he works toward providing a better educational program, explaining his decisions regarding transfers are not made lightly but with careful consideration.
“I think the world of this man,” Huss said of Buckelew.
Buckelew was in attendance and told the crowd the support has been very humbling. He said he has enjoyed working with Huss, calling him fair and saying he makes choices that are best for all of Obion County.
“I will support his decision, one thousand percent,” Buckelew said.
Buckelew said he will miss Lake Road but will go to Black Oak, adding he still misses the time he served as administrator at OCCHS six years ago.
“We all need to be team players,” he said, adding that the reason for the transfer is nothing personal.
The other school principal and assistant principal assignments announced by Huss included:
• Black Oak assistant principal — Mary Coleman (currently serving).
• Hillcrest Elementary principal — Melinda McCullough (currently serving).
• Hillcrest assistant principal — Richard Tant (currently serving).
• Lake Road assistant principal — Adam Stephens.
• OCCHS principal — Linda Crigger (currently serving).
• OCCHS assistant principals — Craig Rogers (currently serving) and one to be determined.
• OCCHS assistant principal/Career and Technical Education — Russ Davis (currently serving).
• South Fulton Elementary assistant principal — Dana Craddock.
• South Fulton Middle/High School principal — Keith Frazier (currently serving).
• SFMS/HS assistant principal — Kelly Spivey (currently serving).
Huss also announced administrative reappointments for the system for the 2012-13 school year. They included:
• Assistant director of schools/Student Support Services — Dale Hollowell.
• Assistant director of schools/Teaching and Learning — Nancy Hamilton (which also includes responsibilities for supervisor of instruction, grades 9-12).
• Supervisor of instruction, grades 4-8/Title director — Lesa Scillion.
• Supervisor of instruction, grades preK-3 — Vikki Stevenson.
• Supervisor of Reading Recovery/Balanced Literacy — Terri Pike.
• Supervisor of special education/Coordinated School Health — Mary Lynn Dodson.
• Supervisor of alternative education/attendance — Cynthia Rainey.
• Coordinated School Health — Chastity Homra.
• System evaluator — to be determined.
• Supervisor of child nutrition — Judy Denman.
• Supervisor of adult education — Sharon Connell.
• Director of non-instructional support services — to be determined.
• Supervisor of pupil transportation — Tim Maynard.
• Supervisor of maintenance — Phil Graham.
• Technology coordinator — Jason Kendall.
• Director of finance — Linda Carney.
The assignments do not require board action and were for recognition only. It was noted the board will be informed when other appointments are made.
In other action during Monday night’s 45-minute meeting, which was opened with prayer led by board member Fritz Fussell, the school board:
• Recognized the family of the late Robert M. Barnes, for whom the new greenhouse at OCCHS was named, during a dedication ceremony for the greenhouse and the Obion County Agricultural Learning Center an hour prior to the meeting. Guests toured the facility and enjoyed refreshments prepared by OCCHS’ culinary arts students. (See photos, Page 1 and Page 10.)
• Recognized the OCCHS Future Teachers of America, OCCHS girls’ basketball team and South Fulton Middle/High School Band for their accomplishments.
• Approved a consent agenda that included monthly personnel and financial reports and recognition of technology equipment declared surplus.
The personnel report for May listed leaves of absence for Lake Road teacher Brandy Ray, Ridgemont food service employee Stephanie Flowers and bus driver Marcia Malin; the resignations of Hillcrest teacher Jimmy Switcher and Ridgemont food service employee Nanette Butler; the retirements of SFHS cafeteria manager Alice Peeples and Hillcrest food service employee Linda Cranford; and the hirings of bus garage employee John Burns and SFHS food service employee Katherine Bye.
• Voted to adopt as policy a previously-adopted procedure on limited purpose personal electronic devices after hearing favorable reports from several OCCHS and SFHS teachers and administrators on the effects of using personal electronics devices to enhance student learning and a reduction in problems with student cell phone abuse.
• Approved a request from Lake Road Elementary’s Parent-Teacher Organization to install a digital sign. The board learned the cost of almost $18,000 has been raised by the organization and agreed to help with an additional unforeseen cost of $2,500 for electrical work for the project.
• Approved an amendment to the 2011-12 fiscal year budget for the Central Cafeteria Fund budget to reflect the value of commodities received and expended.
• Accepted a low bid which met specifications from Aprisa Technology LLC for $18,320 for the purchase of a Microsoft Software agreement, based on 360 full-time employees.
• Accepted a low bid which met specifications from CDW Government LLC for $12,463.34 for two computer servers for the technology department.
• Accepted a low bid which met specifications from CDW Government LLC for $114.75 for each computer monitor for a total purchase of $11,475 for the purchase of 100 computer monitors for the various schools.
• Reappointed Fussell as the board’s representative on the Athletic Advisory Committee.
• Approved amendments to board policies regarding private vehicles, food service management, use of multimedia and separation practices for non-tenured teachers.
• Voted to leave intact current board policy regarding the director of schools’ recruitment and selection, without any change in wording regarding “super majority” vote requirement.
• Approved three overnight student trips, including those for OCCHS special education to the state Special Olympics, SFHS Beta Club to national convention and SFHS FFA to leadership training.
Published in The Messenger 5.8.12 | | | | |
