system employees

By Jay Thomas

It's that time of year again in the local school system when teachers who received pink slips in May learn if they will be asked back for another year.

That was the case Thursday night when employment of new hires, re-employment of established teachers and transfers dominated the Butler County Board of Education's agenda.

Interim Superintendent Wayne Boswell made the recommendations and the board promptly approved all. One employee, Joey Hamilton, was voted on separately so that Board President Linda Cook-Hamilton could abstain from voting since she is related to Mr. Hamilton.

The following employees were rehired at Georgiana High School: Angie McCaster, English teacher, Donald Ray Mixon, physical education teacher and Tony Hatten, custodian.

The following teachers were rehired at Greenville High School:

William Bergeron, history teacher,

Jan Black, part-time in-school math tutor, Peggy Brown, math teacher, Matthew Coghlan, health teacher, Randall Fullington, science teacher, Stephanie Grayson, English teacher, Joey Hamilton, business education teacher, Scotty Kelley, math teacher, June Odom Stinson, part-time in-school science tutor, Donna Sunnycalb, physical education teacher, Rebekah Williamson, science teacher, Brandi Burleson, bookkeeper, Amanda Dearden, secretary and Deborah Hyatt, school nurse

The following teachers were rehired at Greenville Middle School: LaDonna Byrd, special dducation services teacher, Jamie Christopher, science teacher, Kelly Flowers, math teacher Curtis Gray, physical education teacher,

Susan &uot;Cissi&uot; Jones, science teacher, Rheta McClain, elementary teacher,

Susan McClellan, elementary teacher, Shari Powell, elementary teacher,

Samantha Stabler, math teacher, Frederick Johnson, custodian, Cheryl Kelly, bookkeeper, Rosie McClain, child nutrition program worker, Michael Andrew McClellan, special education services aide, Veronica McNeil, special education services aide, Melissa Teague, special education services aide,

The following teachers were rehired at Greenville Elementary School: Pamela April McNaughton, district reading specialist, Mary Murphy, special education services teacher, Sharon Ray, elementary teacher, Ashley Simmons, elementary teacher, Victor Smith, physical education teacher, Stephanie Taunton, elementary teacher, Edna Kelly, special education services aide, Melissa Thrower, school nurse.

The following employees were rehired at McKenzie School: Heather Blackwell, elementary teacher, Warren David Kirkland, athletic director/head football coach, Jacqueline Shawnee Pierce, elementary teacher, Melissa Scott, Bright Beginnings preschool teacher, Lorna Ball, child nutrition program worker, Linda Windham, custodian.

The following employees were rehired at R.L. Austin Elementary School:

Betsy Black, elementary teacher, Lucy McGowin, special education services teacher, Sandra Peagler, elementary teacher, Amanda Barber, school nurse, Robert Davison, special education services aide, Ira N. Pettway, child nutrition program worker

The following employees were rehired at W.O. Parmer Elementary School: Malinda Bates, elementary teacher, Amanda Black, elementary teacher, Shalena Coleman, elementary teacher, Annie Hildreth, special education services teacher, Allison Long, elementary teacher, Tiffany McClaney, elementary teacher, Jennifer Norman, elementary teacher, Jennyfer Scarbrough, elementary teacher, Sandra Taylor, elementary teacher, Staci Watson, elementary teacher, Jenny Golson, school nurse, Annie McClain, child nutrition program worker.

The following employees were rehired at the Butler County Education & Community Center: Kay Armstrong, Bright Beginnings preschool teacher, Sabrina Senn, Bright Beginnings preschool teacher, Matthew Shell, technology director.

At the Central Office, Wanda Wacha was rehired as the federal programs bookkeeper/secretary.

The following employees were rehired for the transportation department: Suzianne Ammons, Marietta Coleman, Silas Herbert,

Kandys Killough, Debra Scruggs, Yvonne Taylor-Pugh, Claude Williams, Kimberlei Yeatts.

The following school system employees were granted tenure at the meeting.

They were: Donald Ray Mixon, Peggy Brown, Randy Fullington, Stephanie Grayson, Joey Hamiliton, LaDonna Byrd, Curtis Gray, Rheta McClain, Shari Powell, Pamela April McNaughton, Mary Murphy, Ashley Simmons, Melissa Scott, Betsy Black, Sandra Peagler, Annie Hildreth, Jennifer Norman, Kay Armstrong and Sabrina Senn.

One item on the agenda that brought about some discussion was the request for approval of pay increases beginning with the new contract year.

Some school system employees are 12-month contract employees and that means their contract begins again on July 1.

The recent legislation gave school employees a 6 percent pay raise and their raise goes into the effect when the new contract does.

Teachers will see the increase on their paychecks in September.

Boardmember Joe Lizenby asked for an estimate dollar amount that the raises would cost but none had been prepared.

Boswell explained this is routinely how it happens and Lizenby said he understood that but he wanted to know a dollar amount.

"In the future, I would like to see estimates of the dollar amounts involved," he said.

"I have a problem voiting for something and not knowin the amount involved."

When Boswell proposed that they extend the bids for one year on gas, diesel, propane and pest control services, a question from a member of the audience brought some change.

She asked if they had to extend the bids even if a service wasn't working, referring to the pest control.

Boswell said she would need to communicate that to him.

However, the board chose not to extend the bid on the pest control service until they could investigate the teacher's concerns.

Lizenby again voiced his concern on simply extending the bids, but Boardmember Billy Jones said if they let again for gasoline, diesel and propane, that the costs would be greater since the price of fuel has gone up dramatically since last summer.

In other business, the board took the following action:

N Approved the retirement of Greenville Middle School Guidance Counselor Jean Lockley.

N Accepted the resignations of Susan Seymour, Mollie Smith, Tony Stonicher, Raymond Gee and Joe Eiland.

N Approved the maternity leave of Rebekah Williamson.

The Board will interview its final three candidates this week and will hold a special called meeting on June 30th at 7 p.m. to discuss matters of employment again.

Also, Boardmember Joanne Peak said if they met they should be prepared to name a superintendent that night or announce that they will do a new search.

All the members agreed to that.