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Minutes - October 17, 2018

Classified Staff Advisory Meeting

October 17, 2018

Members present: Cindy Williams, WMS; Jackie Jackson, EMS; Kristy Buchman; Penny Brown, CES; Maria Johnston, MLA; Shenelle Green, TES; Yvonne Dunn, GRES; Toni Kellis, EMHS; Martha Lalor, PSES; and Beth Hall, SES. Absent: Tina Woody, TES and Robin Heath, WMHS. 

Dr. Ellis welcomed all in attendance, and thanked them for being a part of the committee. He reviewed the purpose of the meeting, to ensure open communication. 

Celebrations

Green Ridge is celebrating its 10 year anniversary of opening!

Budget Update

Enrollment was down this year, and funding is tied to enrollment. Dr. Ellis provided information on how enrollment funding is allotted. In the spring, the state provides districts with an allotment projection. The projection is based on the number of students the state expects a district to have. As long as a district is within 100 students of the projection the district can keep the funding allotted to them, but if they are below 100, the state takes back money. This year, due to the charter schools and a private school, our district was not within our 100 students range. The district lost more than 100 students. Cuts of around $400,000 had to be made to this year’s budget due to the use of fund balance last year to cover cuts. Based on the actual enrollment, the district anticipates having to revert around $850,000 back to the state. Even with the cuts made this year, the district will have to spend about $350,000 in fund balance. This is the first year, the district had to consolidate 5 classes at our elementary schools. Next year, we hope to be in better shape as it relates to class sizes. We continue to loose kids and we’ve got to do something about it. There is still the likely hood that the district will continue to feel effects financially when the new charter school opens next year. It has been a more difficult budget year than it has in the past. However, the bottom line is, as long as you want a job and are performing well you will continue to have a job. 

School Safety Update

The district has been meeting with the, School Safety Advisory County, a group comprised of local law enforcement, the sheriff, MCC, and others to discuss school safety and wants to ensure students are safe. The district has spent money to install buzzer systems at our elementary and middle schools. The system was not installed at the high schools because of the new school being built and the fact that the current schools will only be operational or another year and half, and  because there is no way to secure the campus due to the schools designs with multiple buildings. Students need to be able to go between buildings, and logistically it would be extremely difficult to ensure all doors are locked. The state has developed a new safety training model – Run, Hide, Fight. Schools will begin to learn more about this new model, as we continue to develop trainings to better equip students, teachers, and staff on how to handle safety situations. Our number one goal if anything happens is to keep everyone safe! It is our hope that the state will establish a K-12 bond referendum within the next couple of years that would provide funding that could help with upgrading security in our district. 

Construction Update

Construction continues at the site for the new CTE Building and Montgomery Central. The finished projected date for the CTE center is August of 2019. If the building is not complete at by the beginning of the school year, the district would continue to offer CTE courses at the high schools and then transition to the CTE Center once complete. There will lots of information in the coming weeks on our CTE program, what will be offered, what it will look like in collaboration with MCC, etc.

As a reminder, the current schools, East and West Montgomery, will go back to the county. Technically the county owns it all, and as soon as we stop using it as a school it belongs to the county. 

Questions

  1. We were given the form today to fill out by the end of the week if we wanted to make up the hurricane days. It states on the form that time must be made up before December 1st, is that correct? Some staff are wanting to try and make up 2 of the days, but wouldn't be able to do it by that date. Can that be extended until the 2nd semester or even the end of the school year?
  2. Concerning the missed days for Hurricane Florence- why do we have to make the days up when the Governor excused them due to North Carolina being under a state of emergency.
  3. Since we haven't even made it to winter yet, and it's supposed to be a bad one, we are likely to miss school days due to snow. Can we not look at No Days to use as make up days? Yes, we just have to declare it a No Day on the day it happens. Dr. Ellis plans to ask the board for the ability to go to Saturday school to be prepared for the winter at the November Board of Education meeting. 
  4. When are Bus Drivers getting a raise and will it be retro to beginning of school? Bus drivers will be getting a retroactive raise of $0.19 starting on this pay check. It will be retroactive to the beginning of the year.
  5. If our state is under a state of emergency why are our missed days not forgiven by DPI?
  6. Why can some surrounding counties be forgiven and not Montgomery?  Is it decided by DPI or County Board of Education? 

Hurricane Florence information - School was closed for everyone Friday, with optional days Monday and Tuesday. The NC General Assembly (GA) met and information starts coming out. We were told we had to make up 2 student days and could waive one (which will be presented at the November Board of Education Meeting). Then, the GA passed legislation that just impacted Florence, which stated that employees are to be paid for days missed by Florence and do not have to make up the days missed. So, everyone will get paid this month whether you worked or not. And, will not be charged annual leave. Issues arise for those who actually worked the optional days. Dr. Ellis will work with the Board of Education to determine how to make it up to those that did work. We are trying to work out the issues with Florence before we determine how to handle the day missed from Hurricane Michael. Please do not continue making up any time. If you have already done so, you will get that time back. 

Will get any kind of bonus this year? The only kind of bonus the state has mentioned is with 3rdgrade reading. Nothing else. 

Bus issues? Discipline issues on the buses. Want to know procedures. Does a bus driver need to confront a parent? Is that the principal’s responsibility? No, you shouldn’t confront parent. The principal should contact the parent. There is no cut and dry answer. We want to make sure from a discipline stand point that we’re being fair and consistent with every kid. If you ever feel an issue isn’t being addressed please let Dr. Ellis and/or Dr. Lancaster know.

Teachers, if they so choose, can get their licenses. Finding bus drivers is going to continue to be an ongoing issue.  

No days? Are they going to stay in calendar? Yes, as long as the calendar committee continues to approve them. Is there any way that classified staff can get benefits of No Days? Dr. Ellis said it continues to be addressed with principals, and the principals like it as an incentive for teachers. If the principals want to develop a plan for classified staff he would be open to making something available. Dr. Ellis will bring it up again at the next principal’s meeting.  

Saturday school? Could we go back and use a Saturday for Michael? Probably not, because Saturday school can only be used in a week where we only go on 4 days. Again, Dr. Ellis plans to get approval for Saturday School from the Board of Education at the November board meeting.

If we go over the deadline for the new school, what will that cost us? It will not cost anything. We are on a delay damage contract. The contractor would be responsible for any fees associated with not meeting the completion deadline. There is no cost associated with the CTE center if they are late. The state has made available Need based capital improvement funds. Our district has applied and did not receive them, but will continue to apply for these funds for assistance. Taxes will not go up due to the new high school.