(The Pierce County Board of Education discussed and/or voted on the following during their monthly work session, Thursday, October 1 and its regular monthly meeting Monday, October 5.
Closed session: The board adjourned into a five minute closed session to discuss personnel. After the session, the board voted to hire Jocelyn Mathieu as receptionist and Tasha Riggs as records clerk, both at the middle school. Contract changes were approved for Jamie Akin at the high school for full time first semester and 49 percent second semester and Raymond Pate at the high school from part-time to full time. The board also approved Shelby Altman as a community coach for the high school wrestling team. The board also accepted the resignations of Taylor Owens, paraprofessional at Blackshear Elementary, Carrie Carter, receptionist and Alise Wall, attendance and records clerk at the middle school, Roderick Ringgold, paraprofessional and coach at the high school and Derica Harris, school nutrition assistant. At Monday’s meeting, the board voted to hire Kim Spence as a paraprofessional at Blackshear Elementary and Millie Toler as a custodian at Patterson Elementary. Leslie Lee was also approved as head boys soccer coach at the middle school.
Transportation requests: The board approved three requests from the transportation department. The first will seek bids for a new school bus with the funds to be provided by the sales tax. The board also agreed to retrofit three school buses with air conditioning in the amount of $40,950. Funds will come from the general fund. The board also approved replacing an engine in a 2020 international bus in the amount of $40,630.07.
Reports: Finance Director Melanie Helms gave the system’s financial report. Total year-to-date revenue was at $5.49 million for August, while expenses were $6.27 million. The school system has a reserve of about $15.3 million. Helms noted the system will dip into its reserves to pay expenses for the first few months of the fiscal year until tax revenue begins coming in. Helms reported the system’s sales tax revenue was $276,329 in August down about $7,000 from July.The board approved the financial report. The board also approved a list of assets for removal that are no longer working or no longer in use.
Consent agenda: Four items were approved under the consent agenda. They include:
• approval to advertising seeking bids to resurface the parking lot at the Board of Education's central office on Main Street.
• approval of a field trip request to allow the FFA at the high school to attend the National FFA Convention in October in Indianapolis, IN. An additional request for allow the fourth grade at Blackshear Elementary to go to the Jacksonville Zoo and Botanical Gardens in Jacksonville, FL, Nov. 12, was also approved at Monday’s regular meeting. All out-of-state field trips require board approval.
• approval of a memorandum of understanding to allow South Georgia State College to provide college credit courses at the high school.
• approval of a non resident student application was approved for a freshman at the high school.
Public participation: There was no public participation at the meeting.
Information: Superintendent Dara Bennett announced that schools will be closed Oct. 12-16 for fall break. Reports will be issued October 21. Nov. 20 will be an early release day for students and the Thanksgiving break will be Nov. 23-27.
The board approved the minutes for September.
Next meeting: The November regular work session will be at 8 a.m. Thursday, November 5 and the regular monthly meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. Monday, November 9. Both meetings will be at the central office.
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