Sean C. Morgan
The District 55 School Board voted Thursday to hire Josh Dargis as assistant principal at the Sweet Home Junior High and Steve Brown as Athletic Director and Assistant Principal at Sweet Home High School.
The two have been serving as teachers operating on special assignment this year, both in those capacities this year – just without the titles and administrative salaries.
The board voted 6-2. Voting to hire were Mike E. Adams, Chanz Keeney, Jason Redick, Dale Keene, Mike Reynolds and Jenny Daniels. Voting no were Jan Sharp and David VanDerlip. Kevin Burger was absent.
“What really concerns me is it’ll cost the district an extra $70,000,” VanDerlip said.
Sharp said she was cautious about restoring administrative time.
Assistant principles were cut last school year as part of a number of budget reductions.
“I don’t care if we get it back there eventually,” Sharp said, but she is concerned about restoring it so quickly after getting a little more revenue back.
There is a revenue package associated with the move, said Supt. Don Schrader. Dargis will handle assistant principal and athletic director duties, and he’s also going to administer the Sweet Home Online program, which Schrader hopes will improve enrollment in the district, bringing additional revenue from the state.
The move still leaves the high school down .5 full-time equivalent administrators, Schrader said. The high school had three full-time administrators before the district began cutting.
Chanz Keeney asked whether the district should consider a single athletic director, but others responded that it would come with logistical problems with different schedules for the junior high and high school programs.
In other business, the board:
n Adopted the budget and set tax rates approved by the District 55 Budget Committee for 2013-14.
n Awarded an iPad Mini to Alexis Virtue following a drawing among ESPY winners. The award is given to two students from each school each month for showing academic success and exemplary behavior.
n Accepted the retirement of Elena Barton, Student Services director and Holley principal, though Barton will continue next year on a special contract.
n Hired Lillian Jackson as a special education and resource room teacher at Hawthorne.
n Hired Brandi McMahand as a special education and resource room teacher at Foster.
n Hired Elizabeth Runciman as a math teacher at Sweet Home High School.
n Hired Stefani Swanson as a .75 FTE counselor at Hawthorne and .25 FTE counselor at Holley.
n Accepted the resignation of Nicole Gardner, SHHS language arts teacher.
n Accepted the resignation of Janelle Barnet, .6 FTE Title I teacher at Foster.
n Approved the existing Title I parental involvement policy with current language. The policy must be reviewed and approved annually.