Recommended budget cuts for 2010-11

[munn5]

The Chatham GOP will be discussing budget issues Tuesday, May 11. They've asked me to do a presentation on the school budget. If you'd like to attend, it is at the Pittsboro Senior Center at 7pm. Note - you can't get there directly from 64 because of construction - take the bypass and go south on 87.

I would be happy to speak on the school budget and school issues to any other civic group, political party, or other gathering - just ask, and I'll be available.

[natvrabit]

http://www.wral.com/news/education/story/7674880/

Teacher positions to be saved after all?

[munn5]

Here is a link to a comparison the current budget versions approved by the House and the Senate (along with the Governor's and the state board of education's original budgets).

http://www.ncpublicschools.org/docs/fbs/budgetcomparison.xls

As a reminder, the cuts in next year's budget are listed below. Mr. Logan said that these should cover the reductions from any form of the state budget.

Central Office Administrators - 1	80,445
Curriculum Coaches -9 - 11 to 10 months	47,419
Instructional Services Division Facilitators -11 - 12 to 11 months	66,027
Career Technical Education positions paid from State Regular ADM - 3	154,781
Academically Intellectually Gifted - 1 position	55,574
Overtime Reduction 25%	50,000
Teacher or Media Assistants - 7	200,123
Central Office Clerical - 1	45,650
Employee Dental	316,577
New Teacher Signing Bonus	25,974
School Instructional Allotments (Supplies & Materials)	259,807
School-based Rewards	14,291
Instructional Field Trips	38,360
Local Staff Development	135,693
Supplies and Materials – Central Office	79,812
Grand Total	1,570,533

[mountain gal]

I noticed on the Personnel agenda for Monday night that Pollard Middle got an athletic director and that it was a new position.  When did the middle schools get athletic directors?  How many sports are at the middle schools to direct???  I think that money could be put to better use. Will this person just direct or will he also teach?

[artymarty]

It's impossible to have middle school athletics without someone to coordinate them all at the school, make sure there are coaches and schedule events betweens schools.  Without the athletic director we could not have middle school sports.  Do you really think we should do that? I don't, and I don't even like sports myself.

At the other middle schools the AD is a full time teacher, usually also coaching several sports in addition to the AD duties.

[kimmimom]

last night it was said that one of the PE teachers from NCS and PHS would be full time PE teacher and the other one would be teaching health and one PE class and would be teaching something else (so maybe AD position there?).  There was not anything said about an AD at the new middle school question-answer session, although I admit I got there 30 minutes late and might have missed it...

[mountain gal]

Having taught at a middle school in Chatham, no, we did not have a full time athletic director.  The only sports we had were basketball, softball and soccer.  The coach/athletic director was the health and PE teacher, which was true in most cases. Parents and volunteers can also be approved to coach. How many athletic directors do we have currently in the middle schools?  How long does it take to make schedules?  Is the athletic director coaching?  On the personnel agenda, it only stated that he was hired to be athletic director.  If  teaching, it would have stated what subject(S) he would also be responsible for.  My point is - that as tight as things are - academics should have priority!! 

It is not unusual for teachers to be split between schools.

Look under the Board of Education on the CCS website - personnel agenda for Monday night.  This position would not have been discussed in the open meeting - personnel matters are in closed session.

[artymarty]

I am sure it is probably a teaching position like at the other schools.

[jmidd]

It's a full time PE position in addition to all athletic duties which are much more vast than folks realize (even at a middle school) and most likely coaching at least one season. Pay for a first time AD at that level is about $400 per YEAR by the way. It had to be posted this early because the AD at the new school has much to do before school begins again in August. Transportation issues, facilities, uniform purchases, equipment, raising of funds to keep the athletic program alive, supervision, cleaning/upkeep,  schedules (which may now involve Chapel Hill schools because of competition issues), etc. Not to mention the combining of two good athletic programs into one. At this time there is only room for one full time PE position and since there must also be a health curriculum it will involve both PE positions, NCS and PHS. One taking the Health/PE electives and one taking the PE/AD. The school will open with roughly 480 students. If you do the math it's tough for one person to see that many children in a weeks time and come close to meeting the 200+ minutes of recommended physical activity they need. Thus the need for Health/elective/fitness/etc. Dr. Bartholomew has already put in numerous hours planning this program and I think all will be impressed. As posted on the CC website, Aaron Kivette (PHS) will move into the AD/PE position and I will do the Health/elective position. With the on staff coaches at both schools moving to Pollard as well, the athletic program will be well staffed. This also enables me to keep my coaching responsibilities at Northwood in tact. Jack Middleton NCS

[mountain gal]

I don't know whether to congratulate Mr. Kivett or feel sorry for him then.  I was just concerned that it only listed AD - knowing that other middle schools did not have a full time athletic director and how could you give to one and not the others.

[sshookup]

Having taught at a middle school in Chatham, no, we did not have a full time athletic director.  The only sports we had were basketball, softball and soccer.  The coach/athletic director was the health and PE teacher, which was true in most cases. Parents and volunteers can also be approved to coach. How many athletic directors do we have currently in the middle schools?  How long does it take to make schedules?  Is the athletic director coaching?  On the personnel agenda, it only stated that he was hired to be athletic director.  If  teaching, it would have stated what subject(S) he would also be responsible for.  My point is - that as tight as things are - academics should have priority!! 

It is not unusual for teachers to be split between schools.

Look under the Board of Education on the CCS website - personnel agenda for Monday night.  This position would not have been discussed in the open meeting - personnel matters are in closed session.

AD is a thankless tough damn job MG that involves a lot more time than you can possibly imagine. Athletics is just as important as any other "extra" curricular activity.  Pick up a paper. OBESITY issues?  We NEED to keep our kids involved and engaged in using their bodies as well as their minds.  As far as I'm concerned, you can't have one work well w/o the other. If anything we need to pay these people more and hire more of them.  Sports build
more than bodies--character, working as a team, self esteem, leadership---qualities I'd like to have in a co=worker or boss or commissioner!!

Later-

OK- this part=  character, working as a team, self esteem, leadership-  that's only if you take the time to hire the right person.  If you have the
wrong, immature, ditz queen/king like I described about you can do more harm than good.  AND these coaches and assistants spend a lot of time
with these kids so just throwing anyone in there can really backfire. So it is important to take care when hiring and try to pay these folks a decent wage.  But then most of them do it for something other than the money, obviously.

[SBB]

Sports in high school can also keep some in school that might otherwise drop out.

[sshookup]

Exactly.  Not too many kids actually stay in school because History is fascinating.  They come to dance, act, sing, play ball, be with friends and in the process they sometimes learn stuff.

[Tags:]

Jump to: Please select a destination: ----------------------------- Chatham County Online ----------------------------- => Chatham County Online => Chatham County Schools => Chatham County Food & Drink => Chatham County Music & Arts => Chatham Community Calendar => Free Classifieds & Help Wanted Ads => Noah's Ark - All Creatures Great & Small. => Neighbor to Neighbor => Gardening and Agriculture => Chatham County Real Estate => North Carolina => This, That and Everything Else