A discussion to move Kosciusko Lower Elementary and Middle Elementary back to separate schools with separate principals led to no action from the district Board of Trustees during its regular meeting Monday night.
Last August, the board voted to move current KLE principal Michelle Nowell over both schools that would be known as Kosciusko Primary School. The motion came after a late resignation with the board unable to fill the role with a “qualified candidate.”
“Mrs. Nowell has requested two new assistant principals for the school, but we have seen a positive from this move,” Kosciusko Superintendent Gina Smith said. “Being able to have one administrator look at both sides of the state accountability and assessment system has been a big help. But sometimes it is hard to comprehend running back and forth, but Mrs. Nowell has been able to handle it very well.”
“Mrs. Nowell has done a great job, but we did say that this was just a one-year fix and we need a principal at both sites on a regular basis,” board Vice President Randy Fuller said.
After discussion the trustees voted to table the motion until a future meeting.
In other business the contract renewals of four administrators including Nowell, Junior High Principal Jackie McElwain, High School Principal Cory Blaylock and alternative school administrator Dave Woodfin. Hirings included Leann Williams as SPED teacher at KUE, Ryan Jobe as assistant band director at KJH, Melissa Ball as full time food service at KLE and Doroth McShawn at KHS along with Felicia Martin, Amanda Dean, Anthony Whitehead, Linda Rone, Geneva Lewis, Ollie Brown and Debbie Dawson as subs.
Resignations were accepted from Michelle Tobia as speech pathologist, Betty Lindsay and Sid Wheatley as a teacher at KJH.
Other action taken include
• approval of advertisement for switches, backup batteries and rack at Success School for 2017-18;
• approval of the 2017-18 school calendar;
• approval of a $2,800 contract with McQueen Structural Engineering for site visits and drawings with two classrooms at KLE;
• approval of a $4,000 contract with Burns Cooley Dennis Inc. for soil probe testing;
• approval of a revision to the donated leave policy and the residential policy.
The next scheduled meeting of the Kosciusko Board of Trustees will be March 9 at 6 p.m. at the central office board room.
