Greater Clark County Schools: No word on Haire’s job for next year

Clark County

Discussion

June 10, 2009

Insurance plan also tabled

RICHARD GOOTEE The News and Tribune Wed Jun 10, 2009, 01:48 PM EDT

Steve Morris’ job as Jeffersonville High School principal is safe — for now. Amid speculation he may be reassigned, board members and Greater Clark County Schools interim Superintendent Travis Haire said Morris’ name was not included in personnel reports approved unanimously by the seven-member school board.

Board President Bob McEwen and board member Christina Gilkey declined further comment on Morris’ job status beyond verifying his name was not on the report.

“I don’t know. I didn’t start them — I didn’t know,” Gilkey said when asked about the rumors surrounding Morris.

Haire said his job position when incoming superintendent Stephen Daeschner arrives has yet to be determined, but he will remain within the school system.

The board also tabled the approval of a new insurance program that would have included a dual-option plan after teachers’ association president Nick Wiese accused Culpepper Cooper, the district’s insurance agent of record, of not sharing information, including other bids that were submitted.

“We are educators and want to make educated decisions, but we have not been given the information to do that,” Wiese told the board.

After the meeting, Wiese said the association knows it will be looking at an increase in insurance premiums, but hoped the union would be able to review other bids before making a decision. He said a special meeting probably will be needed because current policies expire July 1.

Wiese estimated that 150 teachers came to the meeting.

Initially, it appeared the proposal would die after it failed to be motioned, but members then decided to table the proposal, which drew loud cheers.

Before it was tabled, Cooper assured the board and crowd that his job was to keep insurance costs as low as possible for all corporation employees, not just teachers. He said since his original proposal, he has reduced the cost for the next year by more than $600,000 in terms of the maximum cost.

“I am doing my job and that’s the reason I came here tonight,” he said.

In April, Cooper told the board it needed to consider other options because the district’s current provider, Humana, was proposing a 25 percent increase. One of the options included a health savings account.

Cooper was interrupted on multiple occasions by the audience during his presentation.

In other business

• The board got rid of the so-called “wacky Wednesday” schedule following State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Bennett’s decree earlier this year that half-days for professional development and parent-teacher conferences would no longer be counted toward the 180-day required total for students. Specific times for each school were not available at press time.

Bennett is the former Greater Clark superintendent.

• The board unanimously approved the purchase of land in Charlestown for the high school’s automobile technology courses.

“When the new high school was designed, there wasn’t anything put in place for the auto tech program and so a lot of people thought it was going away,” Gilkey said. “As a board we want to show our support for having a diverse offering.”

• Charlestown resident Jim Wesp presented a plan to the board that would raise half of the $700,000 that is needed over four years to expand the Charlestown High School one-to-one computer initiative to the middle school. The one-to-one program gives each student a laptop they can use during school and take home for a small fee.

In April, the board voted 4-3 against including the middle school in the program after learning it could not be covered by bond money like the high school program.

Under the proposal Wesp presented, if private funds would fall short during the second year of the agreement, the board would eventually be able to terminate the middle-school agreement.

• A reception was held for six retirees of the school district before the meeting. Each was given a lifetime pass to Greater Clark events.

The board also recognized Bill Wanke for his service to the Jeffersonville High School athletic department.