Board members present: Chairman Todd Sutton, Teresa Grant, Ronald Johnson, Terri Sessoms, Peggy Smith, Tracie Zukowski Absent: Mike Wooten (illness) Board airs concerns about shortages of custodians and substitute teachers Johnston's school board, at last week's monthly meeting, confronted yet another personnel problem related to the coronavirus pandemic: shortages of custodians and substitute teachers at a number of school campuses. Chief of Human Resources Brian Vetrano said Johnston's schools currently have 800-900 substitute teachers on its roster, but only about 200 of them are what he termed "active subs." Furthermore, he noted, many of them are retired teachers who aren't willing to work every day. The system needs about 250 substitutes daily but gets only about half that many to come in for duty, Mr. Vetrano reported. Turning to custodial shortages, board member Ronald Johnson urged school administrators to bring in contracted service providers to take up the slack. "Get bids from the commercial companies," he insisted. Chief of Operations Dolores Gill said the system has been calling on temporary employment agencies for help, but admitted that some of those employees are proving to be unreliable. "As soon as we get them in, they leave," she said. Raising another concern, board member Terri Sessoms said she has heard that special-education teachers "are being pulled" to drive school buses. "What's happening to the programs they're supposed to be running?" she asked. Johnston's school system has been battling a bus-driver shortage for some time now. Apparently, the COVID-19 crisis is worsening that situation as well. BOARD URGED TO RAISE PAY FOR CLASSIFIED STAFF During her three minutes allotted for "Public Comment" on Tuesday's agenda, Johnston County Association of Educators President April Lee urged the board to increase pay for the school system's "classified" staff --- non-teaching jobs including custodians, bus drivers, cafeteria staff, secretaries and bookkeepers. She those employees as well as teachers are risking their health serving students during the coronavirus pandemic, "and they are often the ones left out of any monetary recognition from our state legislature." (Teachers last month got $350 bonuses authorized by the N.C. General Assembly.) Acknowledging a $300 county-paid "bonus" going out to employees other than teachers this month, she called for more: "Let us look to raise wages for our classified employees as we plan for our budget (for fiscal 2021-22). Let us consider a second bonus in the spring to tide us over for the permanent pay increases they deserve." SECOND-SEMESTER ATTENDANCE CHOICES BEING MADE Deputy Superintendent Paula Coates told the board that parents of all students in all grades enrolled in Johnston's public schools will be required to fill out a Second Semester Choice form by November 30 --- to choose either virtual learning at home or face-to-face instruction at school for the remainder of the 2020-21 school year. Details about the options are posted on the system's website> DURHAM PRINCIPAL A NEW ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT  The
board approved employment of Tonya Williams
Leathers, the current principal of Durham's
Riverside High School, as a High School Area
Assistant Superintendent. Her start date here is
January 19 at a salary of $125,000.In 2015 she was named Durham Public Schools' and the N.C. North Central Region's "Principal of the Year" while serving at Sherwood Githens Middle School. Before that she was principal of Durham's Eno Valley Elementary School. She has been Riverside's principal since 2016. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Middle School Education from N.C. Central University, a Masters in School Administration from N.C. State University, and is pursuing a Doctorate in Education, K-12 Leadership and Policy, from Vanderbilt University. She is replacing former Assistant Superintendent Ben Williams, who left earlier this year to take a similar position in Wilson County, and will join Johnston's currently employed assistant superintendents David Pearce and Patty Whittington. AWARDS FOR SEVERAL SCHOOL LEADERS RECOGNIZED The board took time for "Special Recognitions" of several individuals: • Sylvia Williams --- named Johnston County Schools' "Volunteer of the Year." She has been especially active at Meadow School. • Rena Keith --- named "Advocate of the Year" by the N.C. School Counselor Association. She's employed as Social and Emotional Learning Interventionist in the school system's Equity, Information, and Student Services department. • Amanda Allen --- named "Counseling Director of the Year" by the N.C. School Counselor Association. She's the Johnston system's Executive Director of Social and Emotional Learning. • Kerri Evans --- named Johnston's "Principal of the Year." She holds that position at Swift Creek Middle School. • Carson Cataliotti --- named Johnston's "Assistant Principal of the Year." She holds that position at South Smithfield Elementary School. Following those recognitions, Board Chairman Todd Sutton presented plaques of appreciation to board members Peggy Smith and Teresa Grant, who will be giving up their seats next month. Dr. Smith has served on the board since 2008 following a long career as a teacher and administrator in Johnston County's schools. She chose not to seek re-election. Teresa Grant joined the board four years ago. She lost her bid for re-election to a second term. Their seats will be filled at the December 8 board meeting by Lyn Andrews and Kay Carroll. Ronald Johnson and Mike Wooten won re-election to their seats. WEST VIEW PROPERTY SOLD FOR I-40 WIDENING The board approved the sale of a portion of the West View Elementary School property to the N.C. Department of Transportation for a project that's widening I-40 and adding an interchange with Cleveland Road near the school. NCDOT will pay $348,325 for the land plus drainage and utility easements. Director of Operations Gill said the transaction "does not impact the school directly." Proceeds from the sale, she said, would be used to improve the parking lot for buses. |
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