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ATWOOD (November 2) The West Carroll
Special School District Board of Education
agreed to pay for crossing guards to assist
buses, parents and students at the
elementary school in Trezevant.
On a motion by Trezevant representatives
Donald Cunningham and Jim Pirtle the board
voted unanimously to pay $2,700 in salary
(about $15 per day) for two crossing guards.
Trezevant Alderman George Jennings made a
request in October for the guards, citing a
recent accident and saying guards were
needed to help bus drivers and students.
Donald Cunningham said he had received
several phone calls from residents asking
for the guards because of the high traffic
volume at the school.
Chairman Jimmy Halford said the school board
would reimburse the city of Trezevant to pay
for guards for a year and then talk to the
Trezevant City Board about the arrangement.
The city is responsible for hiring the
guards.
George Jennings said the City Board did not
have funds to pay for the guards. He said a
former guard, Wendell Barnes and a volunteer
firefighter had agreed to work as guards.
School Director Eric Williams contacted
several towns in the region and said most
crossing guards and traffic control costs
are paid for by cities and police
departments.
Board members and Alderman Jennings said
they would research possible grant funding
that could be available to pay for crossing
guards next year.
Other actions by the West Carroll Board of
Education Nov. 1:
Ball field lighting - School Director Eric
Williams received estimates on the cost of
installing lights at the school softball and
baseball fields. Total cost would be
approximately $150,000, the baseball field
estimated at $96,325 and softball field at
$53,675. The school system applied for a
grant but did not qualify. Mr. Williams
planned to meet Nov. 8 with Ray Wallace,
lighting consultant from the Musco lighting
firm from Smyrna, Tenn. Musco provides
lights with a 25-year warranty. Williams
said TVA does not offer assistance with
school athletic field lighting at this time.
Water damages gym floor - Eric Williams
reported that problems with gutters and
downspouts at the high school resulted in
significant water damage to the gym floor.
Williams called the situation "potentially
disastrous" but said repairs would be made
and funded through the school's insurance
with the Tennessee School Boards
Association. Approximately 200 gallons of
water were removed from beneath the gym
floor after heavy rains. A 30 ft. by 50 ft.
section of the floor will be replaced and
the entire gym floor will be re-sanded and
painted in March 2008. "We will wind up with
a brand new floor," said Williams. Two-foot
extensions were added to gutter downspouts,
topsoil was added, and gutters were cleared
of debris to avoid future problems.
Contracts awarded for equipment - The school
board evaluated bids and awarded contracts
for equipment and construction.
Truck bids - Tri-County Motors of
McKenzie received the contract for a Ford
F-250 truck with towing capability for
$16,279.27. A bid from Graves Chevrolet of
Milan for a Chevrolet truck totaled $19,550,
about $3,270 more.
Lawnmower bids - Jeff's Lawnmower of
Huntingdon received the contract for a John
Deere mower designed for athletic fields and
other uses at a low bid price of $6,295,
beating competing bids for Cub Cadet mowers
submitted by Weaver Small Engine of Jackson
($6,910) and Harris Small Engine of Milan
($6,355).
Sidewalk awnings for elementary and
primary schools - Jackson Storm Window and
Door received the contract to install
weather protective sidewalk awnings at the
two schools with a bid of $14,783. About
$35,000 was budgeted for the project that
will extend awnings from the school entrance
doors to the parking lot area.
New bus policies - Board approved new
policies dealing with school bus scheduling
and routing as recommended by the Tenn.
School Boards Assoc. Under the policies,
appeals of transportation decisions shall be
made to the director of schools, not the
school board. Every bus driver is to be
informed of policies and procedures. No
student may exit a bus at a destination
other than the student's designated bus
stop. But the school director may adopt,
with approval from the school board,
procedures that allow a student to exit a
bus at an alternative location. A signed
note from a parent or guardian will be
required for a change in the bus stop.
Student disciplinary hearings - New policies
were approved regarding a Disciplinary
Hearing Authority (DHA) that conducts
hearings for students who have been
suspended, expelled or remanded for more
than ten school days. The DHA's notification
to parents or guardians about a scheduled
hearing will no longer include instructions
requiring a written request from parents or
guardians for an open hearing. The notice
from DHA about the hearing shall include a
statement saying that unless a parent or
guardian requests an open hearing within
five days of notification about the hearing,
any hearing will be closed to the public.
School events set - Primary school Principal
Claudia Argo reported that students and
staff were exercising regularly by using the
school's new walking track. The school
completed Red Ribbon Week and plans its
annual Thanksgiving holiday auction Nov. 20.
Elementary Principal Travis Carter said his
school plans a Harvest Festival Nov. 9.
Principal's father dies - Director Eric
Williams expressed condolences on behalf of
the school system to high school Principal
Lex Suite, whose father died Oct. 29.
Eric Williams speaking at board meeting
holding papers
SCHOOL DIRECTOR Eric Williams spoke at the
Nov. 1 meeting of the West Carroll school
board, saying the school system will pay for
crossing guards at Trezevant Elementary
School during this school year but the
hiring of the employees will be managed by
the Trezevant City Board.
Board member Donald Cunningham speaking
WEST CARROLL SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER Donald
Cunningham made a motion during a Nov. 1
meeting that was approved unanimously by the
board to fund crossing guards at the
Elementary School in Trezevant for this
school year. Trezevant alderman George
Jennings made the request to the school
board, saying the city budget did not have
sufficient funds to provide the guards. |
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