TMS Principal Will Assume New Duties

Dec 11, 2002 | Headline News

The current principal at the Trenton Middle School will assume new duties with the district next year.

George Moore, who has been the TMS principal the past two years, will become the district?s Director of Supportive Services/Activities Director, effective July 1. Moore will be replacing the current director, Ron Hurst, who plans to retire at the end of his current contract.

Moore was hired during an executive session of the R-9 Board of education following the regular meeting on Tuesday night and his new employment was announced today. The board will now begin the process of employing a new middle school principal, who would begin work with the district on July 1.

The employee health insurance contract, a policy on issuance of paychecks and a request for part-time attendance were among the items on which action was taken by the board during the regular session of the meeting.

The board agreed to allow an employee insurance committee to make the final choice, with approval from the superintendent, of who will be the health insurance provider for 2004. Superintendent Harry Wheeler said he had received a written confirmation that insurance costs would rise 9 percent with the current carrier, Group Benefit, and had been ready to recommend that the board continue coverage with that firm. However, he said he had received a second proposal on Tuesday that offered similar benefits at a comparable cost and asked that the board allow the proposal to be reviewed by the committee before the final decision was made. Board members, on a 6-0 vote, agreed to the request from Wheeler, which would also let the committee make the final choice. Board member Dr. Paul Cox asked that the board be made aware of the name of the second carrier that was being considered.

Approval was given to a written policy, stating that when a payday falls on a weekend or holiday, checks would be issued to certified personnel on the last preceding school day. Wheeler noted that the district had been following an unwritten assumption that if Saturday fell on the 17th of the month, checks would be issued the preceding Friday, but that if the 17th fell on a Sunday, checks were paid on the following Monday. That procedure had not always been followed, however, when there was a holiday or school was not scheduled to be in session on the following Monday. Wheeler said he felt that a written policy should be in place so that there would be no confusion in the future.

Six high schools students were allowed an early-out for the second semester so that they can attend college classes. Those students included Charity Brown, Lindsey Lattimore, Kinnison McKay, Erin Peters, Caitlin Robinson and Kevin Willcuts.

Wheeler reported on a meeting he recently attended, which indicated there probably would not be additional state money available next year to fully fund the foundation formula. Wheeler said officials estimate another $429 million would be needed to fully fund the formula and that the state is projecting only between $30 and $50 million in new revenues for the next fiscal year. He said officials also indicated that there is little likelihood of any cuts of funding for this year.

During principal reports, it was announced that the middle school vocal music program would be held at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 17 at the Tenth Street Baptist Church. The Rissler Elementary Program is planned for 7 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 16 at the Ketcham Community Center. High school students and teachers will participate in a holiday program planned for Friday, Dec. 20 at the high school during the final period of the day. Students and faculty at both the Rissler Elementary and Trenton Middle schools are collected canned food for the community food pantry.

Elementary Principal Kathy Nolke announced that the school is teaming up with the Grundy County-Jewett Norris Library to host family literacy nights at the library next semester. The library has received a grant for the programs, which will be held one night in January, February and April and each night will focus on a specific grade level. The programs will include a reading time for parents and children as well as an activity time for children and a speaker for parents.

The board held an executive session concerning personnel, legal, real estate and student matters.