Board: School personnel can sub as bus drivers

October 19, 2006

By PAUL ROY
INDEPENDENT HERALD PUBLISHER

HUNTSVILLE — It was a mostly routine meeting for the Scott County Board of Education here Thursday night, but there were a few items on the agenda which resulted in some debate.

It turned out to be a unanimous vote to approve a motion by Sam Wright to rescind an August 9, 1979 motion calling for allowing school personnel to also serve as bus drivers.

Director of Schools Mike Davis said both certified and classified employees of the school system should be allowed to obtain their CDL licenses in the event they are needed to step in as a driver in an emergency situation.

The measure was originally passed due to the fact that several school employees would sometimes leave their regular jobs early to serve as a bus driver, resulting in board action to prevent that from happening.

Now, however, substitute bus drivers are sorely needed.

However, the motion adopted Thursday night did contain a provision stating that the bus driving cannot interfere with that person’s regular duties.

“My intent is to open up a pool of substitute bus drivers in time to get people trained (for their CDL and “P” endorsement.) It’s going to take a little time,” Davis stated.

Also acted on Thursday was the awarding of bids for the Scott High School Senior Trip to New York City during the school system’s spring break at a cost of $16,100, and the annual Beta Club trip for junior high students to Washington, D.C. and Gettysburg, PA (at a cost of $25,800). Both bids were the low bids submitted by and awarded to Tour Coordinators of Oneida, at the recommendation of the school principals.

In other action, the board:

• Adopted on first reading board policies related to the grading system, interim employees, attendance, medicine, and the use of electronic devices by students. There was some debate on the electronic devices usage policy as it was not the same as had been published in the student handbook for Scott High School students. After some discussion, it was decided to approve the policy on first reading as recommended by the Tennessee School Boards Association, but to make it compatible with the handbook policy before its adoption on second and final reading. The policy will be discussed further at the board’s next work session;

• Voted to lease-purchase a new version of Compass-Odyssey software over a three-year period at a total cost of $117,308. The system is being acquired to upgrade the current software to a web-based system;

• Approved E-Rate Consulting, Inc., for the 2007-2008 school year at no cost to the board;

• Voted to ask the Scott County Finance Office to bid a ring-in buzzer system for security purposes at the Robbins Elementary School;

• Appropriated $1,500 toward the county’s Imagination Library program;

• Authorized the dedication of the new Field House at Fairview Elementary School in memory of fallen Marine Rusty Washam, who was killed in action in Iraq on Feb. 14, 2006; and,

• Approved the 2006-2007 Safe School Grant, which will provide training and materials throughout the system.

Enjoy the Independent Herald? Have it delivered to your door! Click here for details.