Update provided on superintendent search
The Board of Education’s May meeting celebrated student awards and the teachers who helped get them there.
Board Chairman Ginger Bailey called the May 13 meeting to order and welcomed a room packed with parents, teachers and students ready to celebrate their accomplishments.
“We are glad to see a roomful of people, especially young people,” she said.
Board Member Dr. Nancy Nash said she cannot say enough about teachers.
“There is nothing more important than teachers. They engage, provoke and mentor. We want them to know they are appreciated,” she said. Board Member Brady Skinner said he was glad to see the community interested. He said his short time on the board has been an eye-opening experience.
Superintendent Charles Lundy said it had been another successful school year. He said graduation is May 20 at the Centennial Center in Milledgeville, and a retirement luncheon would be held May 21.
Lundy said it is budget season, and he met with Tri-County last week. He said two schools use Tri-County, and with costs going up, there will be an increase.
“We knew it was coming,” he said.
He said school system revenue would increase with QBE funding values, and the Education Special Local Option Sales Tax revenue has continued to ‘tip up.’
“We need to be good stewards,” the superintendent said.
Lundy said Nash has been an advocate of increasing the school systems’ local supplement for teachers, and he believes that can be accomplished.
He noted that the last day of school is May 20.
Superintendent search
Georgia School Board Association representatives spoke to board members about the process of the superintendent search. Dr. Sam King introduced himself as the search leader, and Dr. Donna Hinton will be assisting. Both are retired educators and past superintendents.
Hinton said the most important job of a school board is the hiring of a school superintendent. She said the search can be statewide or nationwide, depending on the desire of the board.
The process begins with a survey of board members to determine what they are looking for in a superintendent.
“It’s a big process,” she said.
Hinton said there are certain things that are important for a superintendent for any school in the U.S. Once the survey is complete, a database in created.
The local board decides the length of the job posting. Packets received from candidates are analyzed and meetings scheduled. One of the final steps is candidate interviews by the board.
“Board members have the option of seeing all applicants,” she said.
Bailey asked if the search could be only in Georgia.
King said it could, but other applicants do have access to the postings.
Student spotlight
Jones County College and Career Academy CEO Lisa Collins assisted teaches with presenting their students who were Career and Technical Student Organization state winners.
• AdamGillhouse presented Marley Lang, and Jamie Thompson — SkillsUSA state second place in audio production
• JolynnAubrypresented Madeline Johnson — state champion in prepared speech for future Georgia educators.
• MichaelDenaro presented Levi Bowden — SkillsUSA state second place in heavy equipment operations
• AydenLee—SkillsUSA state third place in heavy equipment operations
• TaniaHenderson presented Reagan Crawford — FFA state first place in creed speaking
• CallieLankford presented Ava Dunlap, Faith Hudson, Chloe McMillan and Alexa Williams — FFA State second place in dairy judging team
• CallieLankford presented Shelby McCraine — FFA state third place in equine entrepreneurship proficiency
• Lankfordpresented Sage Ward — FFA state third place in vet science proficiency
• MargieThompson presented Kalon Bilsland and Skyler Naughton — CTI state first place in occupational creative thinking & Georgia CTI Outstanding Senior Scholarship recipient
• ThompsonPresented Mickey Corley — CTI state second place in public speaking
• CassidyGooden–CTI state first place nutrition & food science
• NevaehRoss–CTIstate first place metal working
• ZacharySturgeon– CTI state second place in catering/food table set-up
• RidgeWallacepresented Ashley Jones, Dan Cleveland and Dalton McDaniel – SkillsUSA state first place in metal working display
• Wallacealsopresented Cleveland, Heath Hulett and Landon Lewis – SkillsUSA state first place in welding fabrication Collins thanked each of the instructors.
“You are not just teaching, you are shaping the future,” she said. “I’m proud to work side-by-side with each one of you.”
Finance report
JCSS CFO Tonya Merritt presented the finance report for the month ending April 30, which is 83.33 percent of the school year. She stated total revenues were $56,164,242 and total expenditures $51,204,422.
The ending cash balance is $28,792,245.
Education SPLOST collections for April were $327,974, making the average monthly collections $308,918.
Skinner asked the date of the JCSS fiscal year. Merritt said it is July 1 to June 30.
Lundy explained, due to a requirement of HB 92 that is in reference to HB 581, the Board of Education needs to set an estimated rollback millage rate to be included on the tax assessment notices mailed out later this month.
He recommended using the same rate and last year, a total of 18.092, which includes the M&O rate and the bond rate. The vote for the recommendation took place with the other action items.
Action items
Following the vote to approve the action items, board members adjourned at 7:10 p.m. to go into closed session to discuss personal matters. The meeting reconvened at 7:29 p.m.
Board members voted unanimously to approve the personnel actions agreed upon in the closed session, and the meeting was adjourned. The list of the personnel actions approved at the meeting is available on the Jones County Board of Education website.
The next scheduled meeting of the board is at 6 p.m. June 10.
