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Letter to the Editor Dear Editor, In light of the recent personnel decisions by the Jenkins County Board of Education for the 2008-2009 school year, we have several questions. 1. Were personnel positions cut from among the board office staff? Has any staff had salary increases above the percentage set by the General Assembly on the state salary schedule? 2. If decreased funding is due in part to the depressed economic status and loss of jobs in our county (therefore negatively impacting tax revenues), what measurable steps have been taken by our board members and superintendent to work with the development authority? 3. We know all parents have the responsibility to choose the best education for their child whether it is parochial, private, or home schooling. Most parents take this responsibility very seriously. If parents choose to not enroll their child in Jenkins County schools this will result in decreased funding. Have Board members or our superintendent made any attempt to determine if parental dissatisfaction with our schools is causing any parents to educate their child in another school? What are concerns of the Jenkins County school system employees who work every day to educate our students but their own children are educated elsewhere? 4. Many school systems offer their certified staff contracts for the following school year beginning in January. The funding level for our system was not solely determined in the past week. There are many successful public and private business women and men in our county. Could their business expertise be utilized by the Board and superintendent in any way with budgeting issues? Why was staff not notified earlier of the cuts, therefore increasing the likelihood that they could find employment elsewhere? 5. Did the superintendent take the time to meet with staff that was not going to be employed for the 2008-2009 school year? This would seem to be an excellent opportunity to answer questions, address concerns and thank staff for their service to our students. 6. Have board members and central office staff been visible in our community and schools? Have they taken the time to listen to all employees - lunchroom staff, bus drivers, paraprofessionals, secretaries, administrators, etc. - and learn all they can? We believe that the employees of our system could provide concrete suggestions for improvement if they were asked.
Our school system is facing serious issues. However, there continues to be an abundance of dedication among employees. Their efforts on behalf of students are greatly appreciated. We look forward to a response through an interview with Deborah Bennett which could be reported in The Millen News or directly from Jenkins County School system central office. |
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