School Board Wants Full Education Funding, Lower Health Benefit Plan Costs

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The Cherokee County School Board wants the Georgia General Assembly to fully fund education.

That’s according to the board’s draft 2015 Legislative Program, which it reviewed during its work session on Thursday.

The draft legislative program, which will be presented to the board for approval next month, calls for three priorities for the Cherokee County legislative delegation to pursue as far as educational funding and legislation:

1. Full funding by the state of the Quality Basic Education (QBE) formula, which is not occurring due to state austerity budget cuts that in the district amount to $17.6 million this year ($121 million over the past five years);
2. Address skyrocketing State Health Benefit Plan premiums and out-of-pocket expenses for both employers and employees; and,
3. Make necessary mid-course corrections in the new assessment models for teacher and administrators, including placing greater emphasis on teacher classroom performance as opposed to student test scores.

Board members also accepted the resignations of two senior staff members: Assistant Superintendent of Financial Management Candler Howell, who is retiring in November, and Letitia Cline, assistant superintendent of educational programs, student support and professional development, who is retiring in December.

Howell joined the district 27 years ago as its chief financial officer, a role he has held ever since and during which time he led the department through the community’s significant growth including a tenfold increase in the school district’s operating budget.

“Mr. Howell exhibits the organization skills, competence and professionalism of an outstanding auditor and financial management expert, while maintaining a systematic and common sense approach to dealing with extraordinary fiscal challenges and a thoughtful and personable demeanor in dealing with colleagues and employees at all levels of the CCSD organization,” Dr. Petruzielo said.

Cline, after graduating from district schools and pursuing higher education, returned to the system to serve as an educator for 30 years, including as a classroom teacher, assistant principal, national award-winning principal and in her current role.

“Ms. Cline’s professional commitment and districtwide leadership in helping at-risk students achieve at high levels has made her a wonderful role model for teachers, principals and senior staff,” Dr. Petruzielo added.

School board members also approved a bid to build a new car rider driveway at Carmel Elementary School.

The parent entrance project was unanimously awarded to NJ Wilbanks Contractor for the low bid of $1.85 million, “which is a significant savings from the school district’s original budget of $2.7 Million,” the district said on Friday.

Construction will begin in November, and completion is scheduled for February.

After receiving bids on the original request for proposals that exceeded the project budget, the board in June approved Superintendent of Schools Dr. Frank Petruzielo’s recommendation that staff once again review the site and plans to see if changes could be made to garner more competitive bids.

As a result, the project was modified and resulted in a savings to taxpayers of $1.15 million from the original cost.

“I greatly appreciate the school board’s support in this effort and the work of my staff, especially Assistant Superintendent Bill Sebring, whose department oversees construction among other roles, to continue our historically strong stewardship of all resources entrusted to us by our community,” Petruzielo said.