District Seeks To Reduce Class Sizes, Hire More Teachers

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WOODSTOCK, GA -- The Cherokee County School Board on Thursday reviewed preliminary information that will influence the school district’s 2016-17 annual budget.

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian Hightower said he and his staff are preparing the budget for a May presentation to the school board, with a focus on reducing class size, continuing competitive compensation for employees, improving instructional resources and restoring financial reserves.

The information was discussed at the board's Strategic Work Session.

“I feel the strongest about class size,” Dr. Hightower said, noting that he wants to maintain the district’s emphasis on using increasing revenue due to the declining state’s austerity budget cuts for this purpose. “I have said that it would take us 10 years to get back to where we were before the recession for class size, but for us to be this close this quickly, it’s impressive.”

The preliminary information presented to board members indicates that the district could use $2.3 million of the state’s proposed $7 million reduction in austerity budget cuts to shrink average class sizes to: 20.6 for kindergarten, 21.3 for grades 1-3, 27.4 for grades 4-5, 27.1 for grades 6-8 and 29.5 for grades 9-12.

This move would lower average class sizes across all grades; the information also noted that it would require an additional $4 million in reductions to state “austerity budget cuts” to hire the 50 teachers needed to complete the return to pre-pecession class sizes.

Dr. Hightower also presented several options for preserving competitive compensation levels for Cherokee County’s 4,500 employees. While the governor has proposed that school districts use the reduction in austerity budget cuts to award 3-percent salary increase to teachers, Dr. Hightower reminded the school board that the district traditionally recommends increases for all employees, not just one group.

He said a better solution to provide sustainable salary increases to all employees would be a longevity step increase, which amounts to approximately a 2.5 percent bump up on average. Dr. Hightower added that this is in keeping with the system’s history of using longevity step increases versus one-time pay hikes in order to “maintain the trajectory” of sustaining competitive salaries.

Other major priorities highlighted by Dr. Hightower during the work session and regular meeting included restoring funding to the Office of Educational Programs for instructional materials, beginning with math resources that have not been updated districtwide in many (eight) years; and for support staff to assist teachers and administrators with special programs.

One such program specifically mentioned was Response to Intervention, which helps students who are struggling in class due to academic or behavior issues that could be corrected with more personalized instruction.

At the regular meeting that followed the work session, board members also approved personnel recommendations that included the retirement of three longtime leaders: David Gazaway, coordinator of vehicle maintenance, who retires after 40 years of service entirely to the district; Don Corr, director of staffing, who retires after 33 years as an educator; and Susan Turner, supervisor of school nutrition, who retires after 30 years as an educator.

All three received standing ovations from the audience.

As a result of recent promotions and retirements, subsequent personnel recommendations also were announced including:

• Rick Beaulieu, assistant superintendent for the Office of Personnel Management, who currently serves as executive director of HR Services for Atlanta Public Schools;
• Dr. Adrian Thomason, director of personnel – middle schools/high schools, who currently serves as principal of Creekview HS;
• Cathy Elliott, director of personnel – elementary schools, who currently serves as a supervisor in the office;
• Dr. Jennifer Scrivner, director of assessment, who currently serves as principal of Clark Creek ES STEM Academy;
• Dr. Keith Bryant, director of school improvement, who currently serves as supervisor of special education;
• Jim Georges, director of transportation, who currently serves as coordinator of transportation routing and operations; and
• Tammy Castleberry, supervisor of curriculum, who currently serves as principal of Macedonia ES;

As a result of these changes, several principals also have been reassigned and assistant principals have been promoted:

• Dr. Mark Merges, principal of Creekview HS, who currently serves as an assistant principal for Sequoyah HS;
• Joey Moss, principal of Clark Creek ES STEM Academy, who currently serves as principal of Boston ES;
• Izell McGruder, principal of Boston ES, who currently serves as principal of Hasty ES Fine Arts Academy;
• Dr. Carolyn Daugherty, principal of Macedonia ES, who currently serves as assistant principal for Johnston ES; and,
• Rodney Larrotta, principal of Hasty ES Fine Arts Academy, who currently serves as an assistant principal for Cherokee HS.

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