By Shannon McFarlin WENK/WTPR News Director
Paris, Tenn.—When school resumes after Christmas break this year, each bus in the Paris Special Schools District fleet will have both morning and afternoon monitors aboard through the end of the school year.
With the PSSD getting an unexpected windfall from the state of some $21,000 in BEP funds, Director of Schools Dr. Norma Gerrell requested at Tuesday night’s board meeting that the money be used to hire bus monitors for the morning routes. What that means is that the cost to the PSSD for the extra monitors will only be some $2,500.
Gerrell noted that nine of the school buses have no morning monitors (all of the buses have afternoon monitors). She said all of the afternoon monitors said they are willing to work on the morning routes, too. Plus, she said, now that word has gotten around that the district was looking at bus monitors both morning and afternoons, there has been more interest from people wanting to be bus drivers.
“This will be a great way for us to give this a try with very little funding from us,” she said.
Paris Elementary Principal Chip Gray said, “I think this will put the bus drivers at ease.”
Gerrell said students on the PSSD buses are not generally unruly, “but everything that happens on a bus takes focus away from driving the bus. Bus drivers have to handle everything, even when a student gets sick. And these monitors will help.”
In other business during the meeting, Gerrell presented the district’s achievement reports and school data, noting that the district’s students “are a little ahead of the state in math and a little behind the state in reading and language. Our teachers are doing great and our students are right on track. I’m extremely pleased.”
Former Director of Schools Mike Brown (who has been overseeing the Rhea School project) said the remainder of the project is “still on target”, although weather has delayed some of it.
At his request, the board approved replacing the carpeting in the kindergarten area with tile, placing a cap of $25,000 on the cost. Brown said the price probably would be closer to $18,000. Inclusion in the project still will bring the project in under budget, he said.
Supervisor of Instruction Joey Brush reported a textbook committee has been set to adopt new science textbooks for the district: Erin Sinclair; Melanie Hendon; Ashley James, Xanne Harrison, Sanna Anderson, Lynnette Smith, Jeanie Oliver; Stacey Needham, and Karen Goodman.
Director of Facilities Jason Coffield said it will cost some $129,000 to repair/replace the HVAC unit at Inman School and it will be done over the Christmas break.
Photo: Director of Schools Dr. Norma Gerrell presents achievement reports while Board Members Jon Davidson and Troy Barrow look on. (McFarlin photo).
Gerrell noted that nine of the school buses have no morning monitors (all of the buses have afternoon monitors). She said all of the afternoon monitors said they are willing to work on the morning routes, too. Plus, she said, now that word has gotten around that the district was looking at bus monitors both morning and afternoons, there has been more interest from people wanting to be bus drivers.
“This will be a great way for us to give this a try with very little funding from us,” she said.
Paris Elementary Principal Chip Gray said, “I think this will put the bus drivers at ease.”
Gerrell said students on the PSSD buses are not generally unruly, “but everything that happens on a bus takes focus away from driving the bus. Bus drivers have to handle everything, even when a student gets sick. And these monitors will help.”
In other business during the meeting, Gerrell presented the district’s achievement reports and school data, noting that the district’s students “are a little ahead of the state in math and a little behind the state in reading and language. Our teachers are doing great and our students are right on track. I’m extremely pleased.”
Former Director of Schools Mike Brown (who has been overseeing the Rhea School project) said the remainder of the project is “still on target”, although weather has delayed some of it.
At his request, the board approved replacing the carpeting in the kindergarten area with tile, placing a cap of $25,000 on the cost. Brown said the price probably would be closer to $18,000. Inclusion in the project still will bring the project in under budget, he said.
Supervisor of Instruction Joey Brush reported a textbook committee has been set to adopt new science textbooks for the district: Erin Sinclair; Melanie Hendon; Ashley James, Xanne Harrison, Sanna Anderson, Lynnette Smith, Jeanie Oliver; Stacey Needham, and Karen Goodman.
Director of Facilities Jason Coffield said it will cost some $129,000 to repair/replace the HVAC unit at Inman School and it will be done over the Christmas break.
Photo: Director of Schools Dr. Norma Gerrell presents achievement reports while Board Members Jon Davidson and Troy Barrow look on. (McFarlin photo).