West Greene votes to close two schools
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ROGERSVILLE – West Greene School Board voted Thursday to close permanently the district’s two elementary schools, Springhill-Freeport and Graysville.
The board has planned to close the schools and construct a new elementary center as an addition to the middle-senior high school.
Public hearings on the closings, as required by state law, were held in February. The board’s plan to close the buildings and consolidate all elementary grades in a new center drew no opposition.
The board approved motions to close the two buildings June 30, 2015. Board members Joe Coss and Tom Coss voted against both motions. Board member Butch Cassiday was absent.
Joe Coss said he was reluctant to vote to close the buildings when the district doesn’t yet have the necessary permits to begin work on the new elementary center.
Board President Regina MacDowell said she believes the board is required by law to follow a specified time table in closing the schools, which was the reason the motions were being presented Thursday.
The district hopes to begin work on the new addition June 3, after classes break for the summer.
The board last month authorized its architect to advertise for bids for the construction of the elementary addition, contingent on certain permit approvals. The district still needs permits from the state Department of Transportation and state Department of Environmental Protection.
In other business, the board voted to hire Raynor Hale as director of facilities at a salary of $50,000. He replaces Gregory Carey, who stayed with the district only briefly. Hale will start in the district April 15.
The board voted to accept the resignation of head varsity football coach John Coss. MacDowell voted against the motion. The board voted to post and advertise the position as well as the positions of two assistant varsity football coaches.
The board took action on the resignations of several support staff members. Superintendent Thelma Szarell later said the district is in need of substitute support workers for the cafeteria, secretarial and custodial staffs. The district recently increased the hourly rate paid substitute support workers from $8 to $10 an hour.
The board approved a senior class trip to Cedar Point amusement park May 23 to 26 and the class prom, which will be held May 4 at DoubleTree by Hilton in Meadow Lands.