Fayette coaches to get raise

Comments provoke a rise at recent board work session

By Steve Keenan

FAYETTEVILLE — Local coaches will see a little more in their paychecks in the future.

The Fayette County Board of Education voted Monday night to approve a five percent pay hike for high school and middle school coaches, athletic trainers and cheerleading coaches in the performance of their extracurricular duties. The raises — which affect 148 current employees beginning the fiscal year 2005-06 — will cost the school system about $12,500 annually.

Also included in the action was the addition of one new assistant football coach for each of the county’s six high schools.

Getting raises will be 75 head coaches, 43 assistant coaches, 24 cheer coaches and six athletic trainers.

“I do know those people put in long hours, hard hours,” said Superintendent Helen Whitehair.

Fayetteville football coach Frank Spangler said the addition of the full-time assistant is very welcome. In the past, county high school football programs have had two paid assistants.

“That’s what we needed more than anything,” he said. “We really and truly needed another full-time assistant.

“I appreciate the board’s concern.”

As to the pay hike, Spangler said, “Anything can help” coaches who perform “a never-ending job.”

Earlier this year, Whitehair proposed raises that would cost the system a total of $109,291.30 yearly. Still in the works are proposed raises for school administrators and facilitators, as well as central office directors and specialists.

Monday’s meeting marked a clearing of the air concerning a recent board work session that turned acrimonious. The wide-ranging Sept. 20 session with principals included discussion on finances, attendance, school uniforms/dress code and Casto Technical Services’ assessment of work needed on numerous school buildings. It also apparently included a lot of emotion.

Margaret Pennington, director of elementary schools, addressed the board Monday “on behalf of myself” concerning the session, which she said featured some behavior that “was (not) acceptable.”

Pennington said the central office is doing its best to oversee the system in the face of “ever-changing rules and regulations.” And she said she doesn’t like the questioning of the integrity and the ability of the staff to do their jobs.

“My job is important to me ... and accusations about my job offend me,” she said. “We take our jobs seriously ... and very much take pride in what we do.”

Saying “there is focus and there is direction,” Pennington expressed her confidence in Whitehair and her peers. “I wholeheartedly support the superintendent in her continued endeavors.”

After Pennington’s comments, board president Steve Pilato, who had expressed his frustration during the work session, addressed the situation.

“Obviously, (I) spoke out verbally with dissatisfaction,” said Pilato. “I don’t apologize for that night, but I do want to qualify (what I said).”

Pilato said his frustration stems from the pace and effectiveness of the normal, day-to-day operations of the system, as opposed to the qualifications of or effort expended by educators and their supervisors.

“With the stroke of a pen (as a businessman), I can make it happen,” he said. “Mrs. Whitehair can’t.

“I just want to make it better.”

Among the others expressing displeasure during and following the work session was Collins Middle School Principal David Perry, who had questions about hiring practices and financial matters, among others.

“On behalf of the association, our intent was to try to resolve problems that have arisen in day-to-day operation of schools,” Perry said. “I’m disappointed the superintendent didn’t respond in a more positive manner to the concerns.”

Bryan Parsons, co-president of the Fayette County Secondary Principals Association with Perry, says he feels the county is going in the right direction.

“The majority of our members believe in the direction in which the superintendent is heading this county,” said Parsons. “We are on the right path, and we don’t want anything to disrupt us on that path.”

Monday, board member Peggy Farmer said she was disappointed in the way the work session unfolded. Some of the matters should have been taken up in executive session, she said.

“(There are a) few people in our educational system that for some reason have hidden agendas,” she said. “There is good here.

“A good working relationship that has been destroyed takes a long time to repair.”

Also Monday:

Pennington recognized the following volunteers in a recent kindergarten workshop: Vicki Bickford, Linda Boley, Janet Bowland, Kati Wade, Nancy Bess, Paula Rogliano, Therese Ehrnschwender, Patricia Harrah, Jeanie Ayers, Sharon Acord, Beverly Spangler and Chris Mitchell.

Board vice president Missey Smith donated a trophy made by her husband, George, to be used as an annual award to the winning team of the Battle of the Gorge pitting Fayetteville and Midland Trail. She stressed that the county should do what it can to promote friendly county athletic rivalries. Parsons, the FHS principal, accepted the trophy. “Bryan, you can have this, temporarily,” Smith said.

A grandparent of a CMS student complained that the child was refused lunch because of a lunch bill owed at the school. Jack McGuire said parents should be held accountable in such a situation instead of the child. “Never turn a child down to eat,” he said. Barbara Nichols, director of operations and public relations, explained that “not to ever let a child go hungry is our philosophy.” She said that, even if the child’s bill is overdue, “they’re still offered the opportunity to have food to eat.”

In personnel matters, English teacher Ed McCall was elevated to the assistant principal’s post at Meadow Bridge High. McCall will retain his basketball coaching post, said Personnel Director Jack Thompson. Also, OHHS teacher Scott Vargo was bumped up to the assistant principal spot at Midland Trail.

— E-mail: skeenan@fayettetribune.com