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Board discusses filling vacant job
By BARBARA BEHRENDT © St. Petersburg Times, published January 11, 2001 INVERNESS -- When Linda Miller left her job as the school and community relations specialist last month, school officials immediately began to notice that there were plenty of tasks they would need to do in her absence. At the time, the School Board made it clear that it didn't want to immediately fill the job. Instead, board members wanted to discuss whether to change the job description. On Tuesday, school officials presented several options, ranging from eliminating the position altogether to hiring a public relations director who would be paid $52,000 each year. After debating those options and others, board members decided only one thing: They didn't want to abandon the position completely. Miller set up annual banquets to honor the teacher of the year, oversaw United Way fundraising and raised cash for various school projects. David Watson, executive director of management services, said the position should be retained because staff already was stretched thin. Board members said they didn't think the district needed a public relations director. Board member Pat Deutschman said it seemed there was more of a need for the school and community liaison work rather than public relations. "We are a small district," she said. "What we don't want is a spin doctor," agreed board member Carol Snyder. The board also couldn't decide on a salary level or job qualifications. Teacher Chris Becker warned the board that its proposal to set a starting salary at $35,000 would make teachers unhappy. With 16 years of experience and years of continuing education, Becker just now is making that much. "It's disturbing to a lot of us," he said. But assistant superintendent Linda Kelley pointed out that the work year will be longer for that administrator compared with a teacher. The board agreed to defer any decision until it could discuss the details further at a workshop planned for 3 p.m. Jan. 23. In other action: The board approved rezoning about 200 students out of the Lecanto High School beginning this fall. The new attendance boundaries were drawn to relieve pressure at Lecanto, which is in the county's highest area of growth. About 175 of the students live in northeast Citrus; they will begin attending Citrus High School. The remaining students will move to Crystal River. Lecanto High Principal Steve Richardson has said he would do what he could to retain upper classmen and others who want to stay at the school. The board hired Sam Hurst as its new finance director. Hurst, from Madison County, replaces Sara Perez, who left the district six months ago. During a closed session, the board expelled four students. That brought the total for the school year to 26. Those included a female eighth-grader from Inverness Middle School for drugs, a female 12th-grader from Crystal River High School for drugs, a male 12th-grader from Lecanto High School for drugs and a female ninth-grader from Lecanto High School for drugs. Details of the cases were not made public.
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