BR reinstates middle school theater program

BY STACI WILSON

A casualty of the latest BR budget crisis was given new life by the board of education at the Monday, Aug. 13 meeting as the board moved to undo the dissolution of the middle school theater program.

In its new carnation, the board created an advisory position of “Theatrical Production Director, middle school” as well as a separate advisory position of “Theatrical Production Director, high school.”

Board President Laurie Brown-Bonner said the change was spurred by the public input. “We thought it was the fair thing to do,” she said.

But the recreation of the program was not without compromise.

The board previously sought to combine the programs, making sixth through 12th graders eligible to participate in the two school student productions each year – a move decried at board meetings by both high school and middle school theater student participants.

But the two shows per year still holds – one at the middle school level and one at the high school level. In previous years, both the middle and high schools put on to theatrical performances each year.

In the same motion, both the middle/high school band and chorus director advisor positions were reinstated at a salary. Earlier in the summer, the positions were removed from the Exhibit B schedule and slated to be charged at an hourly rate.

Bonner said the board came to this agreement after discussion with the union.

Other changes were put in place by the board in order to ready the district for students to return to school on Sept. 4.

Dawn Crook was approved to work as an IT Support Specialist beginning with the 2012-13 school year.

Nicole Farrell will be teaching sixth grade history, effective Aug. 27. In addition to the classroom, Farrell will continue with writing grant applications for the district.

Several other teachers are moving to instruct other classes within the district. Staff changes include:

Melody Pauly to high school math – calculus and geometry; Matt Treible – middle school English, grade 7; Nancy Burkett – high school biology; Elena Jones – middle school science, grades 7-8; Janice Johnson – special education, elementary; and Jon Sayre – high school tech.

The board also approved the preliminary transportation contracts for the 2012-13 school year.

An amended board meeting and workshop schedule for the remainder of the year was also adopted.

Business meetings will be held on Sept. 10; Oct. 1; Nov. 5; and Dec. 3. The board will also reorganize at the Dec. 3 meeting.

Workshop meetings will be held on Sept. 24; Oct. 29; and Nov. 27 (Tuesday).

All meetings start at7:30 p.m., and are usually held in the Blue Ridge Elementary cafeteria.

The board also approved the business manager’s compensation plan but provided no details.

The district also plans to purchase 1.34 acres of land, for just over $6,000.

The land-buy will bring the entire track area onto district property.