Last modified: Tuesday, April 14, 2009 11:55 AM CDT

City board eyeing minimal changes to redistricting plan

By JUSTIN STORY, The Daily News, jstory@bgdailynews.com/783-3256

Staffing projections for the 2009-10 school year that have the potential to leave Potter-Gray Elementary School understaffed for the coming year have led to city school district officials considering moving two dozen students from Potter-Gray to T.C. Cherry Elementary School.

The proposal was discussed Monday at the Bowling Green Independent Schools Board of Education meeting.

The district is working on its staffing allocation for its schools for the upcoming school year, looking to be finished by May 1.

Superintendent Joe Tinius said last night that an anticipated large influx of new students at Potter-Gray could potentially put enrollment there above the desired enrollment of 450 students and leave the school understaffed.

“It’s quite possible with new students moving into the district over the summer (enrollment) could be 500 or more,” Tinius said.

The proposal being considered by the district involves scaling back the boundaries of the portion of the city served by Potter-Gray.

Officials are focusing on a section of downtown bounded on one side by 10th Avenue and on the other side by First Avenue, and spanning between High and Center streets.

That section, which is currently served by Potter-Gray, would be added to the zone served by T.C. Cherry, which will begin the 2009-10 year in a new building.

Tinius said the section of the city considered for addition into T.C. Cherry contains 24 current Potter-Gray students among all grades.

The superintendent said letters would be mailed this week to parents of the students who may have to move informing them of the proposal.

District officials plan to hold an informational meeting with parents early next week and hope to decide on whether to change the boundaries before the end of this month.

Raises approved, Tinius gets new contract, buses bought

The board also approved 1 percent pay raises for all teachers and faculty in the district, following the passage of a state budget that called for 1 percent raises for teachers in 2009-10.

Also, the board approved a contract that would keep Tinius as the district’s superintendent for another four years beginning July 1.

Tinius’ contract calls for a base annual salary of $115,140 and the same annual percentage increase in salary as approved for all certified employees in the district.

Board chair Jacqueline Pope-Tarrence said Tinius had gotten high marks in an annual performance evaluation in February.

“We have been very pleased with Mr. Tinius’ performance and we’re glad he’s going to stay with us another four years,” Pope-Tarrence said.

In other business, the school board voted to buy two new 66-passenger school buses for a total cost of $155,336.

The buses are being purchased ahead of new EPA regulations intended to reduce the amount of emissions. District transportation director Mike McCloud said federal grant money is available to help retrofit equipment to reduce emissions.