Staff, salary reductions to be considered by Corbin Board of Education Thursday

In an effort to close a $300,000 budget shortfall for the 2012-13 school year, Corbin Schools Superintendent Ed McNeel is recommending the school board not renew 18 faculty and staff contracts and reductions in salaries for another 20.

The proposal, which will come before the board at the regular meeting Thursday night at Corbin Intermediate School, includes not renewing the contracts of primary school teacher Amber Rookstoll and high school English teacher Shuree Clouse
McNeel said the salary reductions total 9.5 percent for each of the positions that include high school assistant principals John Crawford and Nicole Brock, middle school principal Penny Hammons and the assistant coaches for football and boys and girls basketball.

"The other high school assistants are paid, but the pay is so small compared to football and basketball that we didn’t get into that," McNeel said.

McNeel said the process began about two weeks ago when school system officials learned that the Support Education Excellence in Kentucky (SEEK) funding from the state would be cut by about $200,000.

"The amount of SEEK money is tied to property values and enrollment," McNeel explained. " We lost about $70 per student."
In addition, the school systems no longer receive state funding for items such as the purchase of text books and professional development.

That along with increases in operational costs such as utilities has resulted in the deficit.

McNeel said the work on the renovations to Corbin High School are not affected by the budget deficit and will continue.

 "Funding for facilities are totally separate from the general fund and its use is limited by the state," McNeel said. "We can’t just move it."

As a result of the deficit, McNeel sat down with the principals and began looking at staffing, which accounts for 80 percent of the $15 million annual budget.

McNeel said there was no call for volunteers when it came to whose contract was not renewed. Nor was school system bound to keep the most senior faculty or staff members. However, the more experienced person was kept unless a specific reason could be cited not to do so.

"We want to protect the instructional integrity of the school system," McNeel said of how the decisions were made.

While it is a team decision, McNeel said he had the final responsibility for the list.

However, that does not mean the list is the final decision.

McNeel said the school board must give final approval. Individual board members may request that specific names on the list be pulled out and considered separately.

If the board approves McNeel’s recommendations, they will go into effect July 1 when the new school year begins.