Centerville-Abington Community Schools officials listened to two different perspectives about student drop-off and pickup concerns at Rose Hamilton Elementary.
During their Aug. 14 meeting, they took parent Rikki Madden’s comments under advisement. Madden, who helped create an online petition with 300-plus signatures, said the newly implemented plan isn’t working.
Later in the meeting, board members and administrators said a lot of misinformation is being shared.
Board members said parking lot changes were planned last year to reduce parents’ 2023-24 safety concerns before knowing a new principal would be needed. Diana Hill replaced Sam Pritchard, who joined Richmond Community Schools. They said Hill has unfairly received community blame.
To keep the vehicle line moving, parents needing to buckle children into seats before driving away can park in the north lot and leave their vehicle to get their child from the office. Or they can pull up a few feet from the line to another parking area to get out and buckle them.
Hill said a few families with special needs received individual plans, contrary to the petition.
The Aug. 14 dismissal began at 2:40 p.m. and everyone left by 2:52 p.m., Hill said.
Board member Todd Dooley has watched the line and said it’s safe, faster each day and not what’s being portrayed online. Dooley said Aug. 13’s pickup concluded at 3:02 p.m.
Todd Duke, board president, said when CACS parents or neighbors have concerns, they should contact the appropriate principal.
In other business
The board:
- Authorized an approximately $31,000 purchase of a line-marking robot for athletic fields. Administrators said it’ll save countless staff hours, reduce paint costs and improve accuracy. One employee currently spends at least a full day painting lines weekly. The current machine, which could cost $8,000 to replace, breaks after each use. CACS eliminated $5,000 annual bus route software earlier this year, helping offset that purchase.
- Reviewed proposed 2025 rainy day, debt service, operations and education budgets, capital projects, bus replacement plans and the state tuition worksheet, and authorized budget publication on CACS’ website and budgetnotices.in.gov.
- Approved publishing a notice about issuing bonds up to $2.18 million for technology needs and demolishing the annex and former administration building. LWC will bring demolition information to the 7 p.m. Aug. 28 public meeting at the administration building, 115 W. South St.
- Approved a cost-savings incentive plan. Employees can suggest savings that don’t diminish students’ services.
- Learned about the public hearing at 3 p.m. Sept. 11 in the administration building on teacher contract negotiations.
- Approved the 2024-25 teacher evaluation tool that the union approved. Teachers now can request a review from another administrator if they’re scored low.
- Discussed minor updates to the policy restricting home-schooled students from CACS extracurriculars participation. Approval is expected at the Aug. 28 meeting.
- Renewed Susan Bell’s appointment to Centerville’s library board.
- Approved donations: Lavender and Sage, $200 for Centerville-Abington Elementary school/classroom supplies; Matthew Dickerson, $500, and Synergy HomeCare, $250 for Drama Club.
Personnel updates
- New hire: Tami Scalzo, freshman class sponsor; Tamara Estes, seventh grade volleyball coach; Valerie Hood, substitute
- Pending hires: Douglas Mathena, substitute bus driver; Rachael Mitchell, substitute bus aide; Sean Robinson, special education teaching assistant; Brittney Carlin, substitute nurse
- Transfer: Sheri Lucas, from cafeteria cashier to cafeteria sub; Chayil Gindling, substitute to CSHS special education teaching assistant
- Departure: Andrew Ervin, CARES aide
A version of this article appeared in the August 21 2024 print edition of the Western Wayne News.