The Shadow
Dear Editor,
Around our state and nation, many school divisions find themselves caught in the yearly rite of budget preparation.
Nowhere, can mediocrity which pays homage to the mundane goods of past traditions be admired. In fact, the late Vince Lombardi once said, “When you stop getting better, you’re no longer good.”
Many divisions unfortunately will struggle to provide basic requirements. Here in Bath, we have both the funding and the willingness to support our schools.
The question is: Will the plans reported by local newspapers of requested budgets of approximately $11 million lead us to future successes?
By adhering to a three-step process, success is achievable, vision shines brightly and together Bath County steps confidently into the future. That’s correct; this plan is legal and with minimum hard work, the plan can be implemented in three steps.
Step 1: By a previously agreed upon date, the school board provides a $7-7.5 million budget for two school buildings and a partial school board office.
Step 1 must include all personnel and other necessities for educating Bath’s 515 children. This can also be a wonderful opportunity to create an office of assistant superintendent as well as a director of instruction.
Step 2A: Following the supervisors’ acceptance of the work in Step 1, the county administrator and school financial officer will meet for the purpose of using one of the as-yet unutilized millions to raise Bath’s beginning teacher salary to $42,500.
If this full amount cannot be achieved, then work to maximize the salaries for all. These two officials will also create a new teacher scale with steps that should leave all of Bath’s teachers elated because this will be the largest raise of their working careers.
Bath’s new teachers would no longer start seventh from the bottom of the state scale, and the average teacher would receive a long overdue boost.
Step 2B: The same officials using the second million, will review all budget scales and steps. The goal will be to have all 10-month full-time employees with a beginning salary of $25,000 and all full-time 12-month employees earning $30,000 a year.
Steps 1 and 2 as presented are to enhance morale, redistribute duties and provide group unity. Before contracts are issued, the administration could use this as a golden opportunity to enhance in-service requirements, mandate uniforms for certain groups and/or realign field trip requirements for drivers.
As Steps 1 and 2 close, open discussion on design and purchase of a modular building to house part of the administrative offices. The building would sit on the grounds of one of the two existing schools.
Some departments will be moved into vacant spaces within the two schools. The equipment in “the old gym” at BCHS will be relocated giving that facility two gyms. The original ’54 addition at BCHS was constructed as a community shelter and the area remains in good condition for document storage.
Let’s make each tomorrow better than today. Lombardi also said; “Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence.”
Sincerely,
Barbara Waldeck – Hot Springs
