Schools

Board Approves Company Contract Renewals

Board members approved contracts for some of the district's needed services at Tuesday's meeting. Officials also discussed next week's meetings on the subject of redistricting.

The lion’s share of business at Tuesday’s meeting dealt with the district’s service contracts.

Board members unanimously approved during the morning meeting:

  • A renewal of a request for proposal from Bremen-based Smith Fence and Gate for fencing services. The amount budgeted for this fiscal year is $15,000, and this is the last one-year renewal of the proposal originally approved in November 2008.
  • A renewal of a request for proposal for septic and grease trap services from Hamby’s Commercial Waste of Hiram. The district has budgeted $75,000 for this contract, and officials could renew the contract again next year.
  • A renewal of a request for proposal for custodial supplies and services from SouthEast Link of Atlanta. The district has budgeted $379,469 for the contract this fiscal year, and this is the last one-year renewal of the proposal originally approved in November 2008.

The meeting also saw the board give district officials the go-ahead to request a waiver of a state board rule in order to adjust the compensation of bus drivers to reflect the system’s 178-day school year as opposed to the typical 180-day schedule.
Superintendent Cliff Cole says the state Board of Education last year granted a blanket waiver on this matter to all districts, while this year districts are required to submit such a waiver. He told board members that the measure would not change what board members will be paid this year.

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"This is just us submitting the paperwork so the state knows what we're doing," he said.

Cole added that his goal is to move the calendar back to 180 days next year, but it's too early to tell if that will be possible.

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Redistricting meetings set for next week

Associate Superintendent Brian Otott near the end of the meeting said parents will be reminded later this week about next week's meetings regarding .

Parents, students and community members will get their first official chance to speak up on the school redistricting process during three forums set at simultaneous times—7 p.m. on Nov. 3—at East Paulding, Hiram and North Paulding high schools. The goals of these forums are to introduce the redistricting process and for district staff to gather stakeholder input for review before moving forward in the process.

Otott said the majority of time at these meetings would have parents and community members in small-group sessions with facilitators so they can offer their input on the process. He says the group sizes should be limited to 10-12 community members.

He added that the district does not know what size turnout to expect, but officials want as many people as possible in attendance.

Subsequent forums will be held Dec. 12—again at the three high schools—with a final forum set for Jan. 12, 2012, at East Paulding High.


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