Baldwin Students Could See More Changes

Alabama Mobile School board approves financial crisis management plan.

by Steve Alexander

Published: Tue, August 11, 2009 - 9:24 pm CST Last Updated: Tue, August 11, 2009 - 9:49 pm CST

Money saving changes are on the way for Baldwin County schools.
Tuesday night, school board members approved a financial crisis management plan and withdrew their request for a one cent sales tax hike.
The superintendent said some employees will be cut.
School Board Member Robert Wills said, "We have hit an economic tsunami where we've been clobbered from every side."
The plan approved by the board includes a reduction-in-force policy.
Superintendent Faron Hollinger said, "We will go in and initially determine what we consider to be essential and non-essential jobs."
Then, school officials will look at terminating all probationary classified personnel.
That includes bus drivers, school nurses, cafeteria workers, and custodians.
Hollinger said parents will probably see larger class sizes, and, "I do think you're going to see a reduction, a significant number of reduction in the bus routes. My guess is you're going to have kids with longer waits or longer walks to a bus stop."
What about terminating teachers?
Hollinger said, "We're not even talking about tenured teachers at this point."
Many teachers sat in on the meeting.
Theresa Long said, "Well, I'm not tenured, so I'm worried about my job."
Others at the meeting were still talking about the idea of a one cent sales tax hike.
Fairhope Parent Amy Thompson said, "I'm willing to fork out that one cent sales tax. I think there are lot of parents who would step to the plate with that, given the chance."
John Kilgore of Baldwin County said, "I don't believe they ought to go ahead and give the one percent right now."
Another Fairhope parent, Elizabeth McGriff, said, "I would much rather spend the sales tax, the one cent sales tax, when I go to the grocery, rather than those people not be able to make their house payments."
Hollinger said he'll appoint a committee of administrators, principals and others to establish the criteria for determining essential and non-essential classified personnel.
He hopes the committee will meet next week.

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suzanne45 Says:

Thu, Aug 13, 2009 at 8:42 am

Well I hate to say it, but private school is looking better and better.

IM4BAMA Says:

Thu, Aug 13, 2009 at 7:44 am

I am telling you folks! As long as you complain here, you are doing no good. You are right - the salaries\jobs at the Central Office have not been mentioned nor touched. Someone at the State level who has some sense needs to come in and clean house. The Central Office “hides” excessive staff by the way they are categorized. For instance, if the State allows 10 secretaries and 20 support personnel, they will take a secretary and categorize her as a support person, therefore they have extra secretaries. THERE ARE SECRETARIES MAKING MORE THAN I DO…I HAVE MY MASTER’S DEGREE.

Why is the CFO not on the chopping block? How much does she make? I heard from someone who works internally (Central Office) that they had talked about salary decreases. Try and touch my salary and watch me come to pieces….Supervisors who have multiple secretaries, supervisors whose job is to come to schools and see if we are doing our job…don’t need you looking over my shoulder. That is the job of my principal.

I don’t understand why there is not an outpouring of parents and teachers at these meetings. It will get no better until we do something.

suzanne45 Says:

Thu, Aug 13, 2009 at 6:52 am

I think someone needs to investigate WHY some schools are suddenly moving kids around in all these elective classes. Seems like it’s nothing more than adding numbers to a class to make the teacher appear needed. Wrong.

engtchr Says:

Wed, Aug 12, 2009 at 5:02 pm

I’d like to know how much Terry Wilhite makes. Couldn’t find that anywhere on site. For as much as the superintendents make, you’d think they could be the spokespeople for the county…

visi0n Says:

Wed, Aug 12, 2009 at 2:27 pm

It never fails. They always start the cuts where the rubber meets the road, at the schools, not the administrative offices.

There are three superintendents in Baldwin County. How many teacher jobs could be saved if the administrative staff was reduced? The people in Bay Minette and Loxley offices are never on the line. Always the teachers, aides and support workers, who make like $18k/year. ‘

I guess had Hollinger spent the time coming up with preemptive cost saving measures instead of job hunting for two years while the two other (North and South) Superintendents effectively did his job for the last 5 years, we’d be in a better spot. I’d support a tax, I’d support a lottery to help education but most of all, I agree, enough money is in the system to pay the teacher salaries, check out http://www.bcbe.org, you can find the salary and position breakdowns and the system is very top-heavy with administration personnel—who will never be cut and who make $70-$150k.

IM4BAMA Says:

Wed, Aug 12, 2009 at 8:33 am

Parents need to get together with teachers. Respectful, controlled discussions held in a professional manner need to be held. Make notes then go together to the Board.

As far as how many principals\assistants are needed…for the most part, we do need them due to discipline. You can not imagine what we are dealing with. I know first hand where we have tried to call parents (even for sick kids) and they will not either answer the phone or they will not come to the school to get them. Now: for all these coaches who do nothing more than coach - if they are not placed into classrooms to teach they should be used as “resource officers”. They could be given some admin\discipline duties, but not to exceed the limitations we all work within (such as, the coaches could be used for detention duty, etc.) Some schools have lost funding for their police\resource officers.

taxpayer Says:

Wed, Aug 12, 2009 at 7:46 am

Any chance that all those luxurious beach homes in south Baldwin that are in foreclosure has something to do with the shortfall in the budget? Cutting 20% of the workforce in the largest employer in the county won’t help our economy. This is about more than schools, teachers jobs, and the quality of education. This is about our economy. Expect a lot more foreclosures from common folks.

suzanne45 Says:

Wed, Aug 12, 2009 at 7:34 am

And WHY do these schools need all these assistant principals? I don’t get it. Why does a middle school with only 2 grades need 3 principals or why does a high school need 4?

SaintsFan Says:

Wed, Aug 12, 2009 at 7:24 am

Move to Saraland for a better public school system. They have their [stuff] sewed up tight. Baldwin County is not the promised land as most Mobilian transplants think. Many moved away when Jones took over for Dow - why? You live in Baldwin County but work in Mobile. Why brave the causeway or I-10 every day because you think you are better off in Baldwin County. Guess what, your kids are not and are suffering in a sub-par school system because you’re too good to live in Mobile County.

suzanne45 Says:

Wed, Aug 12, 2009 at 7:00 am

Wow. Thanks for this. I have been very suspicious about what is going on and believe there has to be a lot of misuse of funds. What can we as parents do in this situation? I think the next board meeting needs to be overflowing with parents. Any suggesstions will be helpful. I am willing.

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