The Pike County Board of Education voted at its Monday meeting to offer the Shellhorn School building for sale to the highest bidder through sealed bids. The board will set a minimum price that is close to the building’s appraised value.

Dr. Mark Bazzell, superintendent of Pike County Schools, told the board members that the board’s recent decision to dispose of the old school building for liability reasons has received a large amount of feedback.

“The feedback has been primarily about what happens to the property once the building is no longer there,” Bazzell said. “Those who have responded want to make sure that the property is not sold for a trailer park or a bar or anything like that.”

Bazzell said three people have expressed an interest in purchasing the property and another is interested in salvaging the bricks for resale.

“It’s possible that we could get several bids for the building or none,” he said. “If we don’t sell the building through the bid process, we might want to consider selling the bricks. Once the bricks are gone, we could allow the Meeksville Volunteer Fire Department to, as they have offered, burn the building as a training exercise. Then we could clean up the property and sell it at a later time. The building is a liability for us and we have to do something with it.”
Bazzell said the land on which the building is located was thought to be 14 acres but is actually five or six acres.

“If we do sell the property there will be covenants on its use,” he said.

The board heard a presentation by Dr. Donnell Carter, Central Office, on the updated “Standards Based Grading and Reporting” proposal. The new grading and reporting proposal would be a truer reflection of what students have learned, Carter said.

In other new business, the board heard a presentation of the FY 2015 audit. The report was favorable with no findings as a result of the audit.

The board approved permission for Dr. Mark Head and Jeff McClure to attend the Ambition Program student graduation, July 22 at the Naval Air Base in Pensacola.

The boars also approved the updated PCS Student Code of Conduct for first grade admission policy.

In personnel action, the board:

•Accepted the resignation of Patricia Graham, math, Goshen High School.

•Accepted the resignation of Walter Clark Boutwell, bus driver.

•Accepted resignation of Marrissa Morris, first grade, Goshen Elementary School.

•Accepted the resignation of Ronna Buckley, social science, Banks School.

•Approved the voluntary transfer request for Kim Dunn to transfer from English at Pike County High School to library media, PCHS.

•Approved the voluntary transfer request for Jon Sonmor, business teacher, PCHS to director of Business Academy, PCHS.

•Approved the employment of Jalesa Merritt, SPED aide, Pike County Elementary School.

•Approved the employment of Melissa Davis, SPED aide, PCES.

•Approved the employment of Gina Brown, sixth grade teacher, PCES.

•Approved the  employment of Ashley McManigle, SPED teacher, PCES.

•Approved the employment of Kayla James, SPED teacher, PCES.

•Approved the employment of Emily Abernathy, Pre-K auxiliary teacher, PCES.

•Approved the employment of Tina Senn, Pre-K teacher, PCES.

•Approved the employment of Allison Glover, music tdeacher, PCES.

•Approved the employment of Rodney Drish, assistant principal, PCES.

•Approved the employment of Ronnie Adams, bus driver.

•Approved the employment of Julia Esparza-Arana Wyche, ELL coach.

•Approved the employment of Shannon Barron, math, GHS.

•Approved the employment of Arnitra Pittman, Pre-K auxiliary, Banks.

•Approved the employment of Evelyn Brewer, Pre-K teacher, Banks.

•Approved the employment of Betsy Paul, ARI aide, Banks.

•Approved the contract services of Henry Everett, music, Banks.

•Approved the employment of Angela Arthur, SPED Aide, GES.

•Approve reemployment of Tonikia Perry, SPED aide, GES.

•Approve re-employment of Brooke Dean, Pre-K teacher, GES.

•Approved the re-employment of Twana Holland, Pre-K auxiliary, GES.

•Accepted the resignation of Katie Kelly, first grade, PCES.

•Accepted the resignation of Kathy Smith, bus driver.

•Approved the employment of Erica Shepherd, SPED teacher, PCHS.

•Approved the employment of Taylor Barnes, business education teacher, PCHS.

•Appproved the employment of Latoya Taylor, English Teacher, PCHS.

•Approved the transfer of Cindy Edwards from third to first grade at PCES.

With the hires and transfers, the Pike County Board of Education has four teaching positions to fill, social studies at Banks, third grade at PCES and first and fifth grades at GES.