JACKSON Tenn (July 7, 2015) – School Board members approve change of school start time for six schools but a recommendation to hire a new Central Office staff member fails.
At Monday night’s meeting the Jackson Madison County school board approved a reorganization of the transportation department resulting in the reduction of JMCS school buses from 82 to 78.
The plan will eliminate double bus route, where buses make two trips causing delayed pick-up for some students. Some bus routes will be longer to accommodate for the reduction in buses.
The biggest change will be in the start time for 6 Jackson Madison County Schools.
Instead of 8:15 a.m school start the plan calls for the start of school to be at 8:30 a.m. for: Arlington Elementary, Beech Bluff, Denmark, East, Isaac Lane, and Lincoln Schools. These schools will dismiss at 3:30 p.m.
According to the superintendent, the plan saves the school system approximately $100,000 a year in transportation costs including maintenance and fuel.
Ruffin presented a request to the board to create a new central office position of Transportation Manager. Grant Ward is the Jackson Madison County Schools Transportation Supervisor and John Mills is over JMCS buildings, including the transportation department. The new position would fall between Ward and Mills. Ruffin proposed a salary range between $55,000 and $80,000 but likely in the area of approximately the mid $70’s.
The money would come from the savings in bus reductions.
Several board members asked questions about why another level of management was needed. Dr Ruffin said the position would help guide the department and be inline with other Central Office departments. She added the position was part of the overall Vision 2020 plan.
The request failed by a vote of 5 to 4.
Superintendent Ruffin said she believes the new transportation plan will benefit everyone.
“In the afternoons, students will not have to wait for a second load to pick them up and take them home,” Ruffin said. “It will be more convenient, we believe, for students as well as their families.”
The new schedule will begin in the upcoming 2015/16 school year.
