School System

By MICHELLE J. WILSON

Staff Writer

Published Aug. 18, 1999

Strong July sales tax returns are giving an economic lift to the Troy City School System.

According to Superintendent Henry W. "Hank" Jones, sales tax revenues for July climbed from June.

"Sales tax revenue continues to be up slightly," said Jones at the Troy City Board of Education meeting Monday night. "There was a decrease in utilities.

"That was a surprise considering the heat, but we expect utilities to go back up this next month."

The board unanimously approved payment of bills, accounts and payrolls for the month.

Jones announced a public hearing Aug. 23 at 5:15 p.m. at the board’s office to discuss the system’s budget. This will be the first of two public meetings.

Also at its meeting Monday, the Troy City Board of Education named nine new hires.

Five of the hires were approved at the board’s July 26 meeting and named at this month’s meeting. Four new hires were approved and named Monday.

The five hires, which were approved at its July 26 meeting and named Monday, are Tina Alder, Janet Johnson, Denise Kennedy and Sonya Wright as instructional aides for Troy Elementary School. Tricia Norman was named bookkeeper clerk at the city office.

The board announced four hires. Pam Carlisle was named secretary at Troy Elementary School. Debbie Headley was named cook/cashier at Troy Elementary, and Patricia Booth was also hired for the same position for first semester to replace Erma Hamm, who will take a leave of absence. Ann Ammons was named adult education coordinator at the Alternative Learning Center.

The board accepted two leaves of absence Monday night for the first semester for Hamm and Laurie Biddle. Hamm, who works as a cook at Troy Elementary School, will take leave for the entire first semester to care for her son who was injured in an accident. Biddle will be on maternity leave Sept. 14 through the end of the semester.

The board accepted five resignations. Sarah Roberson, a S.T.A.R. aide, resigned from Charles Henderson Middle School. Instructional aides Sonya Wright and Michelle Claybrook resigned from Troy Elementary School. Jones said these aides found teaching positions in other school systems.

Cooks Mary Gibson and Anthony Smith also resigned from TES.

The board approved James Terry Blair to transfer from his position as janitor at Charles Henderson Middle School to cook at Troy Elementary School.

In other business, the board approved the children of Anita Clayton to continue to attend Goshen city schools. Clayton lives within the Troy city limits and was a Pike County School System employee last year. Her children went to Goshen Elementary School and Goshen High School last year. The Pike County Board of Education had already approved the children to attend its schools.

The board approved to allow Casey Adams, a senior at Carroll High School, to continue attending that school pending approval of Ozark City Board of Education. Adams is a senior at Carroll High School and lives inside the Troy city limits. He asked the board to allow him to continue going to school in Ozark.

Troy City Board of Education also approved its agenda and minutes from its July 12 and July 26 meetings.

In the "Superintendent’s Comments" section of the meeting, Jones said the board is aware of the high grass at Charles Henderson High School and is taking measures to remedy the problem.

He mentioned the "Trojan Notebook," which will appear on Wednesdays in "The Messenger." The page will feature profiles on teachers and school board members and articles about special school programs, as well as a weekly calendar of events.