At the Monday meeting of the Pike County Board of Education, Shawin Terry presented a petition with more than 300 names requesting the reinstatement of JROTC instructor Sgt. Aaron Young as the head varsity basketball coach at Pike County High School.

Terry said Young was removed from his position about a month ago, causing uncertainty and confusion among the players.

“Sgt. Young did an outstanding job coaching the team last year,” Terry said. “He took them to the playoffs and this year’s team is a special group of guys. They’ve been together since seventh grade and they don’t need this kind of confusion. They’ve got their first game of the season Saturday against Goshen, and they don’t even know who their coach is.”

Terry said Doug Holland, Roddrice Griffin and PCHS athletic director, Brad Waggoner are all candidates for the job.

“But Roddrice is the only one that has been working with the team except for Sgt. Young,” Terry said. “He’s still doing what he can. Nobody knows why he’s not coaching this team. The players want him and he deserves to continue what he started.”

PCHS Principal Mike Hall said Holland is the head basketball coach and is being assisted by Waggoner and Griffin, who is a volunteer coach.

“We are trying to upgrade our JROTC program and I made the decision to make a change in the basketball program because we need to dedicate more time to the JROTC program,” Hall said. “I’ve talked with the players and not one of them has complained to me about the change.”

Hall said Terry requested to work with the basketball team but his request was denied.

“We have enough people on staff to take care of the coaching duties,” Hall said.

The board elected officers for the year and Greg Price was elected president and Chris Wilkes vice president. They will assume their elected offices at the December board meeting.

The board also voted to put more emphasis on the annual Pike County Schools Teacher of the Year selections.

Superintendent Mark Bazzell said this recognition of teachers is sorely needed.

“It takes a good amount of time to complete the paper work for these nominations, especially on the state level,” he said in recommending monetary incentives as compensation.

The board voted incentives in the amount of $300 for each of the schools’ Teacher of the Year award winners to be used for classroom supplies and $1,000 for the system winners on both the elementary and secondary levels.

Bazzell said the system’s Parent Expo last Monday was a great success.

“More than 200 parents attended, and we’ll probably need to move it to a larger venue next year,” he said. “And, that’s good.

The board declared two heaters as surplus and voted to donate them to the Hamilton Crossroads Fire Department.

The board granted permission for ALC students to attend field trips to Julia Tutwiler Prison on Dec. 2 and Easterling Correctional Facility on Dec. 11 and for students at Goshen High School to attend livestock shows as requested by Rusty Yeomans, Marla Thomas and Kelly Pritchett.

In personnel action, the board

Accepted Wayne Grant’s resignation for retirement, effective Dec. 31, 2008, from his position as teacher at Pike County High School.

Accepted Kim Faulkner’s resignation, effective Nov. 14, 2008, from her position as varsity cheerleader coach at Goshen High School. Her replacements will be the individuals who are coaching the junior varsity cheerleaders.

Approved Bobbie Leverett’s request for a waiver of three sick leave days due to an on- the-job injury on Oct. 6, 2008.

Accepted Bobbie Leverett’s resignation, effective Nov. 4, 2008, from her position as CNP floater.

Accepted Bennie Ruth Ellis’ resignation effective Dec. 19, 2008 from her position as bus driver.

Approved employment of Douglas Larkin as bus driver.

Approved employment of Kimberlee Williams as a special needs bus aide.

Approved Roddrice Griffin as a volunteer basketball coach at Pike County High School.

Approved Vicki Pritchett’s request for catastrophic leave from her position as teacher at Pike County High School.

Approved Ronald Floyd’s request for Family Medical Leave and catastrophic leave from his position as bus driver, beginning Oct. 20, 2008.

Approved Dyan Collins’ request for Family Medical Leave and catastrophic leave from her position as bus driver.