Borgsmiller will attend meeting for equity funding

SIKESTON -- Sikeston Public Schools Superintendent Steve Borgsmiller will attend a meeting March 19 at the Tinnin Auditorium on the campus of Three Rivers Community College in Poplar Bluff concerning equity funding issues at the state level.

"There again is a push, as there was in the late 1980s and early 1990s, in regards to funding for the schools and full funding of the foundation formula," said Borgsmiller at the Board of Education meeting Tuesday. "Southwest Missouri is fully involved in this activity and the gentleman who is head of that coalition in Southwest Missouri is coming to Three Rivers."

Sikeston Public Schools has a great interest in the meeting, Borgsmiller noted. Sikeston, along with many other schools, has a growing concern over inequities in school funding. The equity Senate Bill 380 provided 10 years ago no longer exists, leaving many administrators concerned the state is not meeting its Constitutional mandate to provide first for public education and guarantee all children have an equal educational opportunity.

"Senate Bill 380 led us to the funding we've received over the past few years -- until this past year -- when the formula was not fully funded," Borgsmiller said. "We have a vital, vital interest in maintaining our level of funding as was outlined in the previous legislation."

To get equity and adequacy through Senate Bill 380 in the early 1990s, 385 school districts across the state filed a suit and each pledged $5,000 to pay for it.

"We haven't gotten to that point yet, but that's certainly what it took the last time. Some of the schools further west of us who met, as of Monday night, have already pledged that they will support funding up to $5,000 in this effort," Borgsmiller said.

While Borgsmiller admitted he's not in the position to make a recommendation to the board of pledging $5,000, he said he does know he'll be coming to them for that authorization in the future.

"This is a big deal for all of us," Borgsmiller said. "We can't let our funding get away."

In other business Tuesday, it was determined a new human resources director for Sikeston Public Schools could begin work as early as April.

A recommendation to employ Joyce Mays as human resource director was approved by the Schools Board.

A Sikeston resident for the past six years, Mays earned a bachelor of science degree in business administration with an emphasis in personnel administration and business management. She is currently working on a master's degree in organizational management, said Laura Boardman of Sikeston Public Schools, who recommended Mays to the board.

"She will bring to the district 14-1/2 years of experience in human resources and personnel management," noted Boardman about Mays. "She's worked in staff sizes that have varied from 65 people to 2,000 people."

Boardman said Mays' references and past employers described Mays as "personable, very thorough, a team player who works with all levels of employees and as a person with a good, broad, general knowledge of all aspects of human resources."

Human resource director responsibilities include interviewing, hiring and training employees; planning, assigning and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees and addressing complaints and resolving problems.

Other items addressed at Tuesday's meeting:

* Calendar Committee Chairman Vicki Bullard made a calendar proposal for the 2003-2004 school year that March 8-12 to be marked as spring break, with March 19 as a district teacher's meeting, making a 179-day calendar. The calendar was accepted as recommended by the calendar committee with the amendment that should for any reason the district teachers' meeting not be held on March 19, that day should be the 180th day of school.

* The retirements of Elizabeth Alcorn and Jane Ella Potashnick and the resignations of Jill E. Lape and Nick Nordwald were accepted.

* Randy York and Steve Millington were appointed to the Sikeston Public Schools Education Foundation for three-year terms ending March 6, 2006.

* The board passed motions to re-employ Ginger Miller, who was on a leave of absence, and Richard McGill for the 2003-2004 school year.

* School will not be in session March 21 due to a Southeast District Teachers' meeting at Southeast Missouri State University.

* Missouri School Board Association spring regional meeting will be March 18 in Charleston.

* Parent/Teacher conferences will be held March 27-28.