Published: February 12, 2009 01:56 pm      

Greater Clark County Schools: Tony Branch out as Jeffersonville High School AD

Branch initiated move that will be effective next school year

The four years Tony Branch has served as athletic director at Jeffersonville High School will be over at the end of this school year.

On Wednesday night, the Greater Clark County Schools board approved a personnel report that included a reassignment request initiated by Branch.

Superintendent Travis Haire said he and the board could not comment on the issue, but did provide The Evening News with a press release, which included comments from board members.

“Tony Branch is one of the hardest working individuals that I have ever had a chance to deal with in the schools. He spent hours and hours working with coaches, teachers and kids trying to make Jeffersonville a premiere school,” board member Missy DeArk said in the release. “We need to make sure that we retain professionals like Tony and make sure that we support them in a manner to insure their success professionally and personally.”

“Tony Branch has been a great asset to this community and we are ecstatic that he has chosen to stay with us and continue to provide a positive influence for our young men and women to learn from,” Bob McEwen, board president, said in the release.

Branch has faced criticism over the past year for findings of department finances by a State Board of Accounts audit and job performance concerns from parents and boosters.

Branch has declined to comment on the concerns.

The release stated that Branch’s reassignment from his certified position will be effective at the start of the 2009-10 school year.

Erin Bojorquez, public relations specialist for GCCS, said it is unknown exactly where Branch will be placed at this time, though Haire said it will be in another certified position within the corporation.



WIRED: Charlestown to start

one-to-one computer initiative

Teachers at Charlestown Middle and Charlestown High schools will have a new tool to educate students at the start of the year — a laptop.

After debating the logistics of funding the approximately $1.2 million endeavor, the board voted 5-2 to give it the go-ahead, with Ernie Gilbert and Robbie Valentine voting against.

Before the vote, Gilbert expressed his concerns to the board that with Jeffersonville High School’s building project being $3.5 million over budget, a $2.5 million shortfall in the general budget and more issues with funding that money is tight right now.

“I, too, support the computer program,” he told the board and audience. “I’d love to have it in my community, but it is one that the dollars — I’m not sure that [they] are there.”

Haire proposed using the $1.3 million allocated for technology in the CHS building project to fund the program. He said if it wasn’t used for this, it would be used for some sort of computer labs at the school. The program — which includes a four-year contract with Apple — costs $315,000 a year, totaling $1,260,000 in the end, according to DeArk.

Even though that is within the $1.3 million, some board members said they need to make sure the rest of the project stays within the budget.

Steve Hobgood, director of facilities, told the board that Greater Clark has a $99 million building project under way at the three school buildings: CHS, JHS and New Washington Middle/High School. Hobgood said that means the grand total needs to not exceed that amount and funds can be moved from where they are allocated within the project to other areas — even at other schools — as long as it is within the project.

DeArk said that is another reason to watch change orders more closely. Earlier at the meeting, the board approved one that totaled $280,000 for The Estopinal Group for additional work required after “significant changes” were made in the project at CHS. She then told the group that she wants to be made aware of potential costs and repercussions before taking a vote to change anything within the building projects.

After the board took its final vote on the computer initiative, many members of the audience cheered. One of those, Justin Snelling, is a teacher at Charlestown Middle.

“It will give teachers the tools to inspire and engage students in the classroom,” he said after the meeting. “It was an investment in the kids, not the computers. It’s going to change the community of Charlestown.”

Charlestown will serve as a pilot site for the one-to-one computer initiative. If it goes well and funding is available, the board has expressed interest in expanding it to include New Washington and JHS.

The next regular school board meeting is scheduled for March 10. DeArk told the audience that the board will also have a board retreat that will be open to the public from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 23. A tentative board study session is set for March 3. All meetings are at the administration building.