Officials adopt ‘temporary solution’ for Montessori School at Bemis
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JACKSON, Tenn. — The Jackson-Madison County School Board gathered Wednesday night for a specially called meeting, approving a plan that keeps all teacher assistants in place at the Montessori School at Bemis. “It is least disruptive to children and to staff,” Jackson-Madison County School Superintendent Dr. Verna Ruffin said when board member Bob Alvey asked if she approved of the option. The plan also adds a special education teacher at South Elementary. Under the new plan, some special education staff at five elementary schools will be paid differently. Federal funds will be used instead of state funds. “We could reallocate funding sources where permissible and then reassign or add additional staff,” said Ruth Carson, the school system’s manager of federal programs and grants. Ruffin says this is only a temporary solution. “We have to get back to the table, and we have to look at staffing for Jackson-Madison County schools for the 2015-16 year and beyond.” Some parents said they are relieved teachers will not be moved this year but do not want to end up in the same predicament again. “I think it’s a great first step, and of course everybody can step back now and do a little more analysis and research,” said Cynthia Chandler-Snell, a Montessori school at Bemis parent. “There’s still a lot of unanswered questions. Not to dwell on the past, but we’ve got to understand how we got here.” The board unanimously approved the option, which meets federal guidelines for the use of Title I funds — funding given to districts with high percentages of students from low-income families. Officials said they will still have to submit this proposal to the state Department of Education for approval by next month.
