Clinton City Schools funds second psychologist
Clinton City Schools is funding a new apprentice assistant school psychologist thanks to a state grant through the University of Tennessee.
The Clinton schools include Clinton Elementary, North Clinton Elementary and South Clinton Elementary, but not any of the middle and high schools in the county.
The system already has a school psychologist, Haley Paxton. However, the $18,500 grant supports funding for an apprentice, working toward licensure and assisting Paxton with functions that support student needs.
“This vital part of our system’s approach to meeting students’ needs is just one of many reasons Clinton City Schools is doing great things for children,” said Scott Rhea, supervisor of fiscal services and facilities in an email.
The school system budgeted for this grant-funded expense as part of a budget amendment passed by the Clinton City Council at its March meeting.
It was a package with many changes, including $200,000 in capital project funds for Clinton Elementary School’s new playground and renovations to its auditorium carried over from last year.
It also included other adjustments to salaries, benefits and state grants.
The budget amendment increased total budgeted expenditures by $173,833.89, and decreased the fund balance by $95,667.78.
The previous budget deficit increased after the amendment’s passage from an $83,419 deficit to a $179,086.78 deficit.
Tutoring grant
and more
Another budget measure the council passed made several other school budget changes.
It increased total budgeted expenditures by $27,200, funded by an increase in revenues of $105,100.
This increased the fund balance by $77,900.
The changes to the budget with this second budget amendment were:
• $80,100 added from a state tutoring grant.
• An increase in salaries for substitute teachers for $20,000.
• An increase in expenditures for student Chromebooks and other technology devices of $60,000.
• An increase in funds for building construction for Clinton Elementary School’s playground and auditorium for $45,000.
• Various adjustments in salary line items to reflect current program staffing.
The City Council also, with the same amendment, approved a reduction in budgeted bonuses for $209,700 because the school system had already paid them last year.
Director of Schools Kelly Johnson told the City Council these bonuses were part of a state bill that offered them as a one-time raise for all certified teachers.
Rhea told The Courier News that the bonuses paid last year cost $550,000, of which the state reimbursed $450,000.
He said the state approved the payment and reimbursement of the bonuses at the end of the last fiscal year, even though Rhea had originally budgeted for the bonuses next year.
“It was a mad dash to this finish line for CCS Central Office to get this accomplished; however, we felt that the staff deserved to get the bonus payments that were approved in June by the Legislature rather than waiting until July or August,” he said.
Vouchers
In response to a question from Mayor Scott Burton, Johnson said the school system had not yet seen a reduction in its number of students due to the state’s voucher program, which helps pay for private school tuition.
She said rather than the program encouraging public school students to attend private schools, it had instead just gone to help families of students already in private schools pay for their tuition. Indeed, Clinton City Schools had added 10 children from last year.
“What we’ve seen play out is exactly what know,” she said.
“It’s been the private school kids that are taking advantage of the vouchers. We’re not seeing a huge flee from Clinton City Schools.”
She said, however, she worried that the voucher program would grow, and money for public schools might shrink in the future.
She said private schools in Tennessee had done what schools in other states like Arkansas had done, and had simply raised their tuitions after the programs went into effect.
Devices law
Johnson also said the state’s proposed law limiting students’ use of technological devices like cell phones wasn’t necessarily bad, but had swung too far in the direction of restricting the devices.
“They’re basing off of some good research that kids are spending too much time on cell phones, social media (and) digital,” she said.
“I think that’s swung a little bit far, because I think there is a place for technology,” she said. “I think there’s a happy balance.
“It’s never going to replace the teacher, but there is a place for personalized learning, and we have to prepare our kids to be a part of a digital society,” Johnson said.
