WACO commits to superintendent for another year of sharing

BY BROOKS TAYLOR

Mt. Pleasant News

WAYLAND ? Round one of the WACO-Washington administrative sharing is a success, according to school boards of both districts, and now it is on to the second round.

During its regular monthly meeting Monday night, WACO School Board members approved a commitment to sharing the services of Superintendent Jeff Dicks for the 2017-18 school term. Washington School Board members approved the commitment at their January meeting as well.

?I still find the shared superintendent position challenging and rewarding,? Dicks said in a written statement. ?I will remain a shared superintendent as long as I enjoy the position and feel I have the trust of the WACO and Washington School boards and communities.

?The next several years look to be critical for both districts,? he continued. ?I look forward to helping both districts face these challenging situations.?

Action on the commitment to continue to share Dicks was the lone major action taken by the board. Several other matters, including summer baseball and softball, were left on the table for continued discussion during the February meeting.

At the board?s December meeting, Dicks said he wanted a decision in January by the school board on whether to offer its own baseball and softball programs or share the sports with another school district.

Dicks said Monday night that the district is not ready to make a decision and said that would have to come in February.

Numbers are not strong for either sport and it appears WACO is leaning toward a sharing program with a neighboring district. However, before that happens, many things have to be decided, transportation being the major item, Dicks said.

He said school likely would not be charged for a portion of the salary of coaches, but the district wouldn?t receive any revenue, either, from the sharing partner. ?We want to be sure on all our choices before we decide,? Dicks noted.

Another tabled item was action on a problematic scoreboard in the school?s main gymnasium. Dicks said the board has some time to decide on further action because a new scoreboard could not be installed and used during the current winter sports season.

Directors approved a five-foot easement along Cummings Street for the City of Wayland. The city will be paving the street this summer, which runs on the south of the football complex. The city sought the easement to move utility poles. There will be no cost to the school district.

The board also accepted the resignation of cross-country coach Tracy Shriver, pending the finding of a suitable replacement. In a resignation letter, Shriver said that it is difficult to balance duties as a cross-county coach and the guidance counselor position in the Morning Sun School District.

Dicks, in his report to the board, said that the district does not have a policy on school activities when school is canceled. The district in the past has not had late afternoon or evening activities during days when school is canceled, but no official policy. He said he and Chad Edeker, school athletic director, and Jeff Nance, high school principal, will meet and draft a prospective policy for board consideration.

The board?s next regular meeting is scheduled for Monday, Feb. 20. However, Dicks said there are some conflicts on that night. The board decided to move its meeting to the week of Feb. 20, but no firm date has been set.