Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Teachers Given $1,400 Raise

Gurdon School District teachers will celebrate 2000 with big grins. They will be receiving an across the board $1,400 raise.

The board passed a motion at the September 21 meeting to raise the pay by $1,400 across the board. The total cost to the district will be $142,562 which includes matching Social Security and retirement.

"Fourteen hundred was a little bit more than I wanted to go right now. . . that's the max we can do for them at this time." stated Bobby Smithson, superintendent.

The voters gave approval for the district to convert the type of debt on two revolving loans at the September 21 election.

The school board elections went as anticipated with two school board members retaining their positions unopposed. Charles Hatley and Jesse Runyan are both ready to continue for the next four years.

First State Bank of Gurdon will be loaning the district $200,000 for two months after the motion was passed to do so. The money will tide over the cash flow shortage that occurs at this time of year. The loan will be repaid when the tax settlement comes in after the tax books close in October.

"This is the period of time when our expenses are the highest with the cash flow the lowest. Smithson continued, All in all everything's in pretty good shape financially."

The Primary School's roof is estimated by Smithson to take three to four more months to complete, but the buildings will be "in the dry" soon. The kindergarten was started first because it had the worst leaks.

The stadium has few minor details that need to be completed, but the track will have to remain in its current "muddy" condition until the money to complete it is found.

The track is cover at this time by SB-2 (crushed rock).

Smithson reported to the board that the Drugfree Inc., drug testing company had not yet returned his inquiry concerning details for their new drug testing policy. At this time though Smithson is estimating the cost at $30 per test with fifty test.

Smithson was forced to seek help from Jay Dickey, U.S. representative in seeking parties interested in the old high school.

Sandra Hatley, high school basketball coach, was approved for a three day tournament over the Thanksgiving holiday. The senior Lady Go-Devils will travel out of state to Lovelady, Texas to compete. Hatley checked the tournament out and was told it was a good one to have college bound players in. Three sets of parents are ready so far with more to come. "I think this would be an extremely good opportunity for the girls." conveyed Hatley.

There is a new club on campus at the Cabe Middle School. Quiz Bowl Clubs' charter was approved sight unseen by the board. The club will be overseen by Kay Downey and Debbie Davies.

Open to all the middle school students after school, the club will let many more students learn to compete in the Quiz Bowl. It also give the teachers a better idea of who the final eight will be that their allowed to take to state.

But there are requirements such as transportation to and from, grade point average, and Triple-A requirements. For more information call Cabe Middle School.

The board accepted the resignation of Mary Ann Roe and agreed to advertise her Chapter One Math position.

The board went into executive session, shortly returned with no action taken. Then adjourned.