The Overton County School Board looking for ways to supplement pay for the high school athletic director and the gifted program supervisor.
Director of Schools Kim Dillon said Livingston Academy Principal Richard Melton asked to add the Athletic Director supplement. Dillon said the duties were held by one of the vice principals, but that person no longer works at Livingston Academy.
“Before him, it was a teacher who did it during a planning period,” Dillon said. “And [Melton] is unable to find a teacher who is interested in doing that during a planning period because they, I guess, it’s a lot.”
Board Member Mike Hayes suggested a $6,000 supplement. Board members debated how much of a stipend should be given based on the duties of overseeing TSSAA at the high school level. In addition, a county-wide athletic director takes on a similar role for lower grade level sports, but is paid a stipend less than $6,000.
Hayes said TSSAA responsibilities are part of the reason why he made his recommendation at $6,000. Hayes said anything lower would make it difficult to generate interest.
“I don’t know if you’ll have any interest at $2,500 if they’re not willing to do it now for a free period,” Hayes said. “I mean, I don’t want to say free period, but a period to work on TSSAA. I don’t think anybody would do it for $4,500.”
Others argued to make the high school number equal to that of the football coach, who earns a $6,600 supplement annually. The board ultimately decided to offer a $6,000 to both the county wide and high school athletic director positions.
The School Board also discussed a suppliment for the gifted coordinator. That position’s duties will also be taken on by a current employee in addition to their current job. Dillon said the last gifted coordinator is now the principal at Hilham Elementary.
“We had someone who is already doing a job in this office, and she went and took the test so that she could be over the gifted program because we lost our gifted person because she went to be a principal,” Dillon said. “So we kind of absorbed a position, but we have someone taking on another role, so we wanted to compensate her for taking on that additional role.”
Dillon said the new gifted coordinator is Amanda Masters. Dillon said this is a coordinator position lasting less than 240 days, so it can be prorated to an estimated $2,300. The board agreed this was a far better option than paying someone a full time salary to do the job.
Both stipends will be voted on at the August School Board Meeting.