School Board says goodbye to two long-time members at August meeting


Haywood County School Board members Maggie Stewart (left) and Gloria Sweet-Love (second from right) attended their last meeting Tuesday, May 8. Mrs. Stewart chose not to seek re-election and Mrs. Sweet-Love was defeated by Mrs. Pearlie Hess in the August 3 County General Election. Mrs. Sweet-Love has served 18 years on the board and Mrs. Stewart, eight years. Other board members (from left) Harold Garrett, Patricia Gruenewald and Joe Barden, thanked them for their service.

When the Haywood County School Board met in regular session Tuesday night, August 8, members discussed the budget, a request from a group to convert the old Alternative School site to a museum, construction at the high school, scholarships, and adopted several new policies. They also said goodbye to two long-time members.

Director of Schools George Chapman opened the meeting by telling board members that when they Haywood County Commission met in special session August 7, they approved the county’s budget, including the schools’ portion of a little over $21 million. He said no changes were made to the budget they submitted to the county. The portion that the taxpayer’s pay is only about one-third of that amount.

John Ashworth, a representative of the Dunbar-Haywood County Training-Carver High School Alumni Association, spoke to board members, requesting the use of the former Alternative School room for use as a museum for the group. This space is now being used for storage only, and board members voted to deem the space as “surplus” so county leaders can take appropriate action for the group. A number of other alumni also attended the meeting in support of the action.

Board members asked Director Chapman about the construction at the high school. He told them that work was well underway, but “a far piece from being finished.” But, he added, that school did start there Friday, despite the inconvenience and that every teacher has a “classroom” in which to teach. He also said that the students, faculty, and administration at the high school should be commended for making the best of the situation and working around the construction.

Mrs. Gruenewald also gave a report on the Catherine Truss Colhoun Scholarship fund. In 1999, Mrs. Colhoun left the school system $250,000 in trust for scholarships. Mrs. Gruenewald said that since then, committee members had awarded $94,900 in scholarships mostly to graduating seniors and several to teacher assistants. The balance of the fund now is about $303,000.

Director Chapman reported to school board members that he had not received the official report from the state about the local schools’ Report Card. He said he believed that the school system did well according to some preliminary figures he had received, but that it probably would be several weeks before he received word officially.

School board members adopted several policy changes recommended by the Tennessee School Board Association, including one about tenure, another about registered sex offenders, and one about raising the limit for purchases that will not require the bid process.

The meeting ended with an emotional goodbye to two school board members who will not return to office in September. Maggie Stewart, who has been on the board for eight years, did not seek re-election, and Gloria Sweet-Love, an 18-year member, who lost her seat in the recent county general election. New school board members, Pearlie Hess and Robbie Jarrett King, will begin their service to the school board in September.