EASTERN HANCOCK — Savannah Blevins was an all-county, all-conference, all-state softball player when she graduated from Eastern Hancock in 2013. The power hitter, who went on to play NCAA Division III softball at Franklin College, still has Royals school records in the books.
But when she applied for her first job as a teacher after college, they didn’t ask about her athletic statistics in the application, said Savannah’s mother, Lori. They asked about her education.
And that reality should reflect the way the school board makes their financial decisions, the Blevins family said.
Dozens of parents, teachers and concerned citizens attended the school board meeting Monday to support Blevins’ sentiment. Numerous opposing voices continue to speak out one month after a tense presentation by a group of Eastern Hancock teachers regarding the school system’s hiring of a strength/agility/fitness/wellness coordinator with a salary higher than that of several veteran teachers.
There are still many people in Hancock County, both within and outside the education system, who feel alarmed by the school board’s misguided financial priorities, Lori Blevins said. Drivers passing by the school can see the sign boasting how Eastern Hancock is an A school; the school system can’t expect to maintain that status if they don’t properly compensate the teachers that make Eastern a great school in the first place, she said.
“How are we going to keep up the A school we see on the signs if we don’t pay those educators the same as a strength and agility teacher who can’t even run a classroom because he doesn’t have a teaching license?” Lori Blevins said.
Times have certainly changed for teaching professionals, commented Eastern Hancock Middle School science teacher Lauri Johnson to the school board. Expectations for educators are higher than they used to be, even during the summer time, Johnson said.
There is a common perception, she said, that teachers simply have the summer off. But according to the educator, she and other middle and high school teachers must spend those summer months reflecting on courses taught and preparing for those in the coming semester. Johnson recalled spending hours studying scientific journals, hunting down articles for use in class and creating assessments for reading assignments.
Lori Blevins’ husband, Johnnie, added that after watching Savannah go through the process of getting her first job as a kindergarten teacher, the family gained insight into how much preparation and school time it takes for a person to become an educator. Even with a temporary teaching license for the state, applicants often need two years of experience minimum to even be considered for a position, he said.
“We don’t have all the answers,” Johnnie Blevins said. “We don’t know the best path. It’s not all about the pay, I understand that. But we do want teachers to feel valued.”
Superintendent Dr. Vicki McGuire said the school board does acknowledge and praise the sacrifices made by Eastern Hancock teachers, and that the school board’s goal is always to make decisions based on what they feel will be best for students.
“The school board very much appreciates the demanding work teachers put in each day,” McGuire said in an email to the Daily Reporter. “They had no ill intent toward teachers and felt that the students would benefit from the skills and knowledge of the new hire.
“We have success stories during every board meeting in which we celebrate school successes, and most of them are about academics and not sports,” she continued. “There may be somewhat of a miscommunication about the board being all about sports and nothing else. Most business that is conducted at board meetings is about academics, curriculum, finances, textbooks, field trips and such.”
McGuire said the school board appreciates the recent high attendance at board meetings and the enthusiasm of the Eastern Hancock community. Important comments have been presented, and the board will continue to listen with respect, she said.
“We encourage the community and our staff to continue and communicate with the school board and administration in regard to their concerns and ideas for improvements,” McGuire said.
