TIMMONSVILLE -- Florence School District 4, Timmonsville, announced an aggressive reorganization plan, which includes the elimination of 19 positions.
The district will make a number of changes due to the impact a decrease in student enrollment has had on the budget. The district needed to save $1.3 million.The changes, listed below, will go into effect on Monday, March 14. The Timmonsville School District has four schools: Brockington Elementary, Johnson Middle, Timmonsville High, and Timmonsville Education Center .
Dr. Bertha McCants, the district superintendent, sent a news release Monday detailing the changes. She was not available to comment on the changes. In her release, she says all district office staff members will move into the Timmonsville Educational Center (TEC) to save on the operational expenses and to create opportunities to generate revenue through office space rental.
They are also making a number of instructional program changes, which are listed below.
- Combine three 1st grade classes into two classes of 23 students
- Combine three 2nd grade classes into two classes of 25 students
- Transfer one 2nd grade teacher into (vacant) 5K position
- Elementary curriculum coordinator will also teach Gifted & Talented classes
- Middle school guidance counselor will transfer to teach high school ELA
- High school and middle school chorus and band will be taught by the same teacher
- Art: one teacher for Brockington Elementary School , Johnson Middle School , and Timmonsville High School
- Physical education: one teacher for BES, JMS, and THS
- Media specialist: one for BES, JMS, and THS
- Guidance counselor: one for BES and JMS
- Rearrange some exceptional education teachers' schedules to include instruction for THS exceptional education students
The district also announced a number of administrative changes, which are listed below.
- One principal for JMS and THS (combine along with district-level human resource responsibilities)
- One assistant principal for JMS and THS (combine along with district-level operations responsibilities)
- BES principal (combine along with district-level curriculum & instruction responsibilities)
Here are the clerical changes the district will make:
- Eliminate superintendent's administrative assistant position
- Combine Timmonsville Education Center receptionist & attendance clerk
- Combine finance & food service clerk responsibilities
- Add another finance clerk with transportation clerk responsibilities
- Combine human resource, professional development & assessment secretary
- Combine THS, JMS, and athletics & operations secretary
- BES and curriculum & instruction secretary
The abOve cuts will lead to the elimination of 19 positions. The district will lose four administrators (one finance director and three principals), one first grade teacher from Brockington Elementary, four teachers from JMS and TMS (one art, one chorus, one PE, and one media specialist), three instructional assistants, one maintenance employee, two custodians, and four office staff members.
As part of the reorganization, the principals of each of the three schools lost their jobs.
Angela Jacobs is now the principal for Johnson Middle School, replacing Robert McDonald, and Timmonsville High School, replacing Dorothy McClam. Jacobs will also continue to serve as the district's human resources director.
Matrell Sturkey is the new principal at Brockington Elementary School, replacing Pamela Sims. Sturkey will also continue to oversee district level curriculum and instructional responsibilities.
The Timmonsville School Board will set up a table in the IGA parking lot this Saturday from 12 to 1:30 p.m. to meet with parents.
