Franklin County Schools: Huntland Baseball, Vouchers, Thanksgiving
by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer
At the April 8 meeting the Franklin County School Board approved two requests for purchases for the Huntland Schools’ baseball program; learned about inequities in the governor’s proposed Education Freedom Scholarship Act; and authorized changes to the Thanksgiving vacation dates in the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 calendars.
The Huntland hitting facility will be paid for with money raised by the Dugout Club, said Principal Lisa Crabree. The 32’ by 80’ metal building, intended for indoor practice purposes only, will have minimal electricity, a dirt or gravel floor covered with outdoor carpet, and no plumbing or HVAC, cost $35,395. Deputy Director of Finances Jenny Phillips said insurance costs for the building would be “minimal,” $200-250 annually.
Citizens Community Bank has stepped forward as a sponsor for purchase of a new baseball field scoreboard at Huntland, cost $9,457.88. “Our current scoreboard is dead,” Crabtree said. “We’re in the middle of baseball season, and we’re calling the score from the PA system.” The scoreboard Huntland Schools had used since 2004, manufactured in 1999, came from the old Franklin County High School and is beyond repair.
Board member Sarah Marhevsky called the board’s attention to an “imbalance” in the financial workings of the Education Freedom Scholarship Act, a voucher-type program providing state funding for students who attend private schools. “Public schools get a certain amount of money per student,” Marhevsky said. “Seventy percent comes from the state and our district covers the other 30 percent. Students going to private schools [with Scholarship Act money] would get the full amount from the state. The county wouldn’t have to kick in anything.” Director of Schools Cary Holman concurred, private schools would get “100 percent” of the per student allocation from the state. Board member Sara Leichty cited a neighboring state with a similar voucher type program. “Ninety percent of the students who are currently participating were already in private school,” Leichty said, suggesting the parents could afford to pay private school tuition without state assistance. Earlier in the year the board passed a resolution opposing the Freedom Scholarship Act. Marhevsky urged concerned citizens to contact their legislators.
Following up on a discussion with Holman about most districts in the area taking off the entire week of Thanksgiving, Human Resources Supervisor Roger Alsup learned the district could use two of the “stockpiled” no-school days for Monday and Tuesday of Thanksgiving week by designating them as “professional development days.” The board approved a 2025-2026 calendar with “no school” the entire Thanksgiving week and amended the 2024-2025 calendar to reflect a change to “no school” Thanksgiving week.