Franklin County Schools: New Holiday, ESP Changes
by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer
At the Oct. 9 meeting, the Franklin County School Board approved two policy changes adopting Juneteenth as a holiday and reducing the days the Extended School Program would operate. The board also received an update on staffing needs.
Human Resources Supervisor Linda Foster said the state of Tennessee officially recognized Juneteenth as a holiday this past April. In August, Franklin County followed suit, recognizing June 19 as the day commemorating the end of slavery, coinciding with Major General Gordon Granger’s 1865 order to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation in Texas, which due to its remote location had not surrendered until June 2. “We did not observe Juneteenth last year,” Foster commented. Responding to a question by board member Sarah Marhevsky, Foster said teachers were paid for 10 vacation days and two holidays; only full-time classified staff were paid for holidays.
Going forward, the Extended School Program, providing care for children during non-school hours, will only operate in the afternoon, 3–6 p.m., during the regular school year when school is in session and during summer months from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. when school is in session. There needed to be enough students attending to pay the staff, Foster stressed. The program will no longer offer care in the morning and during holiday breaks. “The change is not because we wanted to do it, but because we cannot staff ESP,” Foster said.
Director of Schools Cary Holman explained, “The ESP program is a self-funded program. There are no dollars allocated to the program. Having employees is a huge component of the program functioning. Inconsistency results from parents saying our child will attend during the holidays, but then when the holidays come, they do not show up, and the program is stuck with costs to cover the hourly staff.” Marhevsky suggested staffing the ESP program with parents during holidays. “Parents would have to go through the approval process of being fingerprinted and things of that sort,” Holman replied. “And the reliability of that source could present additional challenges.” In support of the change, board member Sara Leichty observed, “Stating in the ESP policy these days are not going to be covered is better than getting a morning phone call saying, ‘We don’t have enough people to offer the program today.’”
Updating the board on personnel, Foster reported Cowan Elementary School needed a PE teacher by Nov. 1. “That’s our biggest challenge,” Foster said. In addition, Rock Creek Elementary and Sewanee Elementary needed full-time custodians and Clark Memorial had a part-time custodial position open. Foster urged those interested in applying for the teaching and custodial positions to contact the central office immediately.