By Bob Strohm
bstrohm@wbcowqel.com
The cost being charged for textbooks by some universities for the College Credit Plus program drew the ire of Wynford High School Principal Jeff Holbrook at Wynford’s Board of Education meeting Thursday night.
Holbrook began his report to the board singing the praises of the program, stating that it allows students to walk out of high school with four semesters of college under their belt at no cost for the students. Holbrook then turned his attention to a textbook that is being used for one of the programs. Procuring the book and passing it around to the Wynford Board, Holbrook noted that while the College Credit Plus Program is great for the kids, some practices of a few of the universities are a little suspect.
“College Credit Plus first and foremost is absolutely fantastic for kids, I can’t take that away from the kids, but when you look at textbooks, as a student in college you have the right and choice to seek out the cheapest price for the textbook as possible, with College Credit Plus the university dictates to us the cost of the book. The book in question can be found on Amazon between $15 and $35, yet we were charged $108. As a principal we want to be very judicious of tax payers’ money.”
“That is just one example. We have two kids that are getting photocopied books they call them loose-leaf books, they cost $167 apiece so for two of their classes it is going to cost the school district $600,” Holbrook added. “We can’t do anything with them, we can’t reuse them, we can’t resell them, and we are stuck. It is unfortunate, I just want the opportunity to be able to seek out the lowest cost for our tax payers and our school.”
Holbrook explained to the board that some universities allow the school to rent textbooks to the school, but some want to take advantage.
Wynford Superintendent Fred Fox echoed Holbrook’s sentiments.
“Mr. Holbrook and Mrs. Heinlen came in and they were quite upset,” Fox said. “We need to put pressure on the universities that are taking advantage of us when we could be getting the textbooks elsewhere cheaper.”
In Treasurer Leesa Smith’s report to the board she explained that the school had the largest fiscal year carryover since she had started at the school.
“We had a carryover of $1.4 million, which is the largest carryover since I have been with the school,” Smith said. “When I started in 2003 the school had a carryover of $93,000. So far we have had increases in 2013, 2014, and 2015, with last year having an increase of $800,000.”
Smith also added that the carryover came even with the school spending $300,000 in capital expenditures which included two new buses, a new transportation van, as well as updated technologies in the school, and a new sound system in the high school gym.
During open board discussion Fox responded to a request from an earlier meeting in which a request was made for the school to not hold any activities on Sundays in order for the students of the school to attend church and family related activities.
“To close down the school on Sundays is an injustice to the students,” Fox said. “If the kids want to do a Sunday matinée for a school play it would be a great injustice. I think we have to be careful when mixing church with school. We still want to promote their programs and create a good blend.”
During the public comments portion of the meeting, the Wynford Board visited the band room in the high school to view the new equipment purchased for the band from the Carey School District. While showing off the new drums, sousaphones, chairs, and stands the Wynford marching band performed two songs that are being practiced for the upcoming year Trombone Shorty’s “Buck Jump” and Michael Jackson’s “Don’t Stop Until You Get Enopugh.”
Following the band performance the Wynford Board wen onto the auditorium’s stage to view new curtains purchased slightly used from Carey as well.
The Wynford Board approved all personnel and operational items on the agenda including the hiring of Stephanie Lee Smith as elementary intervention specialist, and elementary teachers Jared Cox and Allana Bedingfield. Also among personnel items approved was a 5 year contract extension for Smith.