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Board hears from Claysville
Published March 5, 2009
GUNTERSVILLE — Marshall County school board members faced a packed house of concerned Claysville parents, students and residents Monday afternoon, taking comments from the group’s spokesman and making no decisions.
Bud Moore, a Claysville resident and grandfather to two Claysville students, asked board members and Superintendent Tim Nabors on Monday to table action to close the school and give the option much more thought and consideration.
Nabors and school officials have looked at closing Claysville School as a way to offset an expected $2.9 million in funding cuts due to proration. Claysville is home to 205 students in kindergarten through eighth grade. Students attend DAR High School in Grant upon completion of the eighth grade.
“Many years ago, I had a tall dark-haired gentleman give me a business card that said our children are our biggest asset. I have children and grandchildren and have thought about that many, many times over the years. Times have changed and world has changed and people have changed. Still, our children remain our most valuable asset,” Moore said.
“The Claysville community humbly requests, asks, begs you look at all the data when you consider closing the school. Do a feasibility study using an outside source. Look at all the options. Our children are our most valuable assets. Table it for now. We in the community are putting our children in your hands. Please table this.”
Nabors promised he, along with board members and school officials, take the possibility of closing any school or facility seriously and would handle the matter with the utmost care.
“We will not vote on this tonight. We want to have a chance to think about what you said. At some point will reconvene for a vote. We will let you and the community know. Until then, we won’t vote on that tonight,” Nabors said.
Following the school board meeting, Claysville residents and supporters congregated in the halls, lobby and parking lot, discussing the matter and sharing thoughts, ideas and plans. But most of all, they reminisced about the school and what makes it an important part of the community.
“It’s the love. That school and everyone who works there has a lot of love to give. It is not like anywhere else,” said Martha “Tootsie” Moore, a former 30-year Claysville employee. “Claysville is a loving school and pillar of the community. The education our children get there is as good or better than DAR (where the students will be bused if Claysville is closed).”
Bud Moore didn’t know what to expect during Monday’s meeting, but hoped his comments were taken under serious consideration by board members.
“The community is very supportive of its school,” he said. “We don’t want to lose it.”
Bud Moore and his wife, Dolores, said they fear if the school is closed, it will never reopen.
In other business, board members cleared up several items quickly.
Board members authorized Nabors to negotiate for a two-acre parcel of land adjacent to Sloman Primary School in Douglas. Nabors estimated the land was valued at $160,000. Currently, two houses and a storage shed are on the property. No additional information regarding proposed use for the land was available by The Reporter’s press time.
At the end of the meeting, board members adjourned to an executive session to discuss student discipline.
One student was expelled from Douglas High School for 365 days after the student brought a loaded gun to school. The student is said to have forgotten it was in the backpack, and upon remembering it was there, went to a school staff member to alert them.
Another Douglas student was expelled because of chronic drug and discipline problems. A third Douglas student was brought before the board after violating the school’s cell phone policy for the third time. A fourth offense by this student will result in automatic enrollment in alternative school.
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