VanHuss awarded new four-year contract as city schools director

By Buzz Trexler

The Elizabethton Board of Education on Thursday night voted to dissolve a 2022 contract with Dr. Richard VanHuss as director of schools and approved a new four-year contract that includes a salary of $144,144.

The previous contract with VanHuss, who was named to the position in 2020 following the resignation of Dr. Corey Gardenhour, included a salary of $128,304, but provided for a pay hike only when teachers and other employees received increases.

The board in May approved a $36,259,561 budget for the 2024-2025 fiscal year that included a step increase for all eligible certified and staff employees, while hourly rates for classified personnel were adjusted to reflect a 4.5 percent increase. The base annual salary for a teacher with a bachelor’s degree increased from $43,500 to $46,638; for a master’s, from $47,850 to $51,188; education specialist, $52,200 to $55,738; and doctorate, $56,550 to $60,288.

With that action, the board had three options, as Chairman Eddie Pless explained during the meeting. “Currently, the contract would end June 30, 2026,” Pless said. “We can’t go more than a four-year contract. So, we have the option of leaving it as it is, or we can dissolve that and start a new contract and have it a three-year length, or we can dissolve it and we can extend it to four, which would be the maximum.”

Board Member Edwin Alexander moved, and Vice Chair Jaimie Bass Schaff seconded, that the current contract be dissolved, and the new four-year contract be approved. The motion passed unanimously.

The contract renewal was followed by a brief review of VanHuss’ evaluation, which Pless called “extensive.”

“With a score of 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest, I will say that the overall score was pushing that 5 mark,” the chairman said. “We’re realists. We know that no one’s perfect, but we do know that the job that’s being done is extremely well done, and for that we are thankful.”

Pless said two of the strongest scores given to VanHuss in his evaluation were in community, staff, and personnel relationships, as well as facilities, finance, and human resources, “which is essentially the job in a lot of ways.”

VanHuss expressed his appreciation and welcomed any suggestions for improvement.

“Just like you all, I love Elizabethton. So, that’s first and foremost, and our children, which are the most prized resources,” the director said.

OTHER ACTIONS

The school board also:

— recognized Forrest Holt, who was named Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association’s District 1 Athletic Director of the Year. Holt has served as Elizabethton High School’s athletic director for six years and is returning to the classroom. As of July 1, the new EHS athletic director will be Ryan Presnell.

— approved the purchase of 563 Chromebook 3110s at $266.42 apiece from Dell as part of the system’s Chromebook replacement cycle for a total of $149,994.46.

— approved the addition of an assistant cross-country coach at Elizabethton High School.

— approved the purchase of additional door locks and spare locks from Central Technologies Inc. of Knoxville for $59,964.28

— approved a five-year contract with Chappell’s Pest Control to service all seven city school locations.

PERSONNEL MOVES

Board members approved the following new hires: Linnea Tabaka, Community Involvement Program (CIP), lifeguard/swim instructor, effective May 28; Liam Cannon, CIP, lifeguard/swim instructor, effective June 3; Mia Whaley, CIP, lifeguard/swim instructor, effective June 4; Kim Hutchison, band director, T.A. Dugger Junior High School (TAD), effective Aug. 1; Glen Sams, bus driver, June 10; and Ben Davenport, teacher, EHS, effective Aug. 1.

Board members approved the following additional positions: Kloey Tester, head volleyball coach, TAD, effective April 21; and Greg Abarientos, head volleyball coach, EHS, effective June 4.

Board members approved the following transfers: Mallory Moreland, from Tennessee All Corp (TNAC) assistant to second-grade math teacher, Harold McCormick Elementary School, effective May 1-May 22; Kloey Tester, from substitute teacher to physical education (PE) teacher at East Side Elementary School (ESE), effective Aug. 1; Melody Crockett, from EHS to TAD as sixth-grade English language arts (ELA) teacher ( Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund eliminated), effective Aug. 1; Valerie Lee, from interim media specialist to library media specialist at West Side Elementary School (WSE) effective May 22; Alex Matlock, from substitute teacher to eighth-grade math teacher at TAD, effective Aug. 1; Jay Scurry, from special education teacher to educational assistant at EHS, effective May 23; Megan Wolfe, secretary/educational assistant at Wandell Early Learning Center (WELC), effective May 23; Amie Williams, from science/social studies teacher at TAD to science teacher at WSE, effective Aug. 1; Forrest Holt, from athletic director to physical education teacher at EHS, effective July 1; Ryan Presnell, from criminal justice teacher to athletic director at EHS, effective July 1; Regina Livingston, from cafeteria personnel at HME to custodian at TAD, effective May 30; Gail Ridlehuber, from Project On Track math teacher at TAD to SPED assistant at EHS, effective May 24; Eric Dunlap, from Project On Track teacher to math teacher at WSE, effective June 7; Margie Lopez, from substitute cook to full-time cook at HME, effective July 30; Megan Reid, from TNAC teacher to first-grade teacher at HME, effective Aug. 1; Beth Stevens, from kindergarten teacher to math interventionist, effective Aug. 1; Mallory Moreland, from educational assistant to TNAC interventionist at HME, effective Aug. 1; Donna Townsend, from behavior modification teacher to K-1 comprehensive development classroom (CDC) at HME, effective Aug. 1; Morgan Fox, from first-grade teacher to kindergarten teacher at HME, effective Aug. 1; Michelle Fowler, from interim SPED teacher at EHS to behavior modification teacher to behavior modification teacher at HME, effective Aug, 1; Sienna Brown, from full-time to part-time TNAC instructional assistant at HME, effective Aug. 1; Shannon Barnett, from instructional coach to fifth-grade teacher at ESE, effective Aug. 1; Brooke Clawson, from third-grade teacher to interventionist at ESE, effective Aug. 1; Abbi Pierce, from kindergarten to third-grade teacher at ESE, effective Aug. 1; Jennifer Lucas, from third-grade teacher to interventionist at ESE, effective Aug. 1; Cassie Minton, from pre-kindergarten to kindergarten at ESE, effective Aug. 1; and Selina Stout, from instructional coach to pre-kindergarten at ESE, effective Aug. 1.

The board approved the following resignations: Michael Wilson, boys assistant basketball coach at TAD, effective May 10; Leanne Click, tennis coach at TAD, effective May 23; Leanne Combs, clerical secretary at WSE, effective June 2; Jessica Mowry, teacher at TAD, effective May 23; Reid Casey, teacher at EHS, May 23; Ashleigh Hayes, educational assistant at EHS, effective May 22; Pat Seals, educational assistant at HME, effective May 22; Will Evans, ESP student leader, effective June 7; Hannah Shepherd, educational assistant at ESE, effective May 22; and Cameron Coleman, assistant football coach at TAD, effective June 10.

The board approved the following non-hires: Jennifer Farmer, Project On Track math teacher, effective May 24; Jessica Ward, Project On Track math teacher, effective May 24; Maggie Carpentar, TNAC instructional assistant, effective May 24; Riley Jaynes, TNAC instructional assistant, effective May 24; Austene Smith, TNAC instructional assistant, effective May 24; Maisie McKay, interim SPED teacher at HME, effective May 23; Zack Bickford, interim SPED teacher at HME, effective May 23; Mathew Tynes, teacher at WSE, effective May 23; Matthew Myers, teacher at TAD, effective May 23; and Charles Fisher, educational assistant at HME, effective May 23.

The next regular board meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 16, in the Mack Pierce Board Room of the Elizabethton Board of Education, 804 S. Watauga Ave.

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