By Jessica Blomquist
Staff Writer
    
The Morgan County Board of Education met Monday following the first day of the school year last week to discuss changes that will affect this year’s 3,302 enrolled students and teachers as well as evaluate the beginning of this school year.         
   

After approving the financial report, Superintendent Dr. Stan DeJarnett found the results satisfactory.     
   

“We’re very pleased with the way we did end the year and we’ve gotten off to a great start this year,” said DeJarnett.     Following that, DeJarnett presented the possible affects of state proposed budget control measures called for by Governor Sonny Perdue. Perdue has recommended that they reduce state funding for K12 schools by two percent.    
   

“It’s important to point out that K12 schools are getting the smallest reduction of any state agency,” said DeJarnett. “I think the two percent austerity reduction is dead certain.”         The other proposal being pushed by Perdue is a requested freeze to be placed on the homeowners tax relief grant program.     

“That will cost us, if it goes through, another $429,000 in lost revenue,” DeJarnett said.     
   

Both of these potential cuts need to be agreed upon by the general assembly, which will meet in January unless a special session is called.    
   

“I think the likelihood of a special session during an election year is remote, but they will have to address it in January,” DeJarnett said.     
   

Representatives from Morgan County High School also attended the meeting to present the school’s new discipline system, which includes two levels of behavior and consequences based on each consecutive offense. By implementing this new discipline system, the teachers and staff, in a collaborative effort, hope to provide a more consistent method of discipline from classroom to classroom.     
   

On the first day of school, each teacher reviewed the system with students and posted the rules in each classroom.     
   

The board also recognized MCHS principal Dr. Mark Wilson who is currently being considered by the National Association for Secondary School Principals for the 2009 MetLife/NASSP National High School Principal of the Year award. He is among three finalists, the other two coming from Washington and Virginia, who are being interviewed in Washington, D.C. for the honor. DeJarnett expects that the results for the award will be decided in September.    
   

“We’re real proud of Dr. Wilson,” said DeJarnett.     
   

They also approved a joint use agreement between the board and the Madison-Morgan Recreation Department, which details the shared use of athletics facilities. Board member Minnie Peek motioned to approve the agreement, and fellow board member Jimmy Paxson seconded.