CLARK COUNTY – The West Clark Community Schools board is preparing for the potential transition into two school boards.
Board President Doug Coffman told the community this week during a school board meeting that board members will meet with area trustees, to ask them to start thinking about people to appoint to two new school boards.
West Clark was approved by the state to pursue separating into two school districts: Silver Creek School Corp. and Borden/Henryville School Corp. The voters will decide in May whether to split or remain one school district.
Coffman said the local trustees will appoint board members to the two separate school boards. He said he is requesting that they name people in January, so that the new boards can shadow the current board to better prepare them to be ready to take over this summer, if the community votes in favor of the separation.
Coffman said the appointed members will have no voting rights during those months leading up to the election.
"It's basically to watch us operate in the event that the vote is successful," Coffman said.
Coffman said the new boards will consist of five appointed members for each new district, with about half of those on a two-year term and the rest on a four-year term. After those terms end, those positions will be elected seats, all having four-year terms. He said existing school board members may be asked to fill those roles. If the May vote is in favor of the separation, the existing West Clark school board will dissolve and the new boards will take over, Coffman said. However, if the vote is no, the new boards will dissolve.
During the meeting, the board approved a resolution, which states the board's intentions for honoring staff seniority, not making teachers re-apply for their jobs and more. He said the sitting board cannot tell the new boards how to operate; however, they can inform them of the existing board's intention with the separation.
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