Board appoints staff to reinstated directors positions

FAYETTEVILLE — The School Board approved the appointment of three current staff members Thursday to reinstated district directors positions.

The board voted 7- 0 to appoint Kelly Brown as the K-12 English language arts director, Lorie Huff as the K-12 mathematics director and Lesley Merritt as the K-12 science and Advancement Via Individual Determination director.

Advancement Via Individual Determination is a global nonprofit organization dedicated to closing the achievement gap by preparing all students for college and other post-secondary opportunities, according to the district website.

“These individuals are highly qualified and are respected across the state for their expertise and contributions to K-12 education,” said John L Colbert, superintendent, in a district news release. “Each leader will provide the tools and resources to support personalized learning, student growth and a springboard for continuous improvement,” he said.

Brown serves as the district’s dyslexia specialist, has worked as a classroom teacher and has served with Fayetteville Public Schools for 24 years, according to the release.

Huff works as the mathematics coordinator for the district and has held positions as a math coach and as a classroom teacher, according to the release. She’s served with the district for 36 years.

Merritt serves as the response to intervention and the Advancement Via Individual Determination director, according to the release. She’s worked for the district for seven years and has also held positions as the science director and a classroom teacher.

The positions will be effective July 1 are being reinstated after they were rescinded during a staff reorganization by a prior district superintendent, said Alan Wilbourn,

public information officer.

Merritt will be paid $95,608 per year, Huff will be paid $100,715 per year and Brown will be paid $100,715 per year, said Greg Mones, human resources director

“These leadership positions will provide important direction for teaching and learning in Fayetteville Public Schools,” said Steven Weber, teaching and learning associate superintendent in the release. “Each director will work with teachers and administrators to align the district’s programs with the needs of each learner,” he said.

In other news, the board voted 7-0 to approve a 15-cent price increase to $2.50 for adult breakfasts and $4.05 for adult lunches served in district cafeterias for the 2021-22 school year.

Meals for students are paid through a waiver by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which allows districts to provide free meals school through June 2022 due to the covid-19 pandemic, said Ally Mrachek, Fayetteville child nutrition director. Meals are provided at no cost to the district, she said.

The waivers don’t apply to adult meals, according to supporting documents.

The price increases will ensure compliance with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s rule adult meal prices be set at the free reimbursement meal rates based on trends of incremental increases in the department’s breakfast and lunch reimbursement rates, Mrachek said.

The meal price increases will help meet several needs for the district as well, to include covering higher food and supply costs incurred from operating the emergency meal program, supply chain disruptions, shortfalls in program participation due to school closures, step wage increases for child nutrition staff, rehiring of open staff positions and improvements to equipment and menus, according to supporting documents.

The board likewise unanimously approved to reappoint Nika Waitsman as board president, Megan Hurley as board vice president and Tim Hudson as board secretary for the coming school year.