CUTS: PRINCIPAL DEMANDED BY PARENTS

Parents of children who attend Washington Elementary School are demanding that a full-time principal be hired for the coming school year.

The school is one of two in the Cape Girardeau School District that may be forced to share a principal next year as part of a $1.2 million budget cut approved by the Cape Girardeau Board of Education this week. May Greene is the other school.

At a meeting Thursday night held at the Cape Girardeau Montessori School, about 20 parents said they would not settle for a part-time administrator at Washington School. Also attending the meeting were school board President Patrick Ruopp and Director of Elementary Education Richard Bollwerk.

"As taxpayers of the school district, our children are entitled to the same benefits as children in other schools," said parent Steve Robertson. "Will one principal be able to effectively manage two schools?"

Another parent, Julie Briney, said her child's education is more important than balancing the dis

trict's budget.

"We demand a full-time principal at our school," she said.

David Ford, who has four children who attend or will attend Washington, said a part-time principal is "like taking 10 steps backward."

Elimination of one principal is part of the budget cuts announced Monday at a school board meeting. Bollwerk said the board did not formally approve having only one principal for May Greene and Washington, but that it is an option.

Washington and May Greene have the smallest enrollments of Cape Girardeau's six elementary schools. Washington has 340 students and May Greene has 225. By comparison, Alma Schrader school has 589 students.

Ruopp told parents the board is still considering the best way to handle the vacancy and still balance the budget. He said no final decisions have been made.

Bollwerk said the option of eliminating one principal came about after the principal at Washington, Jim Watkins, submitted a formal request to be transferred to Franklin School on Feb. 13, thus creating a vacancy at Washington. The principal at Franklin, Ron Haggard, has announced he will resign at the end of the year. School officials have not said if the administration of both schools would fall on the shoulders of Sam Jerrell, the principal at May Greene.

Parents and members of Washington School's PTA said they feel shortchanged by even the consideration of a part-time principal.

"Our concern is that our school is not as important as a school across town would be," said Tom Meyer, PTA president.

Brenda Dohogne, PTA vice president, said student needs can not be met by a part-time principal. She said the needs of students at Washington are not being taken seriously by the board.

"Are we on the wrong side of town to be seriously considered? Because that's how we feel."

Ruopp said the board of education "would not be forced to decide what is the right side and the wrong side of town."

Ruopp said any solution being considered now would not be permanent. One option may be a tax increase, he said, but that has not yet to be discussed by the board.

"I'm not saying we are going to ask people for more money, but we might," said Ruopp.

Bollwerk said the district would have to find an additional $50,000 to pay the salary and benefits of another principal.

Also at issue is the district's standing with the state if a full-time principal is not hired for one of the schools. Bollwerk said by not having a full-time principal at a school, the district could be considered in violation of the Missouri School Improvement Standards, if they could not financially justify the vacancy. The district could be cited for inadequate administration, he said.

Ruopp said Washington school would have an administrator in the fall, but could not promise it will be in the form of a full-time principal.

"I know you want some kind of answers," Ruopp told the parents. "But we have a number of alternatives to consider and the administration hasn't had the time to work on it."

One parent said she may enroll her child in private school if a full-time principal is not hired. Ruopp said the move would be premature.

"I feel you'd really be jumping the gun if you start immediately considering alternative schools," he said.

Bollwerk pledged that district officials would find the best alternative to a full-time principal if they couldn't afford to hire one.

"It's not like we have our heads in the sand and are not considering the needs of every school," he said.

Meyer, who organized the meeting, said the issue will be discussed at the next PTA meeting March 19. He said the organization plans to go before the school board at its next meeting and demand that a full-time principal be in place at Washington in the fall.

"This is not going to be over tonight," he said.