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Ashland City Schools superintendent outlines reconfiguration, transportation opt-in and retirement incentive
Summary
Superintendent Paramore reviewed student and staff recognitions, a reconfiguration plan with a shuttle opt‑in form, and a retirement-incentive approach intended to meet staffing to enrollment through attrition.
Superintendent Paramore told the Ashland City Schools Board that the district will continue in-person instruction this week and used his report to highlight student and staff awards, the district's reconfiguration plans and transportation changes, and a voluntary retirement incentive tied to staffing levels.
Paramore opened with recognitions for students and staff, naming multiple students of the month from Reagan Elementary through Ashland High School, and staff honorees including Basil Solomon, a bus driver and noon paraprofessional at Ashland Middle School, and Ryan Stackhouse, Arrow Digital Academy director and coach. "Thank you, Ryan Stackhouse, for embodying everything that an Arrow should be," Paramore said when recognizing staff.
The superintendent summarized the district's "state of the schools" presentation and said a recap video and materials are available on the district YouTube channel. He said the reconfiguration presentation explained changes to school assignments and transportation logistics and that the district published an opt-in Google form on Jan. 23 for families who wish to use shuttle transportation. "As of right now in Ashland City Schools, 1,600 students utilize our transportation," Paramore said, adding he expects that number to rise once shuttle options begin.
Paramore described practical details for families: shuttle riders may be able to enter buildings as early as 8:10 a.m., while the usual parent drop-off time at some schools is 8:30 a.m. He said the district must "adhere to some contract language" so staff are not required to provide supervision earlier than agreed. He also noted the district is preparing classrooms and ordering furniture as part of reconfiguration work and encouraged families to view the online recap for specifics about traffic patterns and schedules.
On staffing, Paramore sought to clarify confusion about a planned reduction in force. He said the district included a target number of 12 in communications as a motivation for an early-retirement incentive, but emphasized the district does not intend involuntary layoffs: "It is through attrition. That means either through a retirement or somebody leaves our district," he said. He said roughly seven to eight employees had accepted the retirement option so far and that employees have until March 15 to decide. He added the district hired 12 certified staff members the previous summer and said the goal is to match staffing to enrollment levels in grades K-5.
Paramore also described recent personnel actions approved earlier in the meeting, and reminded the public of upcoming board dates. The board later voted to enter executive session on personnel and negotiation matters; no further action was taken publicly after that session.
Details: the superintendent used examples of how families with children at multiple buildings could combine drop-offs and shuttles, and asked families to submit the opt-in form annually even for those who historically used district transportation.
The board will meet in work session on Feb. 10 and in regular session on Feb. 24; additional dates listed during the meeting included March 10 and March 24.
