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Residents ask why division prioritized new CFO and contract choices as teachers leave; board cites staffing limits and progress in achievement
Summary
Community members questioned the scale of central administration payroll and the decision to hire a new financial officer at about $131,000 a year while safety and staffing gaps remain; the superintendent said the division is lean compared with peers and reported improved sub fill rates and gains in math and reading.
Several residents at the Matthews County town hall on Oct. 23 questioned the division’s staffing and spending choices, asking why a new financial officer was hired while some safety positions and classroom supports appeared absent.
Sharon Frypawd Haywood and other commenters asked how the $131,000-a-year financial officer position was created and what the job description justified; Bridal Johnson and others contrasted that cost with perceived gaps in day-to-day safety staffing. "We had to hire a new financial officer at the cost of $131,000 a year," one resident asked; board members said the hire reflected a need for specialized budget-management skills.
Doctor Daniel said the vacancy aligned with a finance-department need and that the new hire brings qualifications for more detailed line-item budgeting and benefits oversight. He said the division’s goal was improved transparency and more actionable monthly reports.
Residents also questioned outsourcing decisions. Doctor Daniel said the division contracts substitutes through ESS and custodial services through HES under one-year agreements renewable for up to four years; he reported recent performance metrics showing 110 fills out of 113 substitute vacancies and said HES has been responsive, though some elementary schools required additional deep cleaning after recent renovations.
Teachers and former staff raised concerns about turnover and workload. The superintendent acknowledged staff departures since COVID and said the division is reviewing salary scales, exit surveys and targeted professional development, and piloting tools such as Canvas and Wayground (formerly "Quizzes") to support instruction. He reported that math performance improved last year in most tested grades despite terminating the IXL contract, but said the division remains below state averages in some areas and has a multi-year goal of raising proficiency rates.
No formal board action on budgets or contracts was taken at the town hall; the board said it would address salary-scale stratification and library-assistant requests in future work sessions.
