Trustees await lengthy agenda

Monday night is an action meeting night for the Oconee school trustees.  A lengthy agenda is in store for the five men and women who decide the policies of the county’s public schools.  Action items include the approval of a calendar for 2017-18 and possible action on the hiring of two additional school resource officers.  In executive session, the trustees are to consider an issue of reduction of force affecting mental health counselors. Dr. Michael Thorsland, district superintendent, said, “Over the last couple of years, the SDOC increased the number of mental health counselors in the district because we were able to get Medicaid reimbursement to cover most of the salary expenses and it was easier for our students to get services within the school.  Recent changes to Medicaid reimbursements have made it much more difficult for school districts to get reimbursed. As a result of not being able to get the Medicaid reimbursements to cover salaries, we are recommending going from seven mental health counselors to three. We would still maintain one counselor per attendance area to cover the most urgent needs.This does not pertain to ‘guidance counselors.’  Each school still has one or more guidance counselor positions and no changes are expected there.” At the start of their 6 o’clock meeting, the trustees plan to recognize District Two’s Rosemary Bailes, who is not seeking re-election next month.