Should a high school head coach be paid more than a middle school head coach?   How about assistant coaches at each level?  Should the middle school athletic program be viewed as a “feeder” program for the high school program with the same coaching principles?  Do the high schools and middle schools from both ends of the county need to follow the same guidelines?

    Hancock County Board of Education Vice Chair Ed Fields had the policy governing coaching salaries placed on the agenda for Monday’s meeting and then asked for input on the issue from his fellow Board members.  Fields said that he has received input from the public that there are disparities in the salaries of  middle and high school coaches.  Using high school football coaches as an example, it was pointed out  that the high school football season  is 14 weeks in duration while the middle school season is 12 weeks, but often the middle school coaches spend those two weeks assisting the high school coaches.

    Fields also pointed out there is need for both high school and middle school athletic programs to work together.  He said that recently  high school coaches  had no input when middle school coaches were hired.     He said the middle school programs should operate as a  “feeder” program for high school sports.

     Member Gerard Spencer who also serves as an Assistant Football Coach, said the policies seem to very from school to school.

    “The administration needs to be on the same page.”  Said Spencer.

    The policy will be put out for review.

   Snow removal on school lots will be handled both internally and externally with  Board being informed  that the maintenance department has limited manpower to handle snow removal at all schools and a request for bids for additional snow removal would be advertised.

In other business, the Board:

**Approved a leave of absence/unpaid day be granted to Cynthia Nelson;

**Granted administrative release to Eric Nejus, assistant football coach Weir High’

**Accepted the resignation of Jami Mazeika,  Kindergarten teacher,  Weirton Elementary’

**Assigned Frank Crain, Oak Glen High School assistant football coach; and Sheryl Wright-Brown as Oak Glen assistant basketball coach;

**Assigned Ryan Wells as assistant girls’ track coach at Oak Glen Middle;

**Transferred Dan Lawrence from Oak Glen Middle girls basketball statistician (unpaid) to Oak Glen Middle Assistant Basketball coach;

**Accepted the resignation of Jennifer Molish, Yearbook, Key Club and Sophomore Class sponsor at Oak Glen High;

**Accepted the resignation of Edson Arneault as Student Council sponsor at Oak Glen High;

**Approved Samantha Lash for Weir High band and chorus;

**Approved Oak Glen teachers Tina Viakley as Yearbook sponsor;  Adam Howell as Sophomore class and Student Council sponsor; Patrick McGillian as Key Club sponsor;

**Extended an unpaid leave of absence for Tonya Long;

**Approved Nathaniel Robinson-Lockhart as substitute custodian; Robert Bozek as substitute aide; and Jordan D. Apesos as substitute aide;

**Approved administrative release of Christina Wetherall as substitute bus driver;

**Set the next regular meeting for Nov. 7, 6:30 p.m. at Weir High.