By Michael Benavides
Staff Writer
JACKSON – The title of transportation administrator in the Jackson School District has been changed to director of transportation and the person who is hired to succeed the district’s retiring transportation administrator will be the first to hold the new title.
At their Nov. 15 meeting, members of the Board of Education voted 7-0 to make the change in title, but said the duties of the position will remain the same.
Allison Erwin, the district’s coordinator of communications and technology, said, “The change in the job title is just a formality to keep the position title more in keeping with the titles for this (level of) position.
“Our retiring transportation administrator, Al Olkowitz, has worked here for 20-plus years and now that he is retiring and we are hiring his replacement, we altered the title for the job to keep current with the industry standard term. The job duties have not changed at all,” Erwin said.
She said the board is in the process of interviewing candidates and said it is too early in the interview process to state what the person who is hired will be paid.
According to a job description, provided by Erwin, the director of transportation will report to the district’s business administrator/board secretary. The director will supervise all transportation personnel who are employed by the school district.
The job goal of the position will be “to provide safe and efficient transportation for the students of Jackson within the established guidelines of federal, state and local laws and policies.”
The job description states that the director will be responsible for matters relating to personnel, which include “the selection and recommendation of candidates for employment in all positions within the transportation department in accordance with district procedures, planning and coordinating work schedules for all transportation personnel including the packaging of routes for bidding purposes, vehicle maintenance, maintaining employee work schedules and office hours of operation, administering the negotiated labor agreement between the Jackson Board of Education and the appropriate employee unions, and recommending disciplinary action when required in accordance with contractual terms and district procedures in a fair and consistent manner.”
According to the job description, the director will be “directly responsible for developing and implementing bus routes and schedules to effect efficient daily student transportation services including to and from school, sports and field trips, and after-hour activity runs.”
The individual who holds the position will be “directly responsible for supervision of the maintenance and repair program for the Jackson schools’ owned and leased vehicles and equipment.”
The director will “oversee all aspects of fleet maintenance in reference to service; provide accurate record keeping of vehicle maintenance; establish effective use of personnel and equipment along the guidelines of safety and efficiency; recover manufacturers warranty for new vehicles.”
In other business, district officials reported that the Jackson Education Association (JEA) and Teamsters Local 97 are in the final year of a three-year contract with the board. The contracts will expire on June 30, 2017.
The JEA represents teachers, guidance counselors, learning consultants, social workers, speech teachers, school psychologists, educational media specialists (librarians), head teachers (stipend position), the athletic trainer, occupational and physical therapists, extended kindergarten child care program, two-year certified support staff, which includes an educational interpreter, non-certified staff, school secretaries, school media assistants, paraprofessionals (including para monitors), paraprofessional interpreters for the deaf and certified occupational therapy assistants.
The Teamsters represent bus drivers, van aides and mechanics who work in the school district.
Erwin said negotiations are underway between the board and the unions’ representatives on new agreements.
