New Lebanon parents, students want to know why Jewett's contractnot renewed
NEW LEBANON - School was closed for snow and cold, but last week'smeeting of the New Lebanon school board was decidedly hot.
About 50 parents, students and residents packed the small meetingroom Feb. 24 to voice their complaints about the school boardreplacing Dixie High School football coach Jim Jewett.
The board did not renew the one-year contracts of Jewett and 23other coaches and advisers at its Dec. 23 meeting.
Superintendent Timothy Barrett said that was standard procedurefor nonteaching contracts.
Local teachers are given first chance at the openings, Barrettsaid. Teachers from outside the district are then given theopportunity to apply for remaining openings and finally, anyone canapply for any positions still available.
The openings for coaches and advisers were properly posted,Barrett said.
But those in the audience questioned why only Jewett's jobresulted in a classified ad in the Dayton Daily News when otheropenings were not equally recruited.
Barrett said he wasn't aware of an ad other than a noticepublished in the Dayton Daily News sports section.
Barrett also told those in attendance that Jewett was evaluated byAthletics Director John Stekli and not himself. He said he wouldn'tdiscuss personnel matters.
Members of the football team and their parents had numerouscomments and questions for the school board.
'I think this is a manhunt,' one said.
Jewett spoke, too, asking for clear-cut reasons why he wasn'tbeing rehired.
In the end, the school board voted 5-0 to hire Mike Bullock ashead football coach.
Bullock is a teacher in Beavercreek and worked previously atBellbrook, Preble-Shawnee and the University of Dayton.
Twenty-one others were hired to various coaching positions. All ofthe supplemental contracts run one year.
In other matters:
* At two special meetings the previous week, the school boardfinalized plans for a 2.8-mill permanent improvement levy to beplaced on the May ballot. It would replace a 2.0-mill levy, which isending.
Two levies were defeated in November. The current 2-mill levycosts the owners of a $100,000 home about $50 a year; the new 2.8-mill levy would cost the same homeowner $98 a year.
A 7.0-mill replacement levy for operating costs will also be onthe May ballot.
