WCSCC rehires Moomaw

SMITHVILLE -- Lynn Moomaw's rehiring as director of operations and adult education came with praise and commendations from board members and her peers.

At the May Wayne County Schools Career Center meeting, the board accepted Moomaw's retirement resignation, effective July 31. However, she sought to be rehired and was approved at the June meeting.

Wayne County Schools Career Center Treasurer Mary Workman called Moomaw, whose reemployment is effective on Aug. 4, "invaluable" and "fabulous to work with."

Superintendent Kip Crain pointed out that compliance issues and changes in grants and loans related to adult education are "almost impossible to keep up with," yet Moomaw has done it.

"I really appreciate her being in that position," Crain said.

Board member Larry Acker described Moomaw as "a very high quality professional."

"The hardest worker I know" was the label given her by board member Susie Lawson.

During the renovation of the Career Center, "she ran a smooth ship," said board member Sue Williams.

Board member Doug Stuart cited mutual respect between Moomaw and her co-workers.

She is "everything you want in an administrator," said board member Phil Keener.

Board President Don Noble II told her he was "glad you want to stay with us," calling her "very professional, ethical ... organized to the nth degree."

In turn, Moomaw gave high marks to Sandy Elliott, who earned the staff excellence award for the month of June.

"I am going to add persistence and patience to excellence," Moomaw said, referring to Elliott's pursuit of accreditation for the adult education program through the Council on Occupational Education, "a new organization with many different standards and criteria."

Just received in June for a period of six years, the longest amount of time awarded, the accreditation is critical to making students eligible for federal financial aid, received by 98 percent of the Career Center's adult education students, Moomaw said.

"This (accreditation) is not a given," she said. "There are some very fine career centers who have been deferred."

Elliott was the leader of the process, Moomaw said, which "took over 1 1/2 years and required an in-depth study, with over 300 pages of documentation."

"Sandy managed the team, data collection and final submittal," Moomaw said.

In other business, Crain reported enrollment figures as of June 6 show "15 or more in every program" for the 2014-15 school year.

"Most of them are maxed out at 25," he said.

Principal Matt Brown said in his written report to the board "a grand total of 820 (juniors and seniors are) slated to attend in August."

Workman told the board, "We're doing really well," with revenue for the financial year to date about 3.3 percent above the estimate and expenditures under by about 3.5 percent.

Board member Bob Reynolds asked how a 5 percent increase in health insurance premiums has tracked over time.

"We've been very fortunate the past couple of years," Workman said, pointing in particular to the number of premium holidays and a 10 percent premium increase previously projected in the five-year forecast.

Lawson gave the board a legislative update, including information on bills about caring for students with diabetes and authorizing release time for religious instruction.

Also discussed was the board and administrative workshop scheduled for Aug. 6; Lawson asked board members for topics on which they would like to hear presentations.

Reporter Linda Hall can be reached at 330-264-1125, Ext. 2230, or lhall@the-daily-record.com. She is @lindahallTDR on Twitter.