DCSS approves hiring fee

ALBANY — The Dougherty County Board of Education took steps Thursday night to ensure the safety of staff and students within the Dougherty County School System.

The board approved the school system to absorb the costs of a $53 background check for current DCSS employees, but first-time applicants will be responsible for the fee under the new policy.

The $53 will cover a complete national FBI background check on employees, said Human Resources Director Tracy S. Williams.

“We are going to implement an online system that will check an applicant’s or employee’s background nationally,” she said. “The state supports the program and beforehand the background check was only being checked in Georgia.”

Williams said the new system is about taking a step into the future.

“With the old system it was an issue of storage,” she said. “Applicants and employees were fingerprinted manually and we had to keep up with these files and there were duplications. With the new system, the system will be digital.”

Williams said the digital system will be housed at the Dougherty County School System’s Police Department.

The board revised the personnel policy regarding background checks further by extending the renewals by a year.

Chairman David Maschke said by extending the background screenings by a year the school will be cutting the original price tag of $75,000 the school system would have to pay for existing employees. The 16,234-student Dougherty County School System has 1,157 teachers, 1,081 non-teacher employees, 29 principals and 34 assistant principals.

“When we extend to three years it comes to about $50,000 that the system will pay,” he said during the board briefing.

Board member Emily McAfee said the cost of the background checks will be worth the investment in the safety of the children and staff.

“We need to be confident that the choice of employees are in the best interest of the children,” she said. “They will have contact with them and there is no price on safety for the children.”

Maschke said the decision was a reflection of the board’s view on the importance of safety issues.

“We are trying to provide the safest environment for the staff and students,” he said.

Williams said the new online background screening system is tentatively set to be implemented on Feb. 1.

The school system will also be eligible for a $3 rebate from the state for every background check run through the new system.

The board also revised a purchasing policy that Maschke said no longer complied with state law.

“The original policy was intended to give bidding preference to minority and female-owned business that is now in conflict with new state laws,” he said. “The revision will eliminate liability for the system.”

Recommendations for the adoption of advanced placement English/Literature Arts textbooks, a resolution for setting regular monthly meetings, recommendation from the DCSS Building & Grounds and Finance committees were approved unanimously by the board Thursday.

Considerations from the Finance Committee for E-Rate bids and a recommendation from supply service were also approved 6-0. After attending the pre-briefing, the Rev. James Bush had an excused absence to attend a previously scheduled church function.

Prior to the regular board meeting, the school board went into an executive session to discuss personnel. The board began their regular scheduled meeting almost 30 minutes late due to the executive session.

Maschke apologized to the crowd of about 30 people gathered for the meeting.

“I think we have already broken our resolution for the new year to be more punctual,” he said. “I just want to inform you that the board is trying to do the very best we can and that we do take these issues

seriously.”