By Alyssa Schnugg
News editor
alyssa.schnugg@hottytoddy.com
Discussions on a proposed agreement between the Oxford and Lafayette County school boards on the management of the School of Applied Technology continue albeit slowly.
On Monday, the Lafayette County School Board tabled approving the proposed agreement after receiving a version approved by the OSD in January that was revised from the agreement the Lafayette County school board members approved in December.
The OSD Board of Trustees made changes to the agreement during a special called meeting in early January; however, the LCSD board members said they only received the changed agreement “a couple of days ago” and several said they needed more time to review the new agreement.
In the OSD approved version, each district would be given full and exclusive use of two of the four shop areas. Lafayette would be allocated two of the three classroom spaces, and Oxford would have the one remaining classroom space.
All other areas within the facility, including but not limited to the office area, outdoor spaces, restrooms, and storage facilities, shall be considered common space available to both parties.
However, the Lafayette County School Board changed the agreement to allocate Lafayette use of three shop areas and one classroom, leaving one shop area and two classrooms for Oxford.
During the January meeting, the OSD Board of Trustees said that arrangement would give Lafayette County 23,000-square feet of shop space while Oxford would receive just 8,500-square feet of space.
The agreement Oxford sent back to Lafayette has the space divided with Lafayette having 17,000-square feet of space and Oxford having 16,800-square feet.
LCSD board members said Monday they needed more information on how the equipment would be divided if Oxford took over the health and science classroom and to review the proposed split of shop space.
“We need that equipment for our class,” said board president Judith Thompson.
Both school districts jointly own the building and the land where The Tech is located.
The LCSD board doesn’t meet again until March; however, a special meeting could be called to review the agreement but no date was set for a special meeting on Monday.
The OSD board has called a special meeting for noon on Friday and a discussion about the agreement is on the agenda.
The two schools are currently part of a consortium that allows the districts to receive reimbursements from the state for teacher salaries. However, in June the OSD board expressed its intent to leave the consortium with LCSD and create its own Career Technology Education program so it can receive funding from the state for its program.
The agreement would dissolve the SAT board with each school district being in charge of its own programs.
Students of each district would be given an opportunity to take classes offered by each district.
