School panel studies activities director position

The position of Colfax school activities director may be split into two positions or redefined before the start of the next school year.

After a classified staff employee was transferred last year, shifting duties eventually stretched hours thin for Mike Morgan, the current activities director.

Morgan also serves as the director of instrumental music and head football coach.

Superintendent Michael Morgan said the district was concerned they had actually “dumped too much” on Morgan’s plate when they shifted secretary Barb Strevy to the elementary school.

A committee of school staff headed by CHS Principal Gary Weitz is nailing down a specific description of the job to determine if too many hours are required of one person, Supt. Morgan reported to the school board at Monday night’s session.

The committee will have that information for the board by the beginning of August.

Mike Morgan was not available for comment.

The committee has two choices. The first is to split the job of activities director into a director for the junior high and a director for the high school.

The second option would be for the committee to simply specify their findings on the activities director position.

Supt. Morgan said he and the board have discussed the position in executive sessions over the spring season, and Mike Morgan is aware his position may change.

“We’re not saying he can’t handle it, we’re saying, ‘Let’s get a description clear enough so Mike can know directly what his position is from a district standpoint,’” said Supt. Morgan.

When the swine flu broke last year, 50 to 60 kids at a time were not attending school.

The paperwork storm that created was difficult to stay ahead of, given that Strevy was no longer serving as attendance secretary. Mike Morgan’s assistant helped in Strevy’s absence and that increased the work load on Morgan. The district eventually hired a supplemental employee, Supt. Morgan said.

A large number of new coaches this year also needed training as they came on board, a task which further burdened Morgan.

Another problem surfaced this spring when a student from Pullman had to be suspended from the varsity baseball team under WIAA residency rules. The district reported the violation and was not penalized but the student may lose a year of eligibility to compete in athletics.

As activities director, Mike Morgan earns a $5,000 stipend per year, in addition to about $10,000 for the period a day he devotes to that job.

As head football coach, he earns about $4,341 a year.

His main salary comes from his job as instrumental music teacher for the high school.