Local News - June 2002

Board asked to name gym after Buck Dellinger

By ANDIE LEATHERMAN, LTN Staff Writer

June 7, 2002 - School board members Wednesday heard a request to name West Lincoln Middle School’s gym after the late Buck Dellinger.

They also voted to phase out Lincolnton High School’s cosmetology program and heard construction updates during their meeting at the district’s administration offices.

James Ball requested that West Lincoln Middle School’s gymnasium be named in memory of Dellinger. Ball, who retired this year as West Lincoln Middle School’s principal, submitted the request on behalf of a committee made up of the school’s new principal, Phyllis Tallent, teachers, students, parents, school board Vice-Chairwoman Sara Miller and a community member.

“Buck did many things for our school,” Ball said.

Ball described Dellinger, who served as athletic director, as an advocate for students.

“Not only did Buck teach, he nourished students,” Ball said.

Dellinger raised over $110,000 in sports equipment for the school.

Ball said students support naming the gym for Dellinger.

“They knew he was going through hard times. They will remember him for what he did for them, not how he died,” Ball said.

Dellinger died on March 20 from a self-inflicted gun shot wound.

The board will consider the request and vote at a later meeting.

The board voted to phase out the present cosmetology program at the end of the 2002-2003 school year. Board member Tommy Houser cast the lone vote against ending the program while board member Tony Jenkins abstained from voting.

During the public comment period, cosmetology instructor Sandy Taylor asked the board to save the program.

“I’m here to defend cosmetology,” she said. “They (students) go straight from my class into the workforce.”

The board’s curriculum committee voted in May to recommend the board phase out the program at the end of the 2002-2003 academic year.

The money used to pay for a cosmetology instructor will go to pay for a health occupations teacher, according to work force development coordinator Millie Costner.

“The staff has to be placed where the students are,” Costner said.

Some 376 students across the county want to take health occupations classes next year while five students completed cosmetology this year. An additional six cosmetology students are expected to finish the program this month.

Cosmetology students must complete 1,200 hours of studies including work in the school’s in-house salon. Students attend class into June to meet the requirement.

The program may be preserved if the school can find a community college to partner with. Gaston College has told Lincoln County Schools it is not interested. Costner is meeting with Catawba Valley Community College officials next week.

Taylor is retiring at the end of June. Costner said she is seeking a part-time instructor to teach next year. The instructor must be a licensed cosmetologist but does not have to have a teaching degree.

The North Lincoln High School construction project is over budget, Associate Superintendent Ed Hatley told the board. Because of a high concentration of rock in the soil, grading cost went up, though an exact dollar amount has not yet been determined, he said. The project is still on schedule and should be ready by August 2003, according to Bob Sebire, project manager.

In other business, Assistant Superintendent of Finance Steve Zickefoose told the board that school lunch and breakfast prices will remain the same in the upcoming year.

Lincolnton Middle School teacher Stephanie Dellinger was honored for her participation in the Principal’s Executive Program at UNC-Chapel Hill.

Principal of the year Phyllis Tallent, assistant principal of the year Mitch Sherrill and teacher of the year Michele Tallent were awarded lap top computers.

© 2001 Lincoln Times-News  

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