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Funderburk Returns to Central High School: New Principal Taught at School for 21 Years

Posted on: Friday, 9 June 2006, 06:00 CDT

By Harry Franklin, Columbus Ledger-Enquirer, Ga.

Jun. 9--Jan Funderburk worked in Phenix City schools for 28 years.

After 10 years as assistant principal at Opelika High School, Funderburk is coming back to Phenix City's Central High School as principal starting Monday. He previously taught there for 21 years.

The Phenix City School Board voted 5-0 Thursday to approve Funderburk, with board members Matt Shirleyand Rodney Walters absent and new board member Frankie Horace attending his first meeting after the Phenix City Council approved him Tuesday for the post.

Funderburk, 60, of Phenix City, takes over from interim Principal David Wilson, who returns to the central office to resume director of auxiliary services duties for the district, and succeeds Carey East, who left the principal's post to assume duties in the central office after Assistant Superintendent Carl Jeff Adams died.

Funderburk will lead a school with about 1,400 students and supervise about 135 employees, including three assistant principals. His salary will be negotiated between $85,000-$95,000, based on experience, including administrative experience, Phenix City Schools Superintendent Larry DiChiara said. He was chosen from nine serious candidates who met the requirements.

"All I heard from the Opelika folks was how good he was as an administrator," DiChiara said. "He's an old-school type guy -- straightforward, a straight shooter."

"I've said if the Central High job came open, I would consider it," Funderburk said. "The school's in great shape and it has great programs with a lot of good support and good administrators. We want the best academic programs for students and teachers. My goal is to be there five or six years, if not longer."

The new principal received his bachelor's and master's degrees in social studies from Auburn University and his administrative certificate from Troy University. He taught social studies for nine years at Phenix City Junior High School, followed by nine years at Central High. He served as director of the Alternative Learning Center for four years, then returned to Central High for 12 years, teaching U.S. history and AP history, before going to Opelika High.

Policies on violence

The board also gave tentative approval to policies dealing with out-of-school violent criminal conduct by a student and use of cell phones. Second reading and final vote on the policies will be at the June 22 meeting.

The violence policy would provide that if a student is charged with a violent crime or one that involves use of deadly weapons, the principal will apprise the superintendent or designee of the charges. A hearing will be held to consider the nature and seriousness of the charges, affording the student and parents due process. One of the following recommendations will be made at the hearing:

-- The student will be suspended and may not be readmitted to school until criminal charges are disposed of by appropriate authorities.

-- The student will be placed in the Phenix City Success Academy until criminal charges have been disposed of by authorities.

-- The student will be placed in homebound setting or at a neutral site until criminal charges have been disposed of by authorities.

During this period, the student will not be allowed on campus at any Phenix City school or to attend any extracurricular activity or event involving a Phenix City school.

If attending graduation is an issue, the principal and superintendent will determine whether the student can participate.

A policy also was spelled out on terroristic threats and participation in graduation ceremonies, which the policy states is a privilege, not a right. It states that a student cannot participate in graduation unless he or she meets requirements of the Alabama Board of Education, including passing all parts of the graduation test and completing academic requirements of the local school board. The privilege can be revoked based on serious misconduct, on or away from the school campus, especially if it occurs at or near graduation time.

Cell phones

The board also considered a new policy that allows high school students -- but not elementary or intermediate school students -- to carry cell phones to school, but restricts when they could be used.

DiChiara said a policy on cell phone use is needed after Alabama law changed, leaving it to school districts to decide on possession and use by students. The policy would extend to students in grades 8-12 the privilege of possessing cell phones under these conditions:

-- They cannot be displayed, activated or used during the instructional day. They must be turned off, stored in a locker, book bag, backpack, purse or pockets during the school day. They cannot be used on school buses to or from school, but coaches/sponsors may allow their use on buses returning from a game, competition or school-sponsored activity.

-- The instructional day includes lunch breaks, class changes, study halls and any other instructional activity that occurs during a normal school day.

-- Cell phones with cameras capable of transmitting or receiving images may never be used to take pictures.

-- It will be treated as a Class III offense to use cell phones to photograph or video tests, school work, teachers or other students.

-- If a cell phone rings during class, it will immediately be confiscated and must be picked up by the parent or guardian from the main office. Forgetting to turn off the cell phone is no excuse. If a student violates any part of the policy, the privilege of having and using a cell phone at school may be permanently prohibited.

-- Neither the local administration nor school board assumes responsibility for loss, theft or destruction of cell phones. They are brought at the student's risk.

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Copyright (c) 2006, Columbus Ledger-Enquirer, Ga.

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

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Source: Columbus Ledger-Enquirer

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