Hugh G. Willett knoxnews.com

LOUDON — Improving teacher pay and adjusting to proposed changes to the Common Core program were among the topics covered at the Loudon County school board’s annual Gatlinburg retreat over the weekend.

School board members, principals, teachers and other school staff used the event as an opportunity to share ideas for improving the system, according to board Chairman Ric Best.

“Over the three years I’ve attended this retreat, we’ve been able to improve the process by adding more break-out sessions,” he said.

Board member Bobby Johnson Jr. said the break-out session allowed him to spend quality time with principals and administrators.

“They let us know the resources they need and what they need to work on,” he said.

Board member Gary Ubben said teacher retention was an important topic for discussion. In recent years Loudon has lost teachers to surrounding school districts because of salary.

“These counties are cherry-picking some of our best teachers,” he said.

Loudon is particularly challenged trying to recruit and retain teachers in specializations such as science, mathematics and special education. One of the issues related to retention is teacher pay, Ubben said.

“We’re looking at new options and salary schedules that allow us to be more competitive,” he said.

The board is also concerned about changes to Common Core that are being discussed in the state Legislature. The county has invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in training teachers to use the Common Core standards, he said.

“If they are going to make changes, it would be money down the drain,” he said.

Another problem with Common Core is that teachers have been teaching to the new standard but are being evaluated under the old standards.

“Teachers are somewhat up in arms over this,” he said.

Briefings by members of the technical staff explained how more testing will increase the burden on technical resources, Best said. Putting all of the students online is requiring greater bandwidth, he said.

The need for construction of facilities was also discussed. The board is in the process of authorizing an addition to Loudon High School and upgrades to traffic flow at Highland Park school. The work at Highland Park has been delayed due to a contract dispute with an architectural firm that drew up plans for the school almost a decade ago, Ubben said.