By JIM BUTLER

The Air Force hasn’t received so much vocal support here since BRAC came calling decades ago, and closed England AFB, as it did at Tuesday’s School Board meeting.

A crowd of cadets, parents, instructors and general community interests attacked the possibility of losing Bolton ROTC like A10s rousting tanks and ground forces, with the same results.

When initially drafted the staffing chart for the new Bolton Academy apparently did not retain the program.

Before discussion opened Tuesday night Supt. Jeff Powell noted two ROTC instructors had been added to the school allotment.

The board each April adopts the staffing plan for each school in the district, the attendance zones and the grades at each school.

The process has perhaps more attention this month than in recent years because of changes associated with Bolton.

Once the plan is approved, principals formally move forward with staffing decisions.

Tenured certified teachers are owed a job by the system; non-tenured but certified have transfer option; non-tenured, non-certified have to be offered a slot.

Attention has focused on Bolton given its conversion to a magnet facility though the process there is pretty much the same as other schools.

Powell pointed out some Bolton teachers have applied for posts at the magnet academy, and some have been accepted.

Teachers who don’t want to stay at Bolton or who are not preferred by the principal can apply elsewhere.

Questions about the ROTC program first came to light in query from board member Wilton Barrios.

He also seeks an update on the gifted program, which he agreed to wait until the June committee meetings to get.