By DON FLETCHER
News Staff Writer
Escambia County Board of Education members voted unanimously during their May 19 meeting to approve six of seven “action items” (one was tabled), including a proposed “reorganizational” chart that includes two assistant superintendents (instead of one position currently in place), two mathematics specialists and two English Language Arts specialists.
Superintendent of Education Michele McClung told board members one of the assistant superintendents would be tasked with Student Services oversight, including athletics, student discipline, transportation, attendance, counselors, social workers, cafeteria staff, federal programs and testing, school improvement and the system’s English as a Second Language program.
The other assistant superintendent would be responsible for oversight of all teaching, learning, assessment and professional development, including the new First-Class Pre-K program to be implemented in January, career and technical programs, the new elementary and secondary math and English specialists, technology and special education.
Each would report directly to the superintendent.
“We’re trying to mainstream who reports to whom, for the best interest of operations of the school system and student test scores,” McClung explained. “The need for additional assistant superintendents for the system delineates the roles and responsibilities of the assistant superintendents.”
The county schools chief pointed out that the system’s new second-tier administrators could help prevent a catastrophe in the making, if the student-progress requirements of Alabama’s Literacy and Numeracy acts aren’t met within the next two years
“Right now, we are only at nine-percent proficiency in math, and that puts us in the bottom twenty-five-percent of the state,” she said. “We don’t want to stay on the list that I expect us to be on. We would have to pink-slip and put all the teachers and administrators — of all the schools that don’t meet the requirements — on paid leave and reorganize the school.
“That can create complete chaos … If tenured teachers are put on paid leave, they have to go somewhere. That would really upset the system. This [reorganization chart] gives us two years to get a really good and clear focus on academics, particularly the Literacy Act requirements and the Numeracy Act requirements.”
McClung added that such restructuring should free up the system’s curriculum supervisors — Jason Weeks and Nicole Spottswood — to do their primary jobs.
“Right now, both of them are doing a lot with student discipline, handling other issues in addition to their duties of trying to provide and implement school improvement plans,” the superintendent said. “Putting them in two separate areas will allow them to stay focused, give them a head start on working on proficiency, so we do not get on that list and have to reorganize.”
Currently, Sandra Reid is the system’s lone assistant superintendent.
One each of the new mathematics and English specialists would work with students and teachers at the elementary level; the others would be for secondary-level students and teachers.
In other business, the board:
* learned from Chief School Financial Officer Julie Madden that the system had enough money in its reserve fund to cover 6.23 months of operations.
* tabled approval of the Code of Student Conduct for the 2022-23 school year “to provide opportunity for input and consideration for changes.”
* voted to allow 12-month employees to carry over their unused vacation days from 2021 due to summer school and programs, as well as professional development, curriculum writing and new testing requirements for 2nd and 3rd graders over the summer. The days will be forfeited if not used by October 1.
* approved a service contract with Nearpod Inc. for educational technology services and onsite training. Payment will be made from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund, money that must be returned if not used.
* approved a revised 2021-22 Salary Schedule to adjust for salaries of teachers who take on summer school classes and those who are addressing “the academic recovery needs of students due to implementation of the Academic Recovery Act.”
* approved a request that one counselor from each school be allowed to work an additional 20 off-contract days during the summer.
Also of local interest, the superintendent announced that Escambia County High School would field a golf team next school year.
The board approved the following personnel recommendations by Superintendent McClung.
Resignation
1. Tyler Boatwright, math teacher, Escambia County Middle School, effective May 26, 2022
2. Meagan Stewart, elementary teacher, Flomaton Elementary School, effective May 26, 2022
3. Chelsea Reaves, elementary teacher, Flomaton Elementary School, effective May 26, 2022
4. Jacob Middleton, speech language pathologist, Rachel Patterson Elementary School, effective May 26, 2022
5. Hillary Bibeau, special education teacher, Rachel Patterson Elementary School, effective May 26, 2022
6. Samuel Wright, custodian, WS Neal Elementary School, effective May 13, 2022
7. Jesse Rowlen, science teacher, WS Neal High School, effective May 26, 2022
8. Jesse Guy, general maintenance worker, Brewton Maintenance Shop, effective May 31, 2022
Retirement
1. Marilyn Simmons, purchase order / utilities bookkeeper, Brewton Central Office, effective June 30, 2022
2. Sheila Fountain, gifted education instructional aide, Office of Special Education and Student Services, effective June 1, 2022 (Amended location)
3. Valarie Smith, school improvement supervisor, Atmore Central Office, effective June 30, 2022
Transfer
1. Anna Wheeler, math teacher, Escambia County High School, to Math Teacher, Escambia County Middle School, effective August 1, 2022 (Replacing Jami Cosby)
Employment
1. Shirley Prescod, pre-K program teacher, A.C. Moore Elementary School, effective August 1, 2022
2. Susan Yeszkonis, pre-K program teacher, A.C. Moore Elementary School, effective August 1, 2022
3. Kristian Wasdin, cosmetology instructor, Escambia County High School, effective July 20, 2022 (replacing Tina Rankins-Stanton)
4. Kelly McNeill, special education teacher, Escambia County Middle School, effective August 1, 2022 (replacing LeAnn Pepper)
5. Barry Coleman, social studies teacher, Escambia County Middle School, effective August 1, 2022 (replacing Scotty Benton)
6. Troy Brown, physical education teacher, Flomaton Elementary School, effective August 1, 2022
7. Elizabeth Danielle Brown, elementary teacher, Flomaton Elementary School, effective August 1, 2022 (Replacing Ashley Murphy)
8. Beverly James, custodian, Rachel Patterson Elementary School, effective May 20, 2022 (replacing Marvin Hollinsworth)
9. Carol Hughes, part-time interventionist teacher, Rachel Patterson Elementary School, effective August 8, 2022
10. Jeremy Padgett, utility / groundskeeper, Atmore Maintenance Department, effective June 1, 2022
11. Summer maintenance custodians (Academic Recovery Response Plan):
* Escambia County Middle School – James Williams
* Flomaton Elementary School – Regenia Pleasant
* Flomaton High School – Haley Black
* Pollard McCall Junior High School – Joe Carroll
* Rachel Patterson Elementary School – Suzette Barron
12. Student summer workers (Academic Recovery Response Plan):
* Escambia County High School – Stephen Williams/ Trajan Hollinger
* Escambia County Middle School – Dakota DeSpain
* Flomaton Elementary School – Anna Grace White / Matthew Bishop / Jackson Haney
* Flomaton High School – Erin Davidson / Chandler McBride
* W.S. Neal Elementary School – Dalton Shell /Alexandra Moulder / Paige Joyner
* Escambia Career Readiness Center – Christopher Paden
13. Academic Recovery Response Plan summer programs’ personnel: Staffing work schedules will be based on student enrollment, student attendance, and need for student academic support.
* Escambia County High School – Site director: Leslie Sellers; teachers: Priscilla Garror, Barbara Whatley
* Escambia County Middle School – Teachers: Marcia Adams, Rhecy Currie,
Deborah Salyers, Brittany Linam; teacher aide(s): Keyanna Wiggins
* Flomaton Elementary School – Site director: Melanie Kent; teachers: Madison Carpenter, Emily Lindsay; teacher aides: Helene Brown, (sub) Matthew Morgan
* Flomaton High School – Site director: Ashley Mosley; teachers: Karen Andrews, Philip Bell, Alison Britt, Amy Dullard, Jessica Green, Jeffrey Haney, Sharon Morgan
* Huxford Elementary School – Site director: Rebecca Murray; teachers: Tara Ikner, John Smith, (sub) Tiffany Hammac
* Rachel Patterson Elementary School – Site director: Terries Lett; teachers: Shannon Martin, Brian Stallworth; teacher aides: Karen Hubert-Frye, Tamesha Knight, Keyanna Wiggins
* W.S. Neal Elementary School – Site director: Elizabeth Andrews; teachers: Tracy McCurdy, Casey Lodge; teacher aide: Pamela Driskell
* W.S. Neal Middle School – Site director: Sandra Barrow; teachers: Anne Catherine Campbell, Ashley Knowles; teacher aide: Taylor Barrow
* W.S. Neal High School – Site director: Junia Fischer; teachers: Daniel Hodge, Stephanie Spicer
14. Title I Jump Start Enrichment Programs’ Personnel (Academic Recovery Response Plan):
* Flomaton Elementary School – Teachers: Chelsea Reaves; teacher aides: Heather Driver, April Dunsford
* Huxford Elementary School – Teachers: Brooke Gafford; teacher aides: Robin Barrows, Emily Barlow
* Rachel Patterson Elementary School – Teachers: Jessica Lockett, Allison Brooks, Malorie Johnson; aides: Vonda Bynum, Joydan Pleasant, Julie Rowland, Terry Kirby-Colbert
* W.S. Neal Elementary School – Teachers: Andrella Nettles, Margo Nordmeyer-Adams, Nicole Yoder; teacher aides: Hillary Durden, Jessica Godwin, Fabiola Jones, Cimmaron Wilson
15. Summer Enrichment Science Camp personnel (Sustainability Funds):
* Flomaton High School – Teacher: Kimberly Nevels
16. Summer Literacy Camp Programs’ personnel: Staffing work schedules will be based on student enrollment, student attendance, and need for student academic support.
* Flomaton Elementary School – Teachers: Jenny Engle, Baylie Smith, Sydney Lambeth, Leslie Wedgeworth
* Huxford Elementary School – Teachers: Connie Hetrick, Dawn Malone, Betsy Watson; teacher aides: Deborah Smith, Anna Nelson, Vicotria Alanis
* Pollard McCall Junior High School – Teachers: Amber Dunaway, Marilyn Bradley, Traci Ward, Eva Rowland
* Rachel Patterson Elementary School – Teachers: April George, Caroline Hughes,
Jennifer Brewton, Carol Hughes, Phyllis Moorer, Malorie Johnson, Julie McDonald
* W.S. Neal Elementary School – Teachers: Rochel Evans, Megan Moye, Katrina Anthony, Britney Shelly, Kimberly Collins-Bright, Gloria Hill
17. Summer Feeding Program – CNP (Academic Response Recovery Plan)
* Escambia County High School – Manager: Cynthia Young
* Escambia County Middle School – Manager: Rebecca Boutwell
* Flomaton Elementary / High School – Manager: Ashley Riley
* Huxford Elementary School – Manager: Susan Johnson
* Rachel Patterson Elementary School – Manager: Brenda Watkins
* W.S. Neal Elementary School – Manager: Janice Salter
* W.S. Neal Middle School – Manager: Mary Sheffield
* W.S. Neal High School – Manager: Vanessa Mealer
* Pollard McCall Junior High School – Manager: Alyssa Williams
* Escambia County Board of Education – Substitutes: Veronica Hacker / Rita Jones / Sondra Fails
18. Counselors approved to work up to an additional twenty (20) off contract days (Academic Recovery Response Plan) (to be paid at their daily rate):
* Escambia County High School – Susan Kirk
* Escambia County Middle School – Jawuan Osborne
* Flomaton Elementary School – Sharmon O’Bannon
* Flomaton High School – DeAnna Ross
* W.S. Neal Elementary School – Levon Wright
* W.S. Neal Middle School – Julie Clifton
* W.S. Neal High School – Beth Caupp
19. Connie Reeves, instructional technology resource teacher, Atmore Central Office, to work up to an additional twenty (20) off contract days during summer 2022 in accordance with the Academic Recovery Response Plan (to be paid at her daily rate)
Employment change
1. Robert Jernigan, welding instructor, Escambia County High School, to building construction instructor, Escambia Career Readiness Center, effective July 20, 2022 (replacing Kenneth Revel)
2. Courtney Dixon, instructional aide, Flomaton Elementary School, to elementary teacher, Flomaton Elementary School, effective August 1, 2022 (replacing Meagan Stewart)
3. Tori Chavers, instructional aide, Flomaton Elementary School, to kindergarten teacher, Flomaton Elementary School, effective August 1, 2022 (replacing Chelsea Reaves)
4. Ashley Murphy, elementary teacher, Flomaton Elementary School, to secondary teacher, Flomaton High School, effective August 1, 2022 (replacing Jerilynn Curry)
5. Eric Andrews, principal, WS Neal Elementary School, to attendance supervisor, Escambia County Board of Education, effective July 1, 2022 (replacing Kike Pettaway)