BOE approves 33 personnel actions
News Staff Report
The Escambia County Board of Education approved 33 personnel actions during their May 23 meeting, including acceptance of a key Central Office person’s resignation and the transfer of Rachel Patterson Elementary School’s (RPES) principal and five kindergarten teachers.
Kike Pettaway, formerly principal at Escambia County High School (ECHS) and most recently Mental Health Coordinator for the county system, resigned her post in the wake of her arrest in Mobile on a misdemeanor domestic violence-menacing charge.
Pettaway served as the school system’s attendance supervisor from November 2021 until April 2022, when she replaced Amy Cabaniss, who retired, at ECHS. She remained in that post until January 2024, when she was appointed to fill the vacant Mental Health Coordinator slot.
BOE members also named a new principal for ECHS, where Coach Layton Knight has been serving as the top administrator since January. LaTonya Gill was named probationary principal, with a contract period that runs from June 3, 2024 through May 31, 2025.
In another significant move, Toya McMillian, who has been principal at RPES since the 2020-21 term, will leave that position and take over as principal of the K-5 Alternative School, which will be located at Escambia County Middle School. That change will become effective on July 1.
Superintendent of Education Dr. Michele Collier announced recently that the county has 29 K5 students who are in dire need of “intensive intervention.”
The kindergarten students now at RPES will be schooled at A.C. Moore School to take advantage of available space at that facility, so a handful of K5 teachers — Amy Dean, Cynthia Scott, Patricia Bradley, Samantha Trawick and Susan Anthony — were transferred to that school. Those changes will take effect August 1.
A complete list of the personnel actions is included at the end of this report.
In other action during the meeting, board members:
*Approved three out-of-state trips for the W.S. Neal High School football team to attend 7-on-7 camps during the summer: June 5-6 at the University of Tennessee; June 12 at East Central Community College in Decatur, Miss.; and June 26-27 at Millsaps College in Jackson, Miss.
*Approved out-of-state travel for Superintendent Collier to attend Powerschool Edge 2024 Conference, July 23-26, in Seattle, Wash.
*Accepted a $120,587 bid from Sun Flooring for the removal-disposal of current flooring and delivery-installation of new flooring for Atmore Central Office, RPES library, Pollard McCall Junior High School library, and W.S. Neal Elementary School library. The cost will be paid from Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds.
*Approved the purchase for $26,625 of special education curriculum software from TeachTown. The software will also be paid for with ESSER funds.
*Approved the purchase for $36,250 (to also be paid with ESSER funds) from Cognia Learning Community for online platform for professional learning.
The following personnel recommendations by Superintendent Collier were approved by the Board.
The following abbreviations are used:
Escambia County Board of Education – ECBOE
A.C. Moore School – ACMS
K-5 Alternative School – K-5 AS
Huxford Elementary School – HES
Rachel Patterson Elementary School – RPES
Escambia County Middle School – ECMS
Escambia County High School – ECHS
Flomaton Elementary School – FES
Flomaton High School – FHS
Pollard McCall Junior High School – PMJHS
W.S. Neal Elementary School – WSNES
W.S. Neal Middle School – WSNMS
W.S. Neal High School – WSNHS
Turtle Point Science Center – TPSC
Escambia County Alternative School – ECAS
Escambia Career Readiness Center – ECRC
Atmore Bus Shop – ABS
Brewton Bus Shop – BBS
Atmore Maintenance Department – AMD
Brewton Maintenance Department – BMD
Academic Recovery Response Plan Summer – ARRPS
Child Nutrition Program Summer Feeding – CNP SF
Resignation
1. Kike Pettaway, Mental Health Coordinator, ECBOE, effective June 30, 2024
2. Jeana Barrow, custodian, FHS, effective June 6, 2024
3. Hannah Bumpers, kindergarten teacher, WSNES, effective May 24, 2024
4. Brandalyn Jackson, pre-k program teacher, WSNES, effective May 24, 2024
5. Don Nathan Grantham, bus driver, ABS, effective May 30, 2024
Employment
1. Robert Wilkerson, science teacher, ECAS, effective August 1, 2024, replacing Alvin West
2. Mary Norton, special education teacher, FHS (amended location), effective August 1, 2024
Employment change
1. William Mills, from Transportation Supervisor, ECBOE, to Transportation Route Specialist, ECBOE, effective July 1, 2024
2. Susan Wiggins, from math coach, WSNMS, to elementary teacher, WSNMS, effective August 1, 2024, replacing Anne Campbell
3. Sarah Ziglar, from pre-k teacher, FES, to pre-school special ed teacher, Office of Special Education & Student Services, effective August 1, 2024, replacing Donna Watson
Transfer
1. Chrystal Purvis, Allen, 7-hour lunchroom worker, from ECMS to FES, effective August 1, 2024
2. Toya McMillian, principal, from RPES to K-5 Alternative School, effective July 1, 2024
3. Amy Dean, kindergarten teacher, from RPES to ACMS, effective August 1, 2024
4. Cynthia Scott, kindergarten teacher, from RPES to ACMS, effective August 1, 2024
5. Patricia Bradley, kindergarten teacher, from RPES to ACMS, effective August 1, 2024
6. Samantha Trawick, kindergarten teacher, from RPES to ACMS, effective August 1, 2024
7. Susan Anthony, kindergarten teacher, from RPES to ACMS, effective August 1, 2024
Summer employment
1. Robin Barrows, ARRPS aide, HES, effective May 30, 2024
2. Michelle Uriegas, ARRPS teacher, HES, effective May 30, 2024
3. Rhecy Currie, ARRPS math camp teacher, RPES, effective May 30, 2024
4. Alemayehu Worede, ARRPS bus driver, BBS, effective June 3, 2024
5. Sherry Popwell, ARRPS bus driver, BBS, effective June 3, 2024
6. Angela Ward, ARRPS bus driver, BBS, effective June 3, 2024
7. Merry Graham, ARRPS special needs bus aide, ABS, effective June 3, 2024
8. Jermel-Maurice Lewis, ARRPS maintenance / groundskeeper student worker, AMD, effective June 3, 2024
9. Owen Chancery, ARRPS maintenance / groundskeeper student worker, BMD, effective June 3, 2024
10. Brody Stewart, ARRPS maintenance / groundskeeper student worker, BMD, effective June 3, 2024
11. Gunnar Coale, ARRPS maintenance / groundskeeper student worker, BMD, effective June 3, 2024
12. Braiden Trawick, ARRPS maintenance / groundskeeper student worker, BMD, effective June 3, 2024
13. Erin Davidson, ARRPS maintenance / groundskeeper student worker, BMD, effective June 3, 2024
Contract
1. LaTonya Gill, probationary principal, ECHS, effective June 3, 2024 through May 31, 2025
2. Mark Harbison, contract principal, FHS, effective July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2027
3. Spencer Williamson, contract principal, WSNHS, July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2027