By DON FLETCHER
News Staff Writer
Escambia County Board of Education members heard a series of facilities updates, including five projects at four Atmore schools, during the board’s Monday, July 29 meeting. But the most immediate facilities concern came from a few miles east of Atmore.
Recent damage to the roof of Flomaton High School created an emergency situation, and the four board members present gave unanimous approval to an emergency declaration.
“The roof damage at Flomaton High was discovered July 25,” Deputy Director of Operations Shaun Goolsby explained during the work session that preceded Monday’s session. “I will make recommendation to the board to redesign the roof and do it like it should have been done.”
Superintendent of Education Dr. Michele Collier noted that education officials could “start the process for bidding on that project” right away if such a declaration was approved, and the measure quickly passed when the formal meeting began.
Goolsby updated board members and an audience of about 20 on the other renovation or repair projects that are under way across the county. The list included:
*A.C. Moore Primary — the renovation of all kindergarten rooms has been completed.
*Escambia County High School (ECHS) – Replacement of flooring in the school cafeteria has been completed. District 6’s Sherry Digmon and Board President Loumeek White (District 5) were the only BOE members present for the workshop, so they joined the crowd who got a look at the work, which was also done under an emergency declaration last year, when the flooring began to buckle in several places.
*Escambia County Middle School — Replacement of the school’s HVAC system, a $1.5 million project, awaits final inspection.
*ECHS fieldhouse — “This is my favorite project right now,” Goolsby said. “We’re back on track; they turned the air on last week, and yesterday they were priming and painting all the walls.” He said officials were looking for the virtual rebuilding of the school’s decades-old former fieldhouse by the end of August.”
If the fieldhouse is finished by then, ECHS’s football team will miss only one home game, an August 30 encounter with Monroe County. The site of that contest has not been announced yet.
There was almost no board meeting after the workshop, but District 4’s Cindy Jackson arrived shortly after the workshop, and District 7’s Coleman Wallace took his seat just minutes prior to the meeting’s scheduled start. With Digmon and White already there, that created a quorum.
Goolsby also told FHS Principal Mark Harbison near the end of the meeting that the status of the new elementary school building is in a slowdown stage at the moment.
“We won’t bid out the new school until the architects design it, and it will be 45-60 days before the design is complete. There are a lot of things coming up after that, too. We have to set the scope of the work first. We have a good plan coming.”
Goolsby summed up his report on a positive note.
“We’ve got a lot of good going on, but some unexpected things happened,” he said. “We’re going to get through it and come out better in the end.”
In other business during Monday’s meeting, BOE members:
*Heard from Dr. Collier that she and Federal Programs Supervisor Ashley Mosley were working on amendments, finalizing the reimbursement process for Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds for expenses paid in advance out of local funds. The superintendent said she did not have the exact figure on hand, but “roughly $6 million” has already been approved for federal reimbursement.
*Learned from Dr. Collier that the system’s (unaudited) unrestricted fund balance on June 30 was $13,113,202.76. That represents about 4 months of operating reserve, she said.
*Met new ECHS Principal LaTonya Gill, who outlined her plans for the upcoming school year.
*Approved the purchase for $95,840.73 of enCore Curriculum physical goods classroom package for grades K-12 from Teachtown. The special education package will be paid for with Individuals With Disability Act (IDEA) funds.
*Approved contracts with LBP Interpreting to provide interpretive services for deaf or hearing-impaired children. The county has only one such student, and the school system will pay an hourly rate, most of which might be eligible for reimbursement through grant funds.
*Approved a similar contract with Gulf Coast Therapy for physical and occupational therapy sessions on an “as-needed” basis. Coordinator of Special Education Suzanne Barnette said the company has provided those services across the county for the past 28 years.
*Approved the renewal of Schools PLP user licenses for three years. The $254,700 cost will be paid from ESSER funds.
*Approved the revision of compensation for athletic medical services providers at county football games. Those who cover varsity games will be paid $200 per game; for middle school or junior varsity contests, the pay is $125 per game.
*Approved extension of summer employment for students who are working with the system’s maintenance and grounds
Keeping departments. Dr. Collier complimented the teens on their hard work and “all hands on deck” attitude.
*Tabled for 30 days, as is board protocol, a proposed policy revision to the student handbook regarding Distribution of Explicit Images.
*Announced that the next regular BOE meeting will be held at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, August 22, at Atmore Central Office.
Personnel
The following personnel recommendations by Collier were approved by the Board.
The following abbreviations are used:
Escambia County Board of Education – ECBOE
A.C. Moore Primary School – ACMPS
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
Brewton Bus Shop – BBS
Resignation
1. Victoria Shipp, 7-hour lunchroom worker, ECMS, effective August 11, 2024
2. Nikita Pinkney, teacher, ECMS, effective July 15, 2024
3. Aundrea Beasley, special education aide, FHS, effective July 23, 2024
4. Allison Lowery elementary teacher, WSNES, effective July 31, 2024
5. Brigitte Hoomes, 6-hour lunchroom worker, WSNES, effective July 31, 2024
Employment
1. Jamieka McMorris, pre-k auxiliary teacher aide, ACMPS, effective August 1, 2024, replacing Kimberly Burris
2. Kathleen Camp, kindergarten teacher, ACMPS, effective August 1, 2024, replacing Nikki Trawick
3. Sandi McMurphy, itinerant registered nurse, ECHS / ECMS, effective July 31, 2024
4. Ray Morris, assistant principal, ECHS, effective July 29, 2024, replacing Layton Knight
5. James Weber, media production teacher, ECHS, effective August 1, 2024
6. Deri Grissett, band director, ECHS, effective August 1, 2024, replacing Kathryn Canterbury
7. Teralyn Kast, science teacher, ECMS, effective August 1, 2024, replacing Sydney Garrett
8. Terry Knowles, custodian, FHS, effective August 1, 2024, replacing Sherry Evans
9. Kate Kiser, CTE pre-engineering teacher, FHS, effective August 19, 2024, replacing Rafeal Adams
10. Tiffany Fretwell, English / language arts teacher, FHS, effective August 1, 2024, replacing Joy Daniels
11. Skye Ramsey, custodian, FHS, effective July 20, 2024, replacing Jeana Barrow
12. Jenny Lynn Zundel, instructional teacher aide, RPES, effective August 1, 2024, replacing Maranda Lambeth
13. Taylor Campbell, elementary teacher, RPES, effective August 1, 2024, replacing Leah White
14. Kimberly Waldrop, elementary teacher, RPES, effective August 1, 2024, replacing Christin Brooks
15. Rider Jernigan, English / language arts teacher, WSNMS, effective August 1, 2024, replacing Ashley Gafford
16. Aubrina Washington Bowens, English / language arts teacher, WSNHS, effective August 1, 2024, replacing Tiffany Oliver
Employment change
1. Raquel Davis, from assistant principal, Flomaton Elementary School, to elementary curriculum & instruction supervisor, ECBOE, effective August 1, 2024, replacing Nicole Spottswood
2. Rita Jones, from 7-hour lunchroom worker, ECHS, to CNP manager, ECHS, effective August 1, 2024, replacing Cindy Young
3. Vernametres McCracklin, from social studies teacher, ECHS, to career preparedness teacher, ECHS, effective August 1, 2024, replacing Ann Walton Nichols
4. Quentin Riley, from teacher aide, ECMS, to social studies teacher, ECMS, effective August 1, 2024, replacing Nikita Pinkney
5. Kisha Hagan, from 6-hour lunchroom worker, FHS, to bus driver, BBS, effective August 1, 2024, replacing Kathleen Meadows
6. Hugh T. Fountain, from special education aide, PMJHS, to physical education teacher / career prep, WSNHS, effective August 1, 2024, replacing Mike Miller
7. Stacy Thomas, from 7-hour custodian, WSNMS, to bus driver, BBS, effective August 1, 2024, replacing Shannon Folsom
Transfer
1. Kathryn Canterbury, band director, from ECHS, to FHS, effective August 1, 2024, replacing Brittany Van Winkle
2. Ashley Gafford, ELA teacher, from WSNMS, to FHS, effective August 1, 2024, replacing
Joy Daniels
Summer employment
1. Joshua Coleman, agriscience extended grant teacher, WSNHS, effective June 8, 2024
2. Karl Smith, ESSER 3 assistant principal, RPES, effective June 8, 2024
Rehire
1. Cynthia Clack, pre-k auxiliary teacher aide, ACMPS, effective August 1, 2024, replacing Cynthia Clack
2. Rafael Adams, social studies teacher, ECHS, effective August 1, 2024, replacing Vernamtres McCracklin
3. Elizabeth Wallace, CTE – cosmetology instructor, ECHS, effective July 24, 2024, replacing Elizabeth Wallace
4. Patrice Fountain, special education teacher, RPES, effective August 1, 2024, replacing Rachel Hadley
5. Sally Denton, part-time academic interventionist, WSNES, effective August 27, 2024, replacing Sally Denton