By DON FLETCHER
News Staff Writer
Escambia County Board of Education members approved spending measures of nearly $387,000 during their August 22 meeting, including almost $114,000 to replace Escambia County Middle School’s storm-damaged fire alarm system and damaged technology equipment.
The board voted to spend insurance proceeds of $92,621.88 to replace the technology equipment that was damaged and $21,325 for a new fire alarm system.
Most of the other approved spending went for educational technology and software, and the biggest chunk of that — $101,915 — went to the purchase from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt of Read180 and Math180 intervention and academic acceleration programs. Online math curriculum resources were purchased from EBSCO Industries for $50,800. Both purchases will be paid for with textbook funds.
Also gaining approval were the purchase from American Book Company of resource material for grades 6-8 in Math, English Language Arts and the Alabama Comprehensive Assessment Program (ACAP), a yearly standardized test that evaluates students’ understanding of the Alabama Course of Study Standards. Students in grades 2-8 are tested in English and Math; students in grades 4, 6 and 8 are also tested for science comprehension.
The school board also gave the green light to the expenditure of $33,300 to IXL Learning for elementary-level educational technology. That expenditure will come from Elementary and Secondary Schools Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds, COVID relief money that came from three different Congressional acts, including the American Rescue Plan Act.
Dr. Collier said the system has until September 30 to spend the ESSER money it was allocated under the acts. County schools pay up front for eligible expenditures, then file for reimbursement. Dr. Collier did not mention how much of the ESSER allotment is left.
The other spending item, renewal of the county system’s bus and other vehicle insurance policy through Alabama Trust for Boards of Education (ATBE) Automobile Fund, was also approved. The $63,426.09 premium will be paid from general funds.
In other business conducted during the meeting, BOE members:
*Approved a memorandum of agreement between the local school system and Southwest Alabama Behavioral Health Care Systems “to facilitate collaboration of mental health treatment services for students in the district.”
*Learned from Dr. Collier that the school system’s non-restricted fund balance on July 31 was $12,556,475.06. That is equivalent to “about 2.73 months” of operating reserve.
*Approved an addendum to the contract for Avery Ford, the system’s new Chief Schools Financial Officer (CSFO) that establishes September 1 as the date he will officially begin his duties.
*Approved an amended salary schedule. Dr. Collier said the amendment was primarily to cover supplements paid to athletic coaches, as well as the salary of the extra coach the state allocated to W.S. Neal High as part of its move from Class 3A to 4A.
*Approved a revision in the board’s personnel policy regarding a “Teacher Bill of Rights.”
*Approved a student policy revision regarding “Distribution of Explicit Images.”
*Called a special meeting for 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, September 5, primarily to discuss the damaged roof at the Flomaton Middle School building. Prior to the meeting, BOE members will undergo two hours of whole-board training on charter schools.
*Announced that the September regular session will take place at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, September 26, at the Central Office in Brewton. Public budget hearings will also be held that day, at 9 a.m. in the Atmore Central Office and at 2 p.m. in the Brewton Central Office.
The following personnel recommendations by Superintendent Dr. Collier were approved by the Board.
The following abbreviations are used:
Escambia County Board of Education – ECBOE
A.C. Moore Primary School – ACMPS
K-5 Alternative School – K-5AS
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
Escambia County Alternative School – ECAS
Escambia Career Readiness Center – ECRC
Atmore Bus Shop – ABS
Brewton Bus Shop – BBS
Retirement
1. Mary Sheffield, 7-hour lunchroom worker, WSNES, effective Aug. 1, 2024
2. Ava Crutchfield, OCS aide, WSNHS, effective July 31, 2024
3. Betty Johnson, sped bus driver, BBS, effective Oct. 31, 2024
4. Larry Zangas, bus driver, BBS, effective Jan. 1, 2025
5. Donna Coleman, bus driver, BBS, effective Aug. 31, 2024
Resignation
1. David Holloway, ELA teacher, ECHS, effective Sept. 30, 2024
2. David Belanger, math teacher, ECHS, effective Aug. 21, 2024
3. Chrystal Purvis, 7-hour lunchroom worker, FES, effective Aug. 13, 2024
4. Vicki Gulsby, special education teacher, PMJHS, effective Sept. 4, 20244
5. Cassidy Lanier, pre-k teacher, PMJHS, effective Aug. 30, 2024
6. Jennifer Parker, CNP manager, PMJHS, effective July 31, 2024
7. Rachel Mohling, instructional aide, WSNES, effective Aug. 30, 2024
8. Mitzi Flanders, teacher, WSNMS, effective Aug. 17, 2024
9. Mike Miller, teacher, WSNHS, effective May 24, 2024
10. Andrew Mohling, bus driver, BBS, effective Aug. 30, 2024
11. Lewis Brooks, bus driver, ABS, effective July 5, 2024
Employment
1. Tawanda Sims, 6-hour lunchroom worker, ECHS, effective Aug. 23, 2024, replacing Geneva Chavers
2. Karen Condrey, 6-hour lunchroom worker, ECHS, effective Aug. 23, 2024, replacing Lisa Robbins
3. Hope Moulton, 7-hour lunchroom worker, ECMS, effective Aug. 23, 2024, replacing Victoria Shipp
4. Kate Kiser, CTE pre-engineering teacher, FHS, effective Aug. 12, 2024 (amended), replacing Rafael Adams
5. Taryn Schroeder, 6-hour lunchroom worker, FHS, effective Aug. 23, 2024, replacing Kisha Hagan
6. Quaunhntel Hill, custodian, RPES, effective Aug. 23, 2024, replacing James Hayles
7. Haley Hadley, 6-hour lunchroom worker, WSNES, effective Aug. 23, 2024, replacing Brigitte Hoomes
8. Allison Svoboda, bus driver, BBS, effective Sept. 3, 2024, replacing Andrew Mohling
9. Sara Lowery, bus driver, BBS, effective Sept. 3, 2024, replacing Donna Coleman
10. Alece Hadley bus driver, ABS, effective Aug. 23, 2024, replacing Paul Pearson
11. Amanda Shiver, bus driver, ABS, effective Aug. 23, 2024, replacing Danny Brooks
12. Clara Talton, homebound teacher / part-time, Office of Special Education & Student Services, effective Aug. 26, 2024, replacing Angela Wright
Employment change
1. Lisa Jones, from 6-hour lunchroom worker, ECHS, to 7-hour lunchroom worker, ECHS, effective Aug. 23, 2024, replacing Rita Jones
2. Vernametres McCracklin, from social studies teacher, ECHS, to career preparedness teacher, ECHS, effective Aug. 1, 2024 (amended – new unit)
3. Hillary Durden, from office aide, WSNES, to instructional aide, WSNES, effective Sept. 3, 2024, replacing Rachel Mohling
4. Jessica Godwin, from special education aide, WSNES, to instructional aide, WSNES, Sept. 3, 2024
Transfer
1. Jodi Grant, special education aide, from FES to FHS, effective August 1, 2024
2. Shea Lambert, career coach, from ECRC to ECBOE, effective August 1, 2024
3. Leah White, elementary teacher, from WSNES to K-5AS, effective Sept. 3, 2024
Rehire
1. Justin Weaver, custodian, RPES, effective Aug. 23, 2024, replacing Justin Weaver
2. Eva Rowland, special education teacher, RPES, effective Aug. 23, 2024, replacing Julius Armstrong
Summer employment
1. Rebekah Fore, ARRP summer registered nurse, FHS, effective May 30, 2024
Leave of absence
1. Makenna Lindley, elementary teacher, WSNES, effective April 12, 2024 through May 23, 2024
2. Lynn Winters, math coach, HES, effective April 1, 2024 through May 24, 2024