First grade moves to A.C. Moore Primary School
News Staff Report
Escambia County education officials announced during last week’s (February 13’s) meeting of the county school board that ground will be broken this Friday, February 21, for the new concession stand and visitors-side restrooms at Escambia County High’s Herbert Barnes Field.
Shaun Goolsby, the county school system’s Deputy Director of Operations, said the 10 a.m. ceremony would mark the start of a project that is expected to cost around $590,000. The original bid of $637,500 was reworked after the unidentified bid-winner failed to show up, creating savings of $47,500.
Goolsby also said additional savings of up to 10 percent could arise from the use of “value engineering,” which has been approved by the state, on the project. There are currently no restrooms on the visitors’ side, and the home-side concession stand will replace one that has stood for decades and does not meet all the requirements of the Americans With Disabilities Act.
Also given official approval during the February 13 meeting was the relocation of all first-grade students in Atmore to A.C. Moore Primary School. The move will free up much-needed classroom space at Rachel Patterson Elementary School, where students in grades 2-5 will attend. Rachel Patterson has almost 600 students this year.
In other business conducted during the meeting, BOE members:
*Approved an overnight trip (February 27-28) for Escambia Career Readiness Center students to attend Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) state competition in Montgomery.
*Approved a contract with Bud’s Refrigeration Service for installation of 46 new supply outlets and 14 new returns at Flomaton Middle School. The cost ($16,723) will be paid from 2024 Advancement and Technology (A&T) funds.
*Approved the purchase for $28,646.25 of 25 Lenovo M90q ThinkCenter desktop computers with 24-inch, non-touch monitor bundles for Escambia Career Readiness Center. The computers will be paid for with funds from a Perkins Career Tech Grant
*Voted to expel for up to a year an Escambia County High School student for violation of the student code of conduct. The student will receive educational services through Escambia County Virtual School.
Personnel
The following personnel recommendations by Superintendent Dr. Michele Collier were approved by the Board.
The following abbreviations are used:
Escambia County Board of Education – ECBOE
Atmore Central Office – ACO
Brewton Central Office – BCO
A.C. Moore Primary School – ACMPS
Rachel Patterson Elementary School – RPES
Escambia County Middle School – ECMS
Flomaton High School – FHS
Pollard McCall Junior High School – PMJHS
W.S. Neal Middle School – WSNMS
Atmore Maintenance Department – AMD
Brewton Maintenance Department – BMD
Retirement
1. Traci Ward, academic interventionist, PMJHS, effective May 23, 2025
Resignation
1. Maci Roberts, Teacher, WSNMS, effective Jan. 6, 2025
2. Ernest Eugene Cassity, general maintenance worker, AMD, effective Feb. 28, 2025
Employment
1. Trajan Hollinger, instructional aide, ACMPS, effective Feb. 14, 2025, replacing Tabatha Grah
2. Tara Longmire, pre-k auxiliary teacher, ACMPS, effective Feb. 14, 2025, replacing Brittney Campbell
3. Laura Pettway, teacher aide, ECMS, effective Feb. 18, 2025, replacing Wendy Stokes
4. Jace Gandy, secondary teacher, FHS, effective Feb. 24, 2025
5. Wyatt Oliver, general maintenance worker, BMD, effective Feb. 17, 2025
Employment change
1. Misty Joyner, from central operations clerk, ECBOE, to central office bookkeeper, BCO, effective Feb. 14, 2025
2. Melissa Ingram, from special education aide, ECMS, to secretary / bookkeeper, ECMS, effective March 3, 2025, replacing Theresa White
3. Michelle Parish, from secretary / bookkeeper, RPES, to central office bookkeeper, ACO, effective Feb. 14, 2025, replacing Amie Kramer
After school employment
1. Brianna Fortner, bus monitor, after school program, RPES, effective Feb. 14. 2025
2. Aaliyah Williams, teacher, after school program, RPES, effective Feb. 18, 2025