‘Start-up library’ materials bought for ACMPS; repairs, improvements at ECHS
By DON FLETCHER
News Staff Writer
The Escambia County Board of Education approved during their April 24 meeting the expenditure of more than $600,000 to purchase various technology and services for local schools and to pay for completion of some minor renovation and repair work.
Among the items approved by the board, were the purchase of library materials for A.C. Moore Primary School (ACMP), which currently has no library, and repairs to the audio system at Escambia County High School (ECHS) auditorium, as well as the purchase of speaker microphones and a subwoofer.
The materials for ACMP’s “start-up library” will cost $55,998.89 and are to be paid for with a combination of pre-K, local and carryover funds. The ECHS repairs will cost $7,850 and the microphones and subwoofer $8,145. Those amounts will be paid from Advancement & Technology (A&T) funds carried over from FY24.
In a workshop held prior to the meeting, Deputy Director of Operations Shaun Goolsby gave an update on ongoing projects and planned projects scheduled for completion during the upcoming summer break.
Two of the projects will be carried out at Escambia County Middle School (ECMS). Goolsby told board members bus traffic has caused the asphalt to come apart at the school entrance from Alabama 21 and proposed replacing a section of asphalt with concrete to eliminate the problem.
Goolsby also suggested contacting an electrical engineer to analyze ECMS’s fire alarm system, which has been hit by lightning three times in the past several years.
“There’s an underlying problem somewhere,” he said.
When the regular agenda was exhausted, the board met in executive session for about an hour to discuss potential litigation and the possible expulsion of three ECHS students for violations of the Student Code of Conduct. All three students were expelled but will be allowed to continue receiving educational services through the system’s virtual school program and will be allowed to graduate if they complete their course work.
One of the major discussions involving a school outside the Atmore area was the problem of students throwing vapes into W.S. Neal High’s plumbing system. Goolsby told BOE members the constant disposal of the items into the system would affect the school’s lift station within a year and will create a cost of “a quarter-million to half-a-million” if the lift station is clogged.
“It’s not a matter of ‘if,’ but ‘when’ it will happen, if they keep throwing vapes in there,” he said. “When it does, it will pretty much shut down the school.”
In other business conducted during the session, BOE members:
*Approved a trip for W.S. Neal High’s cheer team to attend camp in LaGrange, Ga. from July 15 – July 17.
*Approved attendance by Dr. Collier at the Powerschool Edge 2025 Conference in Nashville, Tenn., from July 22 – July 25. Dr. Collier is scheduled to speak at the conference, and most of the expenses will be paid by conference organizers.
*Recognized the W.S. Neal Middle School Science Olympiad team, which earned a spot in state competition for the second year in a row after the program was renewed in 2024.
*Approved a summer school salary schedule and summer work hours.
*Approved several new positions within the school system: Guidance and Support Services Supervisor, Attendance Supervisor, Personnel Administrator / Supervisor and Network Administrator.
*Approved a contract with Curriculum Associates for iReady online assessment and instruction software for all the county’s K-5 schools and Huxford 6th-graders. The $163,208 cost will be paid from FY25 A&T funds.
*Approved renewal of Cognia accreditation membership in the amount of $16,800. The cost will be paid with local funds.
*Approved the purchase for $23,000 from Audio Plus of a fire alarm system for the Flomaton Middle School wing.
*Approved the purchase for $15,017 from 95 Percent Group of a phonics curriculum program, which will be paid for through a combination of local and state funds.
*Approved a contract with Appetegy Inc. for mobile app and web development at a cost of $28,268.75. The cost will be paid with A&T funds. Dr. Collier said the cost is only half what the system has been paying for the same services.
*Approved a contract with Heinemann for Do The Math Legacy 25-26 and summer school consumables. The $72,112.61 cost will be paid from a combination of local and A&T funds.
*Approved a $37,500 contract with IXL Learning for educational technology for elementary school services. A&T funds will be used to pay for the contract.
*Approved a change order for W.S. Neal High storm doors in the amount of $164,290.50. A combination of local funds and funds from a lawsuit will be used to pay for the change order.
*Approved a contract with Innovative Behavioral & Consulting Services for behavior analytic consultation services for the 2025-26 school year. The consulting will be paid for with FY26 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) funds.
The following personnel recommendations by Dr. Collier were approved by the Board.
The following abbreviations are used:
Escambia County Board of Education – ECBOE
A.C. Moore Primary School – ACMPS
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
Brewton Maintenance Shop – BMS
Retirement
1. April Dunsford, secretary, FES, effective June 6, 2025
2. Angela Brown, teacher, HES, effective June 1, 2025
3 Donna Watson, academic interventionist, HES, effective May 23, 2025
4. Rhecy Currie, teacher, RPES, effective July 1, 2025
5. Tonya Emmons, teacher, RPES, effective May 23, 2025
6. Sandra Wallace, secretary / registrar, WSNHS, June 6, 2025
Resignation
1. Mary Hubert, 6-hour lunchroom worker, ECMS, effective May 23, 2025
2. Calle Simon, special education aide, ECMS, effective Apr. 4, 2025
3. Courtney McBride, principal, FES, effective June 30, 2025
4. Skylar Sirmon, special education aide, FES, effective Apr. 11, 2025
5. Jennifer Burkett, custodian, FES, effective June 6, 2025
6. Deborah Salyers, teacher, RPES, effective June 1, 2025
7. Julie Carnley, custodian, WS Neal Middle School, effective Apr. 11, 2025
Employment
1. Tommie Lewis, physical education teacher, ECHS (amended), effective March 31, 2025
2. Vyron Brown, English / language arts teacher, ECHS, effective Apr. 25, 2025
3. Cindy Davis, special education teacher, ECMS, effective Aug. 1, 2025
4 Sarah Aaron, special education aide, FES, effective Apr. 25, 2025
5. Terri Godwin, custodian, HES, effective May 1, 2025
6. Haley White, math coach-202 day, PMJHS, effective July 23, 2025
7. Samantha Mackety-Zundel, bus driver, ABS, effective Apr. 25, 2025
Employment change
1. Amanda Waguespack, from math coach to math coach-202 day, FES, effective July 23, 2025
2. Leah Vickery, from physical education teacher to pre-k teacher, FES, effective Aug. 1, 2025
3. Amy Bell, from academic interventionist to elementary teacher, PMJHS effective Aug. 1, 2025
4. Caroline Hughes, from math coach to math coach-202 day, RPES, effective July 23, 2025
5. Rachel Wiggins, from math coach to math coach-202 day, WSNES, effective Aug. 1, 2025
6. Allison Ramirez, from special education aide to pre-k auxiliary teacher, WSNES, effective Aug. 1, 2025
7. Michael Sims, from social studies teacher to secondary teacher / football coach, WSNHS, effective Aug. 25, 2025
Transfer
1. Heather Lavana, elementary teacher from RPES to ACMPS, effective Aug. 1, 2025
2 April George, elementary teacher from RPES to ACMPS, effective Aug. 1, 2025
3. Aaliyah Williams, elementary teacher from RPES to ACMPS, effective Aug. 1, 20254. Samantha Trawick, elementary teacher from RPES to ACMPS, effective Aug. 1, 2025
5. Jennifer Brewton, elementary teacher from RPES to ACMPS, effective Aug. 1, 2025
6. Brandy Lambeth, special education aide from FHS to WSNES, effective Apr. 7, 2025
Rehire
1. Ernest Cassity, general maintenance worker, BMS, effective May 1, 2025
Leave of absence
1. Tracy McCurdy, FMLA, teacher, ACMPS, Feb. 12 – March 7, 2025
2. Callie Simon, medical, special education aide, ECMS, Feb. 19 – Apr. 2, 2025
3. Haley Boutwell, medical, 6-hour lunchroom worker, FES, Feb. 11 – March 31, 2025
Summer employment
1. Joshua Coleman, agriscience extended grant teacher, WSNHS, effective June 9, 2025
Summer employment
1. Ashley Gafford, teacher summer curriculum writing, $22.50/hr., effective June 1, 2025
2. Marcia Adams, teacher summer curriculum writing, $22.50/hr., effective June 1, 2025
3. Lauren Kirn, teacher summer curriculum writing, $22.50/hr., effective June 1, 2025
4. Rachel Wiggins, teacher summer curriculum writing, $22.50/hr., effective June 1, 2025
5. Danielle Brown, teacher summer curriculum writing, $22.50/hr, effective June 1, 2025
6. Haley White, teacher summer curriculum writing, $22.50/hr., effective June 1, 2025
7. Heather Qualls, teacher summer curriculum writing, $22.50/hr., effective June 1, 2025
8. Natashcia Kidd, teacher summer curriculum writing, $22.50/hr., effective June 1, 2025