BOE formally hires Collier as permanent superintendent
By DON FLETCHER
News Staff Writer
A lot has happened to Michele Collier in the not-quite-yet two years she has been a part of the Escambia County School System’s administration, especially in the past three months.
Collier, who earned her Doctorate in Education in early December, went from assistant superintendent to interim superintendent to acting superintendent, and back to interim superintendent since joining the local school system.
That part of her life is now settled, as she was formally given permanent status during the county board of education’s February 22 meeting, held at Flomaton High School.
Dr. Collier, who grew up in the Pollard community and graduated from W.S. Neal High School (WSNH), said she accepted a job in Escambia County simply because she wanted to make a difference in her home county’s educational process.
“I’m legit now, so that’s a little bit of a tension reliever,” laughed the new chief of county schools. “I didn’t come here to be superintendent, but I knew I could help the system that nurtured me and supported me as I got my education.”
Although the vote to make Dr. Collier the permanent superintendent was unanimous, there was a hint of the animosity that existed between the four BOE members who voted against a new contract for the former superintendent, and the three who voted for a new contract.
District 3’s Mike Edwards said he wanted the new superintendent’s contract to require a unanimous board vote should the system’s top administrator be dismissed without cause, as the former one was.
Attorney Broox Garrett advised against such an amendment, and District 6’s Sherry Digmon made the motion to “offer the position (of permanent superintendent) to Dr. Michele W. Collier, her starting salary to be $174,735 in accordance with the board’s salary schedule,” and that a formal contract be executed by BOE President Loumeek White and Dr. Collier.
(Look for an in-depth feature on the new superintendent in an upcoming edition of Atmore News.)
In other business conducted at the meeting, the board:
*Approved an overnight trip for WSNH cheerleaders to attend a cheer camp in Gulf Shores. The group will leave East Brewton on June 12 and return on June 15.
*Approved an out-of-state trip for the Flomaton High senior class to visit the Georgia Aquarium and World of Coke in Atlanta on April 10.
*Approved the 2024-25 and 2025-26 school calendars.
*Approved formation of a 2024-25 CTE Textbook Committee to “select textbooks from the list of adoptions approved by the State Board of Education.
*Approved the purchase of a 2023 Ford Transit Connect Passenger Wagon for the Child nutrition Program. The vehicle to be purchased from Long Lewis Ford of the Shoals in Muscle Shoals at a cost of $35,620.50.
*Announced that a special meeting and workshop will be held on Thursday, March 7, at the Brewton Central Office.
*Announced that the board’s March regular session, originally set for March 21, will be held instead on Thursday, March 14, at W.S. Neal Middle School.
The board approved the following personnel recommendations by Superintendent Collier:
The following abbreviations are used:
A.C. Moore Pre-K 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
Atmore Bus Shop – ABS
Brewton Bus Shop – BBS
Retirement
1. Deborah Peterson, instructional aide, HES, effective June 1, 2024
2. Sharon Rose, bus driver, ABS, effective June 1, 2024
Resignation
1. Maranda Lambeth, teacher aide, RPES, effective Feb. 23, 2024
2. Terry Colbert, teacher aide, RPES, effective Jan. 30, 2024
3. Melanie Renfroe, 7-hour lunchroom worker, RPES, effective Jan. 12, 2024
4. Joyce Gunn, secretary / bookkeeper, PMJHS, effective March 1, 2024
5. Justin Dubose, utility / groundskeeper, Atmore Maintenance Department, effective Feb. 29, 2024
6. Stacey Fuqua, bus driver, BBS, effective Jan. 4, 2024
7. Ronald Davis, bus driver, ABS, effective Feb. 8, 2024
Employment
1. Joseph DiFilippo, teacher, ECHS, (amended) effective Jan. 22, 2024, replacing Princess Davis
2 Rachel Land, LPN / special education aide, FES, effective March 1, 2014
3. Shannon Taylor, 7-hour lunchroom worker, RPES, effective Feb. 23, 2024, replacing Melanie Renfroe
4. Joydan Pleasant, instructional teacher aide, RPES, effective Feb. 23, 2024, replacing Terry Colbert
5. Lisa Paul, special education aide, WSNMS, effective Feb. 26, 2024
6. Kevin Cardwell, mechanic, ABS, effective March 1, 2024, replacing Christopher Emmons
After school employment
1. Kelly McNeil, after school program, teacher, ECMS, effective Feb. 20, 2024
2. James Scruggs, After school program, teacher, ECMS, effective Feb. 6, 2024
3. James Scruggs, bus monitor, teacher, ECMS, effective Feb. 20, 2024
4. James Smith, after school program, teacher, ECMS, effective Feb. 13, 2024
5. James Smith, bus monitor, teacher, ECMS, effective Jan. 3, 2024
6. Karl Smith, after school program, teacher, ECMS, effective Feb. 6, 2024
7. Yolonda Walters, after school program, teacher, ECMS, effective Feb. 6, 2024
8. Jennifer Lee, after school program, teacher, FHS, effective Jan. 19, 2024
9. Wanda McKissack, after school program, teacher, FHS, effective Jan. 19, 2024
10. Leslie Wedgeworth, bus monitor, teacher, FES, effective Jan. 3, 2024
11. Sydney Lambeth, bus monitor, teacher, FES, effective Jan. 3, 2024
12. Jennifer Strawbridge, bus monitor, teacher, HES, effective Jan. 3, 2024
13. Patricia Bradley, bus monitor, teacher, RPES, effective Jan. 3, 2024
14. Jessica Lockett, after school program, teacher, RPES, effective Feb. 23, 2024
15. Julie Rowland, after school program, teacher, RPES, effective Feb. 23, 2024
16 Jennifer Brewton, after school program, teacher, RPES, effective Feb. 23, 2024
17. Kimberly Collins-Bright, after school program, teacher, WSNES, effective Feb. 15, 2024
Rehire
1. Brian Stallworth, part-time academic interventionist, RPES, effective Feb. 1, 2024