By DON FLETCHER
News Staff Writer
Escambia County Board of Education members approved more than $880,000 in spending during their meeting last Thursday, October 24, including approval of a $112,900 change order that increased the total cost of the Flomaton High emergency roof repair project to $432,900.
Deputy Director of Operations Shaun Goolsby told BOE members the change order was based on the total decking that had to be replaced, based on the original contract. The board declared in July a state of emergency that helped speed up the emergency repairs.
“(The contractor) had to replace all the decking,” Goolsby explained. “This money was already allotted for this project, which called for them to replace, ‘as needed,’ any decking, per linear footage.”
In a meeting that lacked any real “spark,” school board members moved through an 11-item list of “Action Items,” in just over half an hour. They then met in executive session before approving the year-long expulsions of two county students, one from W.S. Neal High, one from W.S. Neal Middle, for violations of the Student Code of Conduct. Both students will be allowed to continue studying through the system’s Virtual School program.
Ither business conducted during the meeting, board members:
*Announced that the BOE’s annual regular meeting, during which the board president and vice-president for the next year will be chosen, will take place at 4:30 p.m. on Monday, November 4, at the Brewton Central Office.
*Announced that a special called board meeting will be held at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, November 15, at the Brewton Central Office. Newly elected or returning board members who were up for re-election will be sworn in at this meeting.
*Approved the revised FY 2025 salary schedule.
*Approved a memorandum of agreement with the Escambia County Association of Volunteer Fire Departments for the removal of no-longer-used communications towers at Pollard-McCall Junior High and Flomaton High.
*Renewed the school system’s property insurance. The $660,417 payment will come from Advancement and Technology (A&T) funds.
*Approved a contract with SchoolinSites for district and local school websites support and web hosting for a year. The $29,425 cost will also come from A&T funds.
*Approved a subscription to SchoolStatus Connect High Impact for data analytics and communication. The Cost ($50,242) will be paid from A&T funds.
*Renewed Frontline Central Solution and Applicant Tracking services from Frontline Education at a cost of $19,079.01.
*Approved renewal of Asset Management Solution, also from Frontline Education, for $10,567.30.
*Approved a contract with Bilingual Speech Works for speech pathology services.
*Approved a contract with Family First Education services, LLC for supplemental services to students with impaired vision.
*Approved the 2024-25 CTE Textbook Adoption Committee.
Personnel
The following abbreviations are used:
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
Turtle Point Science Center – TPSC
Atmore Bus Shop – ABS
Brewton Bus Shop – BBS
Retirement
1. Lynn Winters, math coach, HES, effective Oct. 31, 2024
2. Sharon Rose, bus driver ABS, effective Dec. 31, 2024
3. Edward Curry, bus driver, ABS, effective Jan. 1, 2025
Resignation
1. Jennifer Kirkpatrick, elementary teacher, RPES, effective Oct. 4, 2024
2. Latisha Hall, bus driver, BBS, effective Oct. 14, 2024
Employment
1. Rebecca Murray, counselor, ACMPS, effective Nov. 7, 2024
2. Nakiedra Brown, ELA teacher, ECHS, effective Oct. 28, 2024, replacing David Holloway
3. Jackson Perry, ELA teacher, ECHS, effective Oct. 8, 2024, replacing Joseph DiFilippo
4. Emily Lambeth, 6-hour lunchroom worker, FES, effective Oct. 28, 2024, replacing Carolina Dunn
5. Carlee Bell, 6-hour lunchroom worker, FES, effective Oct. 28, 2024, replacing Tiffany Rudzowski
6. Kolby Bray, elementary teacher, WSNES, effective Oct. 28, 2024, replacing Allison Lowery
7. Kristin Lucido, elementary teacher, WSNMS, effective Oct. 25, 2024, replacing Tammy Bonds
8. Jimmy O’Brien, custodian, TPSC, effective Oct. 28, 2024, replacing Colton Brown
9. Robert Grace, bus driver, BBS, effective Oct. 25, 2024, replacing Julie Carnley
Employment change
1. Shawaungela DeLoach, from assistant principal, ACMPS, to principal, ACMPS, effective Dec. 13, 2024, replacing Amber Dunaway
2. Wendy Stokes, from teacher aide, ECMS, to office aide, ACMPS, effective Nov. 1, 2024
3. Helen Thomas, from instructional / office aide, ECMS, to secretary / bookkeeper, ACMPS, effective Nov. 1, 2024, replacing Kimberly Burris
4. Julie Rowland, from elementary teacher, RPES, to ARI reading interventionist, RPES, effective Dec. 1, 2024
5. Malorie Johnson, from elementary teacher, WSNES, to special education teacher, PMJHS, effective Dec. 2, 2024, replacing Vicki Gulsby
6. Katie Clay, from special needs bus aide, BBS, to special needs bus driver, BBS, effective Nov. 1, 2024, replacing Betty Johnson
Transfer
1. Karl Smith, assistant principal, from RPES, to FES, effective Jan. 6, 2025
2. Shawaungela DeLoach, assistant principal, from RPES, to ACMPS, effective Nov. 1, 2024
After school employment
1. Kimberly Goines, bus monitor, ABS, effective Oct. 25, 2024
2. Travis Kelley, bus monitor, ABS, effective Oct. 25, 2024
3. Stephanie Buitron, bus monitor, ABS, effective Oct. 25, 2024
4. Quentin Riley, bus monitor, ABS, effective Oct. 25, 2024
Leave of Absence
1. Amy Bedsole, teacher aide, HES, effective Sept. 11, 2024 through Oct. 1, 2024
Contract
1. Nicholas Golden, TEAMS science, PMJHS, effective Oct. 8, 2024