Updated 3-19-17
Michael Lindsey, Superintendent Shane Barnette and Kayse Fondren
CULLMAN – Thursday night’s meeting of the Cullman County Board of Education (CCBOE) was headlined by two main events. Up first was the recognition of several staff members and students who have recently achieved special awards. Later, the board approved large technology and transportation expenditures.
Awards
Superintendent Shane Barnette recognized CCBOE Technology Coordinator Bruce Ellard for completing state certification as an Alabama Chief Technology Officer. This program trains educational technology personnel in information technology and data management, state laws and policies, technology planning and finance, and tech officers’ duties and responsibilities.
Barnette then named students who represented Cullman County Schools at the 2017 High School Honor Band Festival at the University of Montevallo:
Purple Band:
- Good Hope: Cady Martin, Hannah Allen, James McWhorter, Jonathan Speegle
- Cold Springs: Stormie Smith, Carol Austin, Brittany Thomas
- West Point: Holli Potts, Lily Whitesell, Michelle Herrick
- Fairview: Tiffany Lodge
Gold Band:
- Cold Springs: Danielle Neighbors, Natalie Davis, Jessica Thomas, Justice Chasteen, Emily Sharp
- West Point: Bennett Fulenwider
- Fairview: Morgan Haynes, MaKayla Bailey
- Good Hope: Caleb Hutcheson
Wind Ensemble:
- Good Hope: Makala Cone
- Cold Springs: Rebekah Neighbors
The board then recognized two teachers for achieving National Board Certification:
- Kayse Fondren, Parkside School
- Michael Lindsey, West Point Elementary School
Next up were five CCBOE faculty members representing fine arts programs. The board has inaugurated a new program of support for arts programs, and awarded to each of these faculty member’s school a $3,000 grant for them to use as they see fit. The recipients and their projects are:
- Fairview Elementary, Robert Strane: purchase guitars for a new guitar class
- West Point High, Ty Parker: visual arts design program, dance program, theater stage improvement
- Good Hope High, Anita Richter: sponsoring a school-wide arts festival
- Good Hope Middle, Thad Walker: purchasing a marimba
- Vinemont High, Skylar King: purchasing instruments for an introductory guitar class
Technology and transportation improvements
Buried deep in the board’s agenda were two proposed expenditures for computer technology and buses.
The board approved a request from the Technology Department to purchase 770 Apple iPad Air 2 devices for use in kindergarten through second grade classes across the school system. Funded by the Alabama Ahead Act and Technology sales tax, the devices will cost $340,150.58.
The board also approved the purchase of 20 2017 model 72-passenger school buses to be used at Hanceville and Fairview, where they will replace the current fleet of 2008 vehicles. No amount was disclosed, as the expenditure will be based on written sealed bids.
Other business
After this, the board moved into regular business. It made blanket approvals of an unspecified number of resignations, leaves of absence, transfers, appointments, substitutes, non-faculty coaches and contract/salary changes without offering to the public any names or figures. The board clerk said that information will be available Friday.
The board then approved special stipend payments to the following personnel:
- Good Hope High coaches, for summer work – Ethan Cofer, Justin Ray, George Norton, Blake Malin, Rocky Montgomery, Billy Joe Pugh
- Hanceville Elementary, for an upcoming pre-K summer camp – Lauren Bentley, Keisha Malin, Elizabeth Smith, Monica Brown
- Fairview High, for archery coaches – Hobson Hite, Mark Moore
The board approved a general stipend to all school bookkeepers who earned certification through the University of Alabama, and for high school counselors who will provide services to their schools after the conclusion of their 2016-17 contracts.
Tracey Bailey and Tina Stansell were approved for payment for work in the after-school feeding program.
A motion was brought to allow the CCBOE to use Regions Bank “virtual cards” to pay bills. Chief Financial Officer Ed Roberson explained that this would allow paperless fund transfers, and would include a percentage cash-back refund that could give the system more than $40,000 in refunds per year.
The motion passed unanimously.
The surplus sale of a dump truck was approved, followed by approval of three improvements to the Good Hope football stadium totaling $18,700.
Out-of-state field trip requests were approved for:
- Holly Pond High – Orlando/Disney World
- Good Hope High – National Scholars Bowl Tournament in Chicago
- Vinemont/Hanceville/Good Hope High Schools – Six Flags over Georgia
- Good Hope Middle – Tour of Washington D.C.
- Hanceville High – Attend music festival in Panama City
The board also approved a new credit advancement policy that would allow students to pursue credit advancement as an alternative to the traditional Carnegie Unit approach to course completion. It also approved a revision of its employee conflict of interest policy, but the nature of that revision was not disclosed.
Barnette closed the meeting by announcing that the County High School Math Tournament will be held this Friday at Wallace State, that the County Science Fair will take place at Wallace State on Thursday, March 23, and that spring break will be March 27-31.
The next CCBOE meeting will take place at 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 13 in the central office board room, with a work session at 5:30. The public is invited to attend.
** CULLMAN COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION RELEASES NAMES OF PERSONNEL AFFECTED BY CHANGES AT MARCH 16 MEETING
CULLMAN – Late Thursday, March 16, the Cullman County Board of Education (CCBOE) released a list of those affected by personnel changes approved at its March 16 meeting.
Resignations
The board accepted the resignation of Good Hope High School Science teacher Shannon Galloway, effective immediately. It also accepted the resignation of former Cold Springs Elementary Principal and current Technology Academy Assistant Principal Philip Gay, effective June 30.
Leaves of Absence
The board approved leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act for Fairview High Child Nutrition worker Sandra Hampton from March 9 through May 25.
Voluntary Transfers
The board approved the following transfers:
· Special Ed. Aide Tonya Putman, from Vinemont Preschool to the Child Development Center
· Special Ed. Aide Summer Walker, from Vinemont Preschool to the Child Development Center
· Cold Springs Elementary Assistant Principal Amanda V. Johnson, to interim principal at same school
· Good Hope Bus Driver Theresa Davis, to bus driver and part-time maintenance/custodian at same school
· Special Ed. Bus Aide/RN Marilyn Bolte, from the Child Development Center to Vinemont High
Appointments
· Behre Trammell, as temporary homebound teacher (part-time) at the central office
· Misty Miller, as teacher of visually impaired at the Child Development Center
· Daniel Weaver, as fourth-grade teacher at Parkside
Substitutes
The board approved Willard Waldrep as a substitute bus driver, and Bailey Ann West as a substitute teacher.
2016-17 Non-Faculty Coaches
The board approved the appointment of Mark Allen Bell as a baseball coach at Holly Pond High, and Kevin Eugene Folds as a baseball coach at West Point Middle.
The board also approved a contract/salary change for Adriann Basch upon completion of a master’s degree recognized by the state in February.
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