DCS approves site evaluation for Special Education Cost Center

In anticipation of setting up a Special Education Cost Center for special needs students, the Demopolis City Schools Board of Education Monday approved initial payment for a site evaluation.

Kim Logan, special needs coordinator, said the proposed center would be a “school within a school.” It would have its own principal, counselor and teacher to serve students with unique challenges.

Board members agreed to pay $1,000 each for Bobby Hathcock and Frank Costanza to begin a study for the feasibility of setting up the center.

At the suggestion of chairman Jim Stanford, the board tabled a request by teacher Kim Browder to pay matching funds to teachers in the school system who have fulfilled the requirements for National Board of Certified Teachers.

Stanford appointed board members Laura Foster and Linda Russell to investigate the issue and report back at the May 19 meeting.

Browder said each teacher who earned the certification expected to get $5,000, from which all taxes and deductions would be taken. The Demopolis City School system was expected to match an amount paid by the state. She said DCS hasn’t done so, and the qualified teachers were receiving less than half the amount expected.

Two educators in the Demopolis system already have received national certification – Dr. Al Griffin and Susan Browder. Griffin said he had declined the payment. Another four teachers are working toward the certification.

“It’s a long process to be nationally board certified,” Kim Browder said.

CFO Evelyn James, however, said other factors were involved which would reduce the amount paid by the school system to certified teachers.

The board approved a bid from Covington Flooring for $95,609 to replace the Demopolis High School gymnasium floor. Of that, $85,000 will come from a bond issue and the remaining from Medicaid reimbursement.

The bid was the lower of two opened on April 10. Work will begin after Memorial Day and is expected to be completed in two months.

The board approved the revision to its policy on data governance in order to be in compliance with the state requirements.

Technology coordinator Jeremiah Dial said this is the first step in making sure all procedures are put into place to protect information on students and teachers who pass through the DCS system.

Gina Johnston received approval to adopt social studies textbooks for each school selected from the state approved list.

She said committees had been set up at each school to study the textbooks approved by the state and select appropriate ones for each course.

Adam Sealy, director of the Career Tech program at DHS, said of the $50 million bond issue, the culinary grant of $62,260 for hospitality and tourism has been awarded. The program is still waiting to hear on the industrial maintenance program.

Two virtual welders have been purchased from a $98,000 workforce development grant received last summer. They will be placed in the New Era building.

Other programs are ongoing in carpentry, agriculture and welding, said Sealy. “Career Tech’s going strong, and we’re preparing the kids for the work force.”

Marengo County Commissioner from Demopolis Dan England thanked the board for “great superintendents and principals” during the years his daughters have been in the school system.

His youngest, Rachel, is a senior this year and is competing at the International Science Fair in Los Angeles.

The board approved the following personnel recommendations:

• Family medical leave requests from William Barley and Ronnie Edwards.
• Volunteer requests by Gary Johnston and Gregory Turner for Demopolis Middle School.
• Resignation of Pam Wyatt of U.S. Jones effective at the end of the school year.
• Dana Freeman to serve on the Alabama Regional Initiative staff for the 2014-15 year on a 10-month contract, pending ARI allocation passed in the Education Trust Fund budget.
• Hiring Rosie Tuck as a DMS Special Education Aide.
• Open Special Education Aide at DHS for seven days through April 28.

The board also approved the following travel requests:

• Overnight and out-of-state travel for the DHS DECA students to Atlanta, Ga., May 20 for the International Career Development Conference.
• Overnight and out-of-state travel for the DMS Junior Beta members to Gatlinburg, Tenn. May 15-16 for their end-of-year trip and to Richmond, Va., June 20-25 for the National Junior Beta Convention.
• Overnight travel for DHS boys and girls tennis teams to Mobile April 23-25 for the 5A state tournament.
• Overnight travel for DHS softball for the Central Regional Tournament May 9-10 and the State Tournament in Montgomery May 18-19.
• Overnight travel for the DHS track team to sectionals in Mobile April 24-25 and state finals May 1-2.
• Overnight travel for the DHS soccer team to the state tournament in Huntsville May 8-9
• Overnight travel for the DHS golf team to sectionals in Sylacauga (boys) and Mobile (girls) April 26-27, sub-state I Montgomery May 3-4 and state May 10-12.

The board also approved a request from the Demopolis Music Study Club for use of the DHS Auditorium on Oct. 2 and a proclamation for National Teacher Day.