Demopolis BOE seeking $3 million grant

To take the next step in applying for a $3 million grant, the Demopolis City School Board Monday approved a contract with the grant-writing firm Azimuth Grant Strategies out of Prattville.

Azimuth president Jessica Taylor has worked with the school system for the last year and a half, realizing $691,000 in grants for Demopolis schools.

Taylor said that under former superintendent Dr. Al Griffin a consortium of 11 school systems began work to apply for what is called the I3 grant for development in science, technology engineering and math.

Demopolis High School speech and drama teacher Jody Tartt presented a revised auditorium use agreement. Tartt said the auditorium is in constant demand from groups in the area causing an undue burden on her and the school.

The board directed Tartt to meet with board attorney Alex Braswell to finalize the proposal and bring it to the next board meeting.
Interim superintendent Dr. Frank Costanzo said that any event in the auditorium must be approved by the school before being submitted to the board.

Robert Jones Construction won the bid to repair a sewer line under the Demopolis Middle School gymnasium bathrooms for $16,704.92. The work was declared a public works project.

The board approved overnight/out of state travel for the DMS/DHS Band, the DHS yearbook staff and the DHS cheerleaders.

Board members also approved the use of the DMS football field Aug. 11 and the use of the DHS gym Aug. 6 by U.S. Rep. Terry Sewell.

Tabled until next month’s a request to use the DHS auditorium by the Jack-Corene Community Development Corp. Costanzo received the okay to post the pre-school teacher assistant job description.

The board accepted the resignations of Clay Massey, DHS history teacher; Julie Massey, DMS English teacher; Stephen Campbell, 5th grade teacher, and Dale Smith, Secretary to the DHS principal.

Conditional employment was approved for Libby McKinley, special education teacher, and Bert Rice, DHS social studies teacher, both effective Aug. 10.

Board member Linda Russell said applications for superintendent will close July 6, and the list of candidates will be ready by Tuesday, July 14,and the board set its next meeting for that date.

Candidate interviews will be secondary through Friday, July 20-24, in Rooster Hall and will be open to the public.

If all goes according to plan, said Russell, the new superintendent, will start no later than Sept.14.