BOE honors school nurses, continues planning for fall term
As the Demopolis City Board of Education continued preparations for the beginning of the school year in August, members first honored the school nurses for their efforts during the past year.
Supt. Tony Willis, reading a proclamation honoring the five women, said the school system owned them “an immense debt of gratitude” for their efforts in keeping students healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“They always do a great job,” he said, “and as much as it was an extra challenge this past year, I think that the nurses had a hundred times more than they normally bargain for.”
Honored were Trish Langley, Terri Cameron, Teressa Freeman, Brandy Daniels and Lolly Davison.
Willis said the school system still has about four vacancies to fill before the fall semester. It also is taking part in the Teams Contract, an alternative contract the state is offering to attract and keep math and science teachers. “We do have about a dozen teachers that are not only qualified but willing to enter a Teams Contract,” he continued.
The board approved contracts with Fleming Photography, Derrick McCormack for IT services and Jessica Dial for administrative duties.
Members awarded the paper contract to Newell Paper which had the lower bid of $33 per case. In addition, said Willis, the company was willing to deliver the paper to schools as needed instead of a year’s worth at one time.
The school system now has a contract with Curriculum Associates for the IReady program. The diagnostic tool to measure where students are also prescribes one-on-one pathways in learning for them. It is especially helpful “since every child learns at different paces.” Willis said the program, which costs $79,621, goes with the current curriculum.
Houghton Mifflin won the contract for textbooks that will be used in the fall. The committees to choose the textbook made sure they were aligned with local needs, said DMS principal Derrick Hester.
The board approved an overnight field trip for fourth and fifth graders at USJ for the 4-H camp in Columbiana Sept. 29-Oct. 1.
In his report, Willis said painting at DMS is in the touch-up stage and should be completed this week. Floor resurfacing was to start Tuesday. Painting of the USJ’s third-grade wing should be completed by Friday. Work on the rest of the school will begin after that. Aug. 3 is the date for the final walk-through of all the work.
All contracts have been submitted and approved and materials have been ordered for the multi-purpose building at WES. A pre-construction meeting will be held to set the date for the start of construction. Willis said work should begin at the end of September or early October.
The next meeting will be Aug. 16.
The following is the personnel report:
- Resignations: Kamie Johnson, WES kindergarten; Brittany Osborne, WES Pre-K; Ashton Linder, USJ; Zoe Bradley, WES special education; Reshonda Lawson declined offer as USJ aide.
- Retirement of Kim Browder, DHS history.
- Transfers: Tracy Horton from WES to sixth grade Social Studies at DMS; Brianna Bryant, from USJ to WES.
- Conditional employment: Mark Joseph Johnson, DHS math; Shawand Robinson, USJ aide; Brittney Stacey, USJ; Tarrance Turner, USJ; Anna Foy, WES; Ashley Boykins, WES Pre-K; LaMonica Howard-Moore, DHS English Language Arts.
- DMS and USJ requesting up to 10 additional workdays for secretaries Sara Stanley and Becky Gibson to be in line with the other two campuses.