BOE prepares for opening of school year
Most of the Demopolis City Schools Board of Education meeting Monday centered around preparations for the start of school on August 8.
The board approved hirings, transfers, salary adjustments and work on capital projects while getting an update from Supt. Kyle Kallhoff on other actions as schools get ready for the new term.
The meeting started with a presentation by rising 8th grader Charles David Johnson who recently returned from Washington, D.C., where he took part in the Junior National Young Leaders Conference.
Nominated by his math teacher, Amanda Smith, Johnson spent five days touring the capital and working with other students on solving major issues.
Kallhoff presented the first reading of a policy on the supervision of low risk juvenile sex offenders. The policy is required of all school systems in the state, and Kallhoff said the proposed policy is based on the state template. A public hearing on the policy is set for August 1.
In his report, Kallhoff said Demopolis educators have had extensive professional development over the summer. “We’ve had people in Demopolis spread out all over the state,” he said.
Work continues in the bathrooms at Demopolis Middle School to retrofit them to meet ADA standards. However, Kallhoff continued, a weak spot has been discovered in the foundation of the old building. In addition, up to $15,000 is needed to fix the gym floor at Demopolis High.
DCS has requested an amendment to the use of the $50,000 in Educational Trust Fund money it expects to receive to use for emergency repairs instead of setting up a STEAM lab in the old home economics room at DHS.
Other projects include bathroom upgrades in the WES gym, better ventilation in the WES and USJ bathrooms, exterior and interior lighting projects and new awnings at WES and the school board office.
The board approved an agreement with McKee and Associates architects to oversee paving and resurfacing improvements, most of which will be done over the Christmas break.
He said with the decline in enrollment this fall and the subsequent drop in federal funding, the system cannot sustain a social worker. Hiring one has been put on hold.
Two recent retirees, Elaine Carr and Jennifer Jones, have been hired part time to fill the need for a special education teacher at DHS. Each will work no more than 10 days a month and will team teach until a permanent teacher can be hired.
The board approved up to $500 for travel expenses for truancy officer Leon Clark who must be in Linden often as he works with Family Court. It also approve extra-curricular supplements, with two football staff positions still to be filled.
In other action, the board approved:
- The 2020 At-Risk/High Hopes Grant application.
- The superintendent’s Rotary dues.
- Out-of-state or over-night field trips for USJ 4H Camp Sept. 25-27 in Columbiana; DMS Student Leaders Feb. 21-24 to New York, N.Y., and DMS 6th grade history students to the WWII Museum March 6 to New Orleans, La.
- Advertising for a Career Prep teacher at DMS.
Approved for conditional employment were:
- Spring Pacheco as a 10-month DMS guidance counselor.
- TyReice Mack and Jessica Bowden as WES teachers.
- Kianga Austin to USJ.
- Bryce Youmans, band teacher at DHS.
- Jess McKewn Dannelly, in-school intervention monitor at DMS.
- Lynn Foster, special education paraprofessional at DHS.
The board approved two transfers: Ricky Richardson, paraprofessional at WES to paraprofessional at DHS, and Kole Thrasher, Career Prep teacher at DMS to P.E. teacher at USJ.
Resignations were accepted from Lisa McHugh, DHS special education; Demetrius Scott, DHS band director; Amber McDaniel, WES teacher, and Brian Bradley, USJ P.E. teacher.
Kallhoff reminded the board of several upcoming events, beginning with the 9th grade academy next week to orient new freshmen and have them pick up their schedules.
New employee orientation will be August 2, and Teacher Institute on August. 5.
Kallhoff has never a fan of every junior in high school taking the college entrance ACT exam. He doesn’t believe it is fair to use the ACT for accountability purposes since 45 percent or fewer graduates opt to attend college.
Nevertheless, he was proud of the recent scores by DHS juniors. Of the 159 who took the test, five scored above 30, 21 scored above 25 and 53 made 20 or better.
The board will hold a called meeting Thursday, August 1, at 3:30 p.m., and the next regularly scheduled meeting is Monday, August 19, at 5:15 p.m.