Sunday, April 28, 2024

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Demopolis BOE approves application fee for new non-resident students

Jan McDonald , , , , ,
Demopolis City Schools Superintendent Kyle Kallhoff, DHS Principal Blaine Hathcock, DHS junior Luke Lindsay and DCS Board Member Carolyn Moore.

Beginning April 17, a one-time $50 application fee will be charged for every non-resident student who wants to attend Demopolis City Schools.

The Board of Education voted for the measure Monday. Students already attending Demopolis schools and living outside the city are “grandfathered” into the system, said board attorney Alex Braswell. Only new registrants will be required to pay the fee. It does not apply to pre-K students.

Supt. Kyle Kallhoff said he meets with every non-resident applicant and family.

Demopolis City Schools Superintendent Kyle Kallhoff, DHS Principal Blaine Hathcock, DHS junior Luke Lindsay and DCS Board Member Carolyn Moore.

“Sometimes I deal with parents who aren’t as serious about being here as I would like them to be,” he said. Once their children are enrolled, it can be hard to get in touch with those parents when necessary.  “It’s a waste of our administrator’s time and a waste of my time.

The board approved Kallhoff’s evaluation report. His overall score was 4.16, or a rank denoting “exceeds expectations.” Scores on the 44 items in the evaluation ranged from 3.6 to 4.8, with 5 being the highest.

Westside Elementary is expected to be awarded another pre-K class for 2018-2019. With that in mind, the board approved advertising for a pre-K teacher and an auxiliary teacher. Once the new class is approved, WES will have 52 students enrolled in the pre-K program.

Open positions for secondary teachers, paraprofessionals and Demopolis Middle School secretary also will be advertised.

Demopolis City Schools Superintendent Kyle Kallhoff, Westside Elementary teacher Dee Roark and WES student Emma Blankenship.

In addition to honoring the student, teacher and staff member of the month from U.S. Jones Elementary and Demopolis High schools, special recognition was given to WES teacher Dee Roark, thanks to a note written by one of her students, Emma Blankenship.

Emma choked on a chip during lunch, and Roark performed the Heimlich maneuver to save her life. Emma wrote to Kallhoff asking that Roark be selected as teacher of the month. Instead, she received a special certificate recognizing the teacher for her quick action.

Those honored from USJ were student Alexsia Daniels, teacher Stephanie Pittman and nurse Teresa Freeman. From DHS were senior Luke Lindsay, teacher Rebecca Pipkins, and JROTC director Col. Larry Hearns.

The board approved an advertisement in the Business Alabama magazine, which will feature Marengo, Sumter, Greene and Hale counties in its June issue; a software license, support and user agreement with ThriveWay, LLC; instructional modifications for the upcoming school year; DHS course selection guide and bell schedule, and the DHS Band Handbook.

Demopolis City Schools Superintendent Kyle Kallhoff, DHS Principal Blaine Hathcock, DHS teacher Rebecca Pipkins, and DCS Board Member Carolyn Moore.

The DHS golf team was approved for three travel dates: April 29-30 to Mobile, May 6-7 to Dothan and May 13-15 to Muscle Shoals.

DMS cheerleaders will attend camp at Auburn June 5-8, and DHS cheerleaders, June 11. Two BETA Club students from DMS will attend the national convention June 12-15 in Savannah, Ga.

Portia Shepherd with Turning Point, a domestic violence and sexual assault service with headquarters in Tuscaloosa, spoke on the educational services provided by the organization. The group conducts training at no cost: bullying in elementary school, bullying and inappropriate relationships in middle school, and safe dating in high school.

This was the last meeting for board member Jim Stanford, who has served for 14 years. His successor will be sworn in at a called meeting May 3.

In other action, the board approved:

  • Disposal of inventory that is beyond repair.
  • Use of the DHS gymnasium by the Wallace Family.
  • The textbook committee, which will decide on the texts for art education and world languages.
Demopolis City Schools Superintendent Kyle Kallhoff, DHS Principal Blaine Hathcock, JROTC Instructor Col. Larry Hearns, and DCS Board Member Carolyn Moore.

In his report, Kallhoff said interviews now are underway for a new principal at USJ. He expects to present a nominee to the board at the called meeting May 3.

While he was not ready to make any recommendations, Kallhoff said several security measures are being investigated for the campuses. They include a buzzer system for entry at all four campuses, at a cost of $63,000, and student ID badges at DHS and DMS, with a $13,000 price tag. Federal funds would fully or partially pay for the measures.

The board approved USJ teacher Braswell Braswell and DMS teacher Patricia McVay to attend the Teton Science Schools-Place Based Education Professional Development in Jackson Hole, WY, May 14-18. All expenses are covered with a grant from the University of West Alabama.

In the personnel report, the board approved:

  • Conditional employment for Allie Marques, special education, and Carol Halkias, Spanish teacher at DHS.
  • Transfer of Freddie James, secretary at DMS, to DHS secretary.
  • Desinta Parker and Elizabeth Miranda as substitutes.
  • Vacancy created for a DHS science teacher because of the death of Barbara Wallace.
  • Change the secretary position at USJ from 10 months to nine months.
  • Retirements and resignations of Nanette Dollar, Elizabeth Renner, Peggy Kelley, Shelia Peterson, Della Seabron, Danny Wasson, Carrie Dauphin and Rose Knott.

The next regular meeting of the board will be May 21.