Thursday, May 9, 2024

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Demopolis BOE hires two new principals; parents address board about dyslexia

Jan McDonald

Two new principals, both with ties to Demopolis and Marengo County, were hired by the Demopolis City Board of Education at its meeting Monday.

Derrick T. Hester, former math teacher at Demopolis High and Demopolis Middle schools, is returning to the city as the DMS principal.

Ashley McCurdy, left, and Suzanne Young address the Demopolis BOE regarding dyslexia training for professionals in the system. (WAW | Jan McDonald)

Tisha Lewis, a graduate of Marengo High School, is the new principal at Westside Elementary School. Both earned masters’ degrees and Certificates in Instructional Leadership from the University of West Alabama.

The two join Bridgett Powell, named earlier this month as principal of U. S. Jones Elementary School.

Hester, who taught in Demopolis from 2007 to 2012, comes back to DCS from serving as a Mathematics Specialist with Alabaster City Schools. Lewis is leaving as assistant principal with J.E. Hobbs Elementary in Camden. All three of the new principals, whose contracts are for one year, begin their duties June 1.


Seeking help for their dyslexic daughters, Susanne Young and Ashley McCurdy asked the board to suggest new training for teachers who work with children in the system who are struggling with reading.

Young, who is herself dyslexic, said if the state passes the Alabama Literacy Act, it would require all teachers to be qualified in LETRS, a training for teachers and reading interventionists taught across all grades. Until that time, the retired teachers who work with those children and all other teachers would be strongly recommended to have the training.

Supt. Kyle Kallhoff said he met with both Young and McCurdy last week and brainstormed some solutions to better address the needs of students with dyslexia using SPIRE, a specialized program designed for them.

Conrad Murdock was reelected as chairman of the school board, and Olen Kerby was chosen as vice chairman, succeeding Carolyn Moore. Speaking for Moore, Floy Mayberry said Moore had asked to step down from the position.

From left, Harris Hurst, Floy Mayberry, Derrick Hester, Tisha Lewis, and Kyle Kallhoff. Hester and Lewis were approved as new principals at Demopolis Middle School and Westside Elementary School, respectively. (WAW | Jan McDonald)

The board voted to eliminate the Education Training Career Tech Ed program at DHS. Kallhoff said it was designed for the school system to grow its own teachers, but the program never got the interest that was needed.

Since the school system has lost several teaching units for the fall, Kalhoff said striking the program will help with cuts.

In other matters the board:

  • Continued with agreement with Interquest Detection Canines for four full day visits each year at $600 per visit.
  • Approved the renewal of contracts with Dale Foster for music classes at WES, and Becky Holley, art instructor at WES, not to exceed 20 hours per week.
  • Approved inventory disposition of technology items that are out of date or beyond repair.
  • Adopted the 2019-2020 textbook list approved by the state.
  • Transferred a $388,000 certificate of deposit to Sweet Water State Bank at a rate of 2.574 percent for 24 months.
  • Advertised job vacancies for a tech network administrator and a school system social worker.
  • Approved out-of-state/overnight field trips for the DHS Scholars Bowl Team to New Orleans, La., May 25-27; DHS Boys Basketball team to Foley June 12-13, and DHS FBLA Financial Fitness to Orlando, Fla., June 19-22.
  • Revised summer work hours to Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. from May 28 through July 26.
  • Okayed the superintendent’s professional development for the summer.
  • Approved use of the DHS track by the Alabama Forestry Commission for physical training during the summer.

The personnel report that was approved included:

  • Conditional Employment of Kristin Phillips as WES teacher and Alaric “Shawn” Castleberry as DMS band teacher.
  • Resignations of Lauren Kiser, DHS history teacher; Kelly Easter, USJ teacher, and William Cody Sanders, DHS.
  • Non-renewals of Marylen Bracht Anglin, DHS English teacher; Amanda Bovis, DHS English teacher; Brian Allen, DMS English teacher; Donna Dodson, WES special education teacher, and Lakeisha Johnson, WES paraprofessional.
  • Eric Kilgore, DMS lunchroom worker, was contracted to assist with yard work during June and July at 20 hours per week.

Transfers and reassignments include:

  • Sylvia Tate, aide, from USJ to DMS
  • Cynthia Lambert, English teacher, from DHS to DMS.
  • Victoria Paige Gandy, from WES to USJ.
  • Amanda Harrison, from WES to USJ.
  • Elizabeth Wideman, from WES to DMS sixth grade English.
  • Suzann Hughes, from WES to USJ.
  • Tracy Stewart, from 10-month assistant principal at USJ to nine-month teacher at WES.
  • Cloria Anderson, assistant lunchroom manager at USJ to manager.
  • Teresa Lamb, lunchroom cook at USJ to assistant lunchroom manager.
  • Norma Renee Ethridge, lunchroom cook at DMS to assistant lunchroom manager.

The next meeting will be June 24.