By Hamilton Richardson
Elmore/Autauga News
Top Photo: Board Chairman Jim Manderson and Superintendent Tim Tidmore discuss issues at the Autauga County Board of Education meeting Tuesday night.
An extensive Executive Session to discuss the good name and character of an individual highlighted Tuesday’s Autauga County Board of Education meeting as well as the discussion of teacher retention and the celebration of the Month of the Military Child.
The meeting, which was held at Marbury High School, started with the recognition of the Month of the Military Child.
“As you are aware, April is the Month of the Military Child,” said Autauga County School Superintendent Tim Tidmore, who then introduced Dr. Rachel Surles, who heads up Federal Programs, Assessment and Accountability for Autauga County Schools to tell the group more about the recognition.
Surles explained how important military families are to the county and schools and that giving military children and their families recognition was very important.
“We had Prattville High School, in honor of April, which is the Month of the Military Child, create a video and then we solicited photos from all the schools,” said Surles, adding that she received 105 photos from schools that highlighted military families within the school district.
“It’s so cool to see these families and just to understand how important our military is,” she said. “We can’t say thank you enough. There’s an emphasis in the United States military culture on the Total Force. The whole idea behind that is that we should include families. Not just the military enlisted person but the family as well because they’re the lifeline between the military service and the individual officer in the military.”
Surles then showed a video which included the photos that students had contributed highlighting the military families in the district as well as a video doing the same thing
After the military recognition, Surles discussed a different topic on the agenda, which was an update to the ACBOE’s Strategic Plan.
Next on the agenda was an update on capital projects within the district and Tidmore talked about a few updates regarding the Early Learning Center.
Jeffrey Keith (District 4) asked a question about rising material costs as it relates to current projects.
“I don’t think they will drastically increase,” said the superintendent, but Tidmore added that there are some contingency plans for that possibility.
The February 2022 Bank and Financial Statement were also reviewed during the meeting.
During the portion of the meeting when persons present can address the board, Mr. Dozier stood and discussed a road that was to be built near his home that he and his family did not want.
Tidmore then asked the board for the approval of the Consent Agenda, which was accepted. That lead to him introducing the Personnel Report for approval, which brought up some level of discussion and which included the following:
Retirement Professional:
1. Karen Bonds, Elementary, Prattville Elementary
2. Melanie Bowes, Elementary, Prattville Elementary
3. Yvonne Goodson-Patterson, Special Education, Billingsley
4. Sophia McDonald, Elementary, Pine Level Elementary
5. Carolyn Mitchell, Elementary, Pine Level Elementary
6. Lameatrices Perkins, Elementary, Daniel Pratt Elementary
Support:
1. Lynette Hesterman, Secretary, Prattville Intermediate
2. Jean B. Jinright, Bookkeeper, Prattville Elementary
3. Jeanette Kermick, Head Custodian, Pine Level Elementary
4. Floretta Underwood, CNP worker (4hr.) Pine Level Elementary
Resignation Professional:
1. Jerry Boyd, Social Science, Prattville High
2. Angela Cramer, Math, Prattville High
3. Brian Dickerson, Health, Prattville High
4. McKenna Ferrell, Elementary, Prattville Primary
5. Kristen Flood, Elementary, Prattville Intermediate
6. Melissa Lancaster, Elementary, Pine Level Elementary
7. Emily H. Nichols, Teacher, Prattville Kindergarten
Support:
1. Valerie Dozier, Auxiliary Custodian, Central Office
2. Rachel Hooks, Nurse (RN), Prattville Junior High
3. Kim Starnes, Bookkeeper, Prattville Primary
4. Ann Warr, CNP worker (7 hr.), Marbury High
Transfer Professional:
1. Beth Earnest from Special Education teacher at Autaugaville to Special Education teacher at Prattville Junior High, replacing LaShonda Houser
2. Patricia Fales from Teacher at Prattville Kindergarten to Reading Specialist at Prattville Kindergarten, new position
Employment Professional:
1. Leanne Johnston, Elementary, Prattville Primary, Class B, replacing McKenna Ferrell
Support:
1. Tracie Grayson, Federal Programs Bookkeeper (12-month position), Chapter One, new position
2. James Lawrence, Bus Driver, Transportation, replacing Holana Williams
3. Jared Parker, Bus Driver, Transportation, replacing Billy Jo Stough
4. Talicia McCall, Secretary (10-month position), Prattville Elementary, replacing Kelly Floyd
Before the Personnel Report was approved, Keith spoke up about the amount of people the schools were losing in retirements and teachers relocating out of the district.
“Something I’ve been thinking about because we keep seeing a lot of very qualified good teachers that are leaving our system for whatever reason there might be. I was thinking of some way that we can try to keep these people and I don’t know if there’s something we might want to look at. You know putting in some type of retention bonus. Some incentive to keep these people in our system. We’re just losing so many people.”
Superintendent Tidmore then read off a resolution seeking an Attorney General’s Opinion on the following question:
“May the Autauga County Board of Education enter into an agreement with the Autauga County Commission to assist the board with projects and to pave school parking lots without bidding the work pursuant to Ala. Code 39-1-1 et seq, and with the commission providing material, labor and equipment, at cost, for all work to be performed.”
The board approved the Superintendent’s resolution to seek the AG’s opinion on the matter.
Second to the last item on the agenda was a recommendation from Tidmore that a student be expelled from the system, which was approved although Mark Hindman (District 3) voted no.
After a few comments of praise for students and teachers by Tidmore, the meeting was adjourned.
