The Escambia County (Ala.) Board of Education approval several agenda items for the 2018-2019 school year at its Tuesday, June 26 meeting.
The following consent items on the agenda were approved unanimously by the board: approval to participate in the Community Eligibility Program (CEP) for 2018-2019 for all Child Nutrition Program (CNP) cost centers (the Escambia County school system's application to participate in this program has been approved by the Alabama State Department of Education CNP department);and approval of Redemption's Promise Ministries (RPM) Outreach Program for the 2018-2019 school year.
The following action items on the agenda were approved unanimously by the board: approval of the 2018-2019 salary scale; approval of the state mandated 2.5 percent raise for Superintendent Knott; and approval to increase lunch prices for employees from $3.50 to $3.75 and visitors to increase from $4.50 to $4.75. The USDA requires all CNP Departments to reevaluate meal pricing annually. Based on the formula the USDA requires school systems to use to calculate those rates, lunch prices need to be increased for employees and visitors. Federal guidelines require all systems participating in the National School Lunch Program to set pricing for non-reimbursable meals above a set figure the USDA predetermines.
“At least 40 percent of students receiving free or reduced lunches qualifies a school system for the new federal program of no charge lunch and breakfast to students,” said Knott. “Many qualified schools are not taking advantage of this program, mainly due to change. It's a new system, with new policies and new procedures. This is a good thing for our community, a win-win for our students.”
After discussion among board members and explanations from Knott, the following agenda items were approved: approval of the 2018-2019 Student Code of Conduct and approval to open new General Fund operating and CNP accounts at Trustmark Bank.
“We wanted to make sure we referenced laws in the revised student code of conduct,” said Knott. “We rearranged verbal to avoid redundancy and included some laws about bus trespassing by adults, which can bring about criminal charges. We clarified verbage about report card averaging, and added graduation ceremony behavioral expectations, including field trip behaviors we expect.”
Knott said that the 20 percent weight of semester exams will be the same for 9th through 12th grade, but not for 7th and 8th grades. The exemptions to take semester tests will be based on excused absences, overall grade and the new attendance incentives take into consideration students who are not necessarily straight A students.
“Those students with an A average will be exempt if he or she have no more than 3 excused absences per semester,” said Knott. “A student with an average of 75 or above will be exempt from semester exams if he or she has no more than 1 excused absence per semester. This encourages students to come to school.”
Following executive session to discuss the hiring of a new principal for Flomaton Elementary School, the board approved to negotiate a probationary principal contract for George Brown for a 2-year period, effective July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2020, replacing Diane holmes.
The next regular meeting of the school board will be at 4:30 p.m., Thursday, June 26.
