School board agrees to take Hurricane Park

The Escambia County (Ala.) Board of Education approved unanimously at its meeting last Thursday to take over ownership and responsibility of maintaining all of Hurricane Park except the lake, which will remain the Town of Flomaton's responsibility.

School board attorney Kirk Garrett made a recommendation to enter into and execute a Termination of Lease Agreement with the town of Flomaton for the lease dated on or about Aug. 27, 1985, and the amendment to lease agreement dated on or about Oct. 29, 2019, and to authorize and direct the board chairman and superintendent to execute and attest, respectively, for and on behalf of the Escambia County Board of Education, said termination of lease agreements.

The school board leased the property to the town of Flomaton for 99 years in 1985.

Garrett also recommended to purchase and accept from the Town of Flomaton, via quit claim deed, a parcel of real property, which is known as a portion of the Alger Railroad, and to authorize the superintendent to accept and record said quit claim deed.

Garrett explained the Flomaton High School baseball and softball fields needed upgrades and the board cannot expend funds to make those repairs unless the school board owned the property. The town had a meeting recently for public input and representatives from both the town and the school board, including Garrett, were there.

"We presented a draft of an agreement the things we could do," said Garrett. "It's my personal opinion that meeting went very well and everyone was in favor of it, including all the citizens in the audience."

The town voted at its council meeting and approved terminating the long-term lease and purchase the strip where the concession stands are by quit claim deed. Garrett said Turtle Point Science Center will not be affected.

In a motion made by Board Member Coleman Wallace and seconded by Board Member Cindy Jackson, the motion carried unanimously.

Financial report

School board CFO Rochelle Richardson gave a report that the general fund balance as of Jan. 31, 2023 is $13,803,681.11, which is 3.54 months operating reserve. The state requires two months operating reserve at all times, Richardson said. The board accepted and approved unanimously the report, pending an audit review.

In other business, the school board:

-Approved the 2023-2024 School Calendar.

-Approved a revised CTE Handbook, which will be tabled to provide opportunity for input and consideration for changes.

-Approved of non-judicial settlement of agreement of trust between the Escambia County Board of Education and First National Bank and Trust of Atmore.

-Approved to renew a one-year subscription of SchoolStatus program for data analytics and communication in the amount of $47,850.00 to be paid with ESSER (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) funds

-Approved to renew one-year subscription of Schools PLP Online for virtual and credit recovery curriculum in the amount of $92,100.00 to be paid with ESSER funds.

-Approved to purchase Proven Practices Professional Development from PowerSchool Group, LLC, in the amount of $30,000.00 for 100 remote hours and $208,000.00 for 65 onsite days totaling $238,000.00 to be paid for with ESSER funds.

-Approved 2023-2024 CTE Textbook Committee to meet Alabama's requirement that a local textbook committee be appointed by the board of education 'for the purpose of selecting textbooks from the list of adoptions approved by the State Board of Education.'

-Approved reconfiguration of Flomaton High School from 7th grade-12th grade to 6th grade-12th grade

-Approved reconfiguration of Rachel Patterson Elementary School from K4-3rd grade to K-4th grade

-Approved reconfiguration of Escambia County Middle School from 4th grade-8th grade to 5th grade-8th grade

-Approved adoption of a new mission statement of the Escambia County Board of Education as follows: "The mission of Escambia County Schools is to provide a safe, rigorous, and engaging learning environment that promotes healthy, respectful, resourceful, and responsible life-long learners who will collaborate, lead by example, set goals to strive for excellence, and graduate as college or career ready."

-Approved the following recommended personnel changes:

Resignation

Keyanna Wiggins, special education aide at Escambia County Middle School, effective Jan. 13, 2023; Yolanda King, elementary teacher at Rachel Patterson Elementary School, effective Jan. 30, 2023; Charish Watson, 6-hour lunchroom worker at Rachel Patterson Elementary School, effective Jan. 27, 2023; Carol Hughes, elementary teacher at Rachel Patterson Elementary School, effective Jan. 31, 2023; Megan Svoboda, teacher aide at W.S. Neal High School, effective Feb. 24, 2023; Jeremy Padgett, utility/groundskeeper at Atmore Maintenance Department, effective Feb. 15, 2023

Employment

Ann Stephens, part-time academic math interventionist at Escambia County Middle School, effective Feb. 22, 2023 (replacing Robert Hammond); Rhecy Currie, teacher for After School Program at Escambia County Middle School, effective Feb. 22, 2023l Kelly McNeill, teacher for After School Program at Escambia County Middle School, effective Feb. 22, 2023; Berna Milton, teacher for After School Program at Escambia County Middle School, effective February 22, 2023; Madelynn Holt, teacher for After School Program at Escambia County Middle School, effective Feb. 22, 2023; Jeana Barrow, custodian at Flomaton High School, effective Feb. 17, 2023 (replacing Brandi Graham); Shannon Martin, site coordinator/lead teacher for After School Program, Rachel Patterson Elementary School, effective Feb. 23, 2023; Brian Stallworth, teacher for After School Program for Rachel Patterson Elementary School, effective Jan. 17, 2023; Jessica Lockett, teacher for After School Program for Rachel Patterson Elementary School, effective Feb. 24, 2023; DeMarcous Moton, elementary teacher for Rachel Patterson Elementary School, effective Feb. 22, 2023(replacing Yolanda King); Mary Hubert, 6-hour lunchroom worker at Rachel Patterson Elementary School, effective March 1, 2023 (replacing Charish Watson); Erin Stephens, teacher for After School Program at W.S. Neal Elementary School, effective Jan. 17, 2023; Margo Nordmeyer-Adams for teacher at After School Program, W.S. Neal Elementary School, effective Jan. 17, 2023; Kaylee Gann, instructional aide at W.S. Neal Elementary School, effective Feb. 17, 2023; Heather Peters, teacher aide at W.S. Neal High School, effective February 27, 2023 (replacing Megan Svoboda); Joshua Black, utility/groundskeeper at Atmore Maintenance Department, effective March 1, 2023 (replacing Jeremy Padgett); Jessica Douglas, special needs bus aide at Brewton Bus Shop, effective Feb. 17, 2023

Termination

Tehron Stallworth, social studies teacher at W.S. Neal High School, effective Feb. 9, 2023.