Robots heading to career tech center

At its meeting last Thursday, the Escambia County (Ala.) Board of Education approved to purchase education training CERT (certification) Package from Technical Training Aids in the amount of $48,850 utilizing College and Career Readiness grant funds to add a robot that will benefit students at the Escambia Career Readiness Center (ECRC) in the industrial maintenance program. The package includes Fanuc LR Mate ER-4iA, the robot, and the Education Training CERT Package from Technical Training Aids.

The robotic program will help credential students in Industrial Maintenance Instructor Carter Wilson's industrial maintenance class at ECRC in Brewton. Wilson will receive specialized training and earn his certification first and then teach the course to his students through hands-on and online training.

"This Fanuc robot will be a game changer for our students and our career tech instructor," said Director of Career and Technical Education Latoya West with ECRC.

West said this course will be a career readiness indicator and will help students going into the workforce to work with robots.

Hands-on robotic technology in the classroom is a blessing according to Wilson. He said although people have always said robotics is the future, it is the present, and he can't wait to dive in.

"It's extremely exciting," said Wilson. "Robotics is the present. It is in industry everywhere now. I am so excited to get this robot and be able to give these kids the training on how to program these robots to do the jobs that are in the factories. It's not just automotive, it's everywhere."

Wilson said robots are prevalent operating in industry across the board and his hands-on training along with online training he has to complete will help him become certified.

"No matter how many robots they put in a factory, the robots can't program themselves and the robots can't fix themselves," said Wilson. "So there will always be a demand for maintenance personnel in manufacturing."

Financial

School Superintendent Michelle Collier reported that the monthly financial statement as of Jan. 31, 2024 is $4,264,457.79 unreserved average, which is 4.34 months operating expenses. Collier said the general fund had a balance of $18,525,613.20.

In other business, the board:

-Approved an of out of state trip for W.S. Neal Middle School to Washington D.C. on March 24, 2025, through March 27, 2025, next year so students will have time to raise funds and get parent interest

-Approved to authorize the superintendent to execute checks on behalf of the board

-Approved of amended summer school salary schedule effective May 30, 2024 through July 30, 2024

-Approved to award network equipment bid to KAM Technologies for replacement of wireless access points and 60 UPS network battery backups for Fiscal Year 2025 to replace all 469 of the school system's access points across the county, which will cost $52,000 (funded at 90 percent level by E-Rate funds)

-Accepted the recommendation of Alabama Association of School Boards applicants for Chief School Finance Officer and to authorize their interviews and direct the superintendent to notify applicants of their interview date and times (5 p.m. and 7 p.m.) on Monday, March 11, 2024 (at Flomaton High School auditorium).

Board Members Mike Edwards and Coleman Wallace were not present at the meeting.

The board also approved the following recommended personnel changes. The changes are as follows:

Resignation

Rachel Land, LPN/special education aid at Flomaton Elementary School, effective Feb. 26, 2024; Sonya Higdon, custodian at Pollard McCall Junior High School, effective June 18, 2024; Noelle Morris, teacher at Pollard McCall Junior High School, effective May 24, 2024; Selena Ramos, special education aide at Pollard McCall Junior High School, effective March 22. 2024

Employment

David Mathis, technology supervisor at Escambia County Board of Education, effective April 8, 2024, (replacing Jamie Burkett); Jodie Grant, special education aide at Flomaton Elementary School, effective March 12, 2024; Hugh T. Fountain, special education aide at Pollard McCall Junior High School, effective March 19, 2024; Ana Jarman, 6-hour lunchroom worker at Rachel Patterson Elementary School, effective March 8, 2024

Transfer

Shonnan Taylor, from 7-hour lunchroom worker at Rachel Patterson Elementary School to 7-hour lunchroom worker at Escambia County high school, effective March 11, 2024

After School Employment

Andrella Nettles, after school program teacher at W.S. Neal elementary School, effective March 5, 2024; Heather Lindsey, after school program teacher at W.S. Neal Elementary School, effective March 5, 2024

The board will meet today at 4:30 p.m., at W.S. Neal High School following a workshop at 3 p.m.