Students to return

At its meeting Thursday, Dec. 16, the Escambia County (Ala.) Board of Education approved an e-learning day for students county-wide on Jan. 4, which means students will return to their classrooms on Wednesday, Jan. 5, not Tuesday like originally scheduled.

The purpose of the day is to allow Escambia County teachers to attend a professional development training provided by the district.

“It's a two day training that gives us an opportunity to start the new year off with with our teachers and students,” said School Superintendent Michelle McClung. “We can reset expectations and standards and allow us that extra time to train all of our teachers on what those standards and expectations are.”

McClung cited that the system has many teachers filling spots who are not completely certificated in the area of which they are teaching or are teaching on an emergency certificate, in addition to the paraprofessionals or teacher aides who have not been provided training in a long time.

“I did not want to wait until this summer and lose this half of this year,” said McClung. “So in an effort and spirit to start the year out right, we want all of the teachers across the district from Atmore, Flomaton and Brewton in grade bands to get to know each other and attend this training together.”

She said the company will not split the to-day training up and one way to solve that problem is to do a virtual day with packets and virtual lessons for students on Dec. 4. She said the buses with virtual capabilities will be stationed in areas that with little or no internet.

In a motion made by board member Sherry Digmon, which was seconded by Board Member Loumeek White, the motion carried unanimously.

In other business, the board:

-Approved to purchase a crisis management alert system from Centegix in the amount of $541,700 with a 5-year contract-countywide utilizing ATF Funding

McClung described Centegix as a high tech company that focuses on life safety of all students, staff and employees in the county and explained that if it is implemented, all school employees will wear a badge that has a button system. Employees who need help or discover a situation can push the button a certain number of times to call 911 or emergency personnel. An alert, much like an Amber alert will sound. She explained that the parameters in geo fencing will not only be inside the school but all around the campus on school property.

“If we've got an emergency situation, or a fight situation, a lock down situation, the proper people will be notified immediately,” said McClung.

She said there is a map that will come up on a phone or a device to show the area where help is need and it will be sent there. She said there will also be lock down type codes for magnetic domes that are placed near the ceiling with different color codes that mean different situations. In case the teacher does not notice the color change, the system will override their computer system and lock them out of whatever they are teaching and produce a message to inform them of the situation and what to do.

When things return to normal and the emergency is cleared, an authorized person can clear the codes and return to normal.

“It's an outstanding high-tech life and safety program that will tie into our current intercom system that we are looking into upgrading,” said McClung. “This program will allow us the capability to alert your Atmore chief of police, Sheriff Heath Jackson, and other authorities as needed, such as the ambulance and fire department and others.”

McClung said it will also alert her if a school is in lock down so she can be aware when the media calls and to let parents know what is going on in a real, appropriate time.

In a motion made by Board Member Danny Benjamin which was seconded by Digmon, the motion carried unanimously.

-Approval to purchase a broadcasting/ tv studio for each school from StreamVu Ed in the amount of $124,449.00 utilizing Title I funding.

“All of our schools will have an opportunity through this to produce their own news at the school daily instead of the principals doing the announcements over the intercom,” said McClung. “We like for our students to really take ownership of the school and I think one way for them to do that is to produce their own news, at all levels, grade kindergarten through 12th grade. In addition to that, this company also allows for an opportunity to have several channels.”

McClung said the superintendent could have a superintendent channel to send out, principals can have a channel, the schools will have a variety.

McClung mentioned that this program will give community members, parents and others who could not otherwise attend the chance to watch live honor roll ceremonies, graduations, programs and any special events such as board meetings, even send them to others such as family members to various locations around the globe.

“That's another component of this program,” said McClung. 'As well as a virtual classroom, what we learned from the pandemic and with COVID is we never know when or what is to come next, this program will give us the capability for virtual learning in a very safe and protected environment for our students that is not distracting to where the program will only focus on the teacher and not the kids if there's a blended environment as well.”

She said she thought it is a great opportunity to promote what is going on in our schools and make the students a part of what is going on.

Board Chairman Coleman Wallace mentioned that the program will allow face-to-face interaction between students and teachers, eliminating students being on their own.

“Now we have something, a program that will allow the actual teacher to interact with that student to help that student,” said Wallace.

In a motion made by Board Member Mike Edwards, which was seconded by Digmon, the motion carried unanimously.