School board rejects contract

Moments after the Escambia County (Ala.) School Board voted unanimously to accept the results of an evaluation survey on Superintendent Michele McClung filled out by board members showing she received satisfactory rankings in 11 of 11 categories, the board voted 4-3 to not renew her contract.

During a workshop last Thursday, the seven school board members were given the evaluation survey to fill out concerning McClung's job as superintendent.

School Board Attorney Kirk Garrett told the board Wednesday that a superintendent must receive a satisfactory ranking in eight of the 11 categories to received an overall satisfactory rating. He then stated McClung received satisfactory ratings in all 11 categories.

After voting to accept the evaluation, Board member Coleman Wallace made the motion to extend McClung's contract until 2027 and have Board President Danny Benjamin and the attorneys to negotiate the contract with McClung. Mike Edwards then issued the second. On the vote, Wallace, Edwards and Benjamin voted yes to extend the contract. Board members Cindy Jackson, Loumeek White, Mike Hoomes and Sherry Digmon voted no.

It was noted that McClung's current two-year and 10-month contract does not expire until June.

Benjamin suggested tabling the issue until the Sept.14 meeting. He said it wasn't fair to the school board and McClung to hold her in limbo.

"It's important to do the right thing for the children of Escambia County," Benjamin said.

"We just voted and I don't think people will change their minds," Jackson said.

Benjamin told Jackson she couldn't speak for the entire board, only how she felt.

Hoomes said he felt the process was being rushed and thought the contract renewal wouldn't come up until March.

Board Attorney Broox Garett said the board didn't need to wait until March or April to decide on whether or not to renew McClung's contract. He said most of the positions in the educational field would be filled by March and April.

"It's important we do this for the students. Be adults and make your decision," Benjamin said.

Wallace also said it would be a "monumental mistake" to not renew McClung's contract. He noted the board is well aware of the progress that has been made.

Wallace also said it would not be fair to bring in someone new to finish the system's accreditation process.

"I know education," Wallace said. "I've been in it since 1971."

"Nobody said we we're not going to renew her contract," White said.

Benjamin said the board needed to come back in September and vote again. He also said if the school district does not get accredited the diplomas of the 2024 graduates will be invalid.

McClung said regardless of the vote the school system will get the accreditation done noting she still works 12 to 15 hours a day on that process.

Benjamin also said it was a personal agenda for everybody who voted no.

"We know what's at stake here," Benjamin said. "Our children."

Benjamin said he would put the contract renewal back on the September agenda. Jackson asked Broox Garrett if Benjamin could do that and Garrett said yes.

Workshop

At a workshop Thursday, Aug. 24, the school board requested more time for submitting evaluations of McClung's performance before making a decision to renew or not renew her contract.

Evaluation of the superintendent's contract was added to the school board meeting agenda after board members received the agenda earlier in the day, so several were surprised it was on the agenda. Board Digmon asked why the time frame to was shorter this time.

"Personally, it just seems like we are pushed to do it in a constricted time," said Digmon.

Attorney Kirk Garrett said that the board had to conduct the evaluation in a workshop or meeting setting, citing that the laws had changed a few years ago. He said any discussions about her job performance had to be done in an open session.

Board Hoomes said he has never been asked to make a determination 'on the spot'. Board member Wallace agreed that he hasn't either. Board members Jackson, White and Digmon were in agreement.

"You want the superintendent to have an opportunity to share the things she has done over the last few years in order for us to have an evaluation process that is favorable to us all," said Benjamin. "I think all of us around this table are knowledgable enough and have been on the board long enough to do this evaluation and take this instrument that has been provided for us by our attorney and after we listen to our superintendent go through the things that she has accomplished for the last two years and then we can make our evaluation based on what we know and what we hear and what we want to see done better, I think it is a great opportunity for us to do it and it brings this board even closer and helps us to do our job more efficiently when we do it in a setting like this."

Superintendent McClung then made a presentation outlining what programs she has implemented and the resulting measurable outcomes in 11 areas that have improved since she became superintendent for Escambia County two years ago.

Following McClung's presentation, members discussed needing more time to make a decision.

"I don't feel comfortable, I'm not doing it today," said Hoomes.

"It's my understanding that it's up to the board how they want to do it, if they want to do it now or take it home and bring it back," said Jackson.

Benjamin asked her why she would want to take it home. Jackson said she needed more time. Benjamin asked if she needed more than an hour and Jackson said she did not want to be pressured into something that is so important.

Hoomes reiterated that he was not going to be rushed into doing something in 30 minutes and that he was not doing it that day. Digmon and Jackson said they agree.

"It's not that the information is not good, that Mrs. McClung presented," said Digmon. "But I would like to have some time to go over her power point and this (evaluation scoring sheet)."

Benjamin suggested following the board attorney's lead but said he didn't think they had to take the document home with them to make an evaluation with all the information that was shared with them today.

"I'm not trying to pressure anyone, but I certainly want a fair evaluation for someone who has worked hard and diligent to take our schools to where we need them to be," Benjamin said.

Kirk Garrett said the existing contract with McClung does not specify a specific time that it will be renewed or not renewed. He advised the board make that determination by November, at the latest.

"If either party knows they are not going to renew they will notify the other side as soon as possible," said Garrett. "The more time we have to make a determination on that, it benefits both sides, Mrs. McClung and the board."

"I checked the agenda this morning and this renewal of a contract was not on there," said Hoomes. "It's in here when I walk in here. I didn't know we were doing any of this, it blind-sided me."

Board member White asked who made the decision to put the renewal on the contract and Benjamin said he did.

"So you don't think you need to discuss it with the whole board?" asked White. "Communication is so more important. All you have to do is pick up the phone, text or email, and then if I have a question, I can call you. We're hearing it from the streets, that's the problem."

Digmon agreed that she is not always aware about what a scheduled workshop is about and she would like to know prior, especially something that effects so many people in this case. White agreed that the board members would like to be prepared and not walk into the workshops and be blind-sided.

Board Member Wallace agreed that he feels like board members are not prepared to make this decision at this time.

Board member Edwards handed in his evaluation envelope to Garrett at the meeting.

"Here's mine," Edwards said. "With all the improvements that we've made in this county, it was easy to fill out. That's my statement-easy to fill out."

After the workshop the board went into regular session and:

-Approved an out-of-state field trip for the Flomaton High School Band to perform in the 2024 San Antonio Fiesta Flambeau parade in San Antonio, Texas from Wednesday, April 24, 2024 through Sunday, April 28, 2024.

-Approved of a letter of intent between the Escambia County Board of Education and Seven States Timberlands, Inc. with a 20-day extension requested by the seller (Sept. 20) to meet a requirement.

-Approval of 2023/2024 renewal of ATBE Automobile Fund Participation in the amount of $57,172.82

-Approved to enter into an owner/architect agreement between the Escambia County Board of Education and Ward Scott Morris Architecture, Inc. for WS Neal High School auditorium

-Approved to purchase ScholarChip Alternative Behavior Educator from Adams Learning Resources, Inc. in the amount of $10,815, to be paid out of Title IV funds

-Approved of RTI Rails Subscription for the 2023-2024 school year in the amount of $12,000 to be paid out of ESSER 3 funds.

-Approved purchase of Read180 and Math 180 intervention and academic acceleration programs from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in the amount of $378,356.88 to be paid for out of CSI funds.

-Approved to purchase Burns/DoTheMath consumables from Heinemann in the amount of $59,270.45 to be paid out of ESSER 3 funds