Board taps Collier as superintendent

After a unanimous vote of approval from the Escambia County (Ala.) Board of Education last Thursday, Interim Superintendent Michele Collier will now serve as the school system's superintendent. Board attorney Broox Garrett said that Collier's was the one application submitted for the position of superintendent.

Following the recent non-renewal and subsequent $90,000 buy-out of former Superintendent Michele McClung's remaining contract in mid-December 2023, Collier, who had served under McClung as assistant superintendent, was named interim superintendent at the board's monthly meeting on Jan. 17, 2024. Collier served as superintendent until January 29, when a special meeting was called after the board learned the position had to be advertised. The board voted unanimously to name Collier as the interim superintendent for a period of six months or until the board appoints a new superintendent, which ever came first. The position was then posted on the school's website for 30 days with applications due no later than 4 p.m. last Wednesday.

Garrett stated that her application met all the requirements and said the board members each have a copy of the contract and that Collier had approved it. He opened the floor to a motion.

Board Member Mike Edwards expressed concern that the contract stated that the superintendent could be terminated "without cause".

"I'm surprised with all the federal and state dollars in our system that we could have such a clause," said Edwards. "I know we just used it, actually, and it cost us $90,000, unnecessarily."

Edwards then said he would like to make a motion to amend the contract to make it unanimous vote of the board, rather than a majority, to terminate without cause. Edwards cited the recent expenditure as a major reason.

Board Member Coleman Wallace echoed Edwards' sentiment

"Without cause," said Wallace. "We've had that experience. But you wouldn't do that to any other employee. Every other employee has to be terminated with cause."

Garrett said that clause allows the board to buy out the contract if they wish and have to pay the full benefit, which is only fair to the employee. He said he wasn't sure the board could put a clause like that in the contract.

"I'm not sure unanimous consent would be upheld by a court, if you got to that point," said Garrett.

Edwards pointed out that requiring a unanimous vote, a court would not be necessary because it probably would not get to that point.

"Teachers, especially tenured teachers, you have to have a record of something they are doing wrong recorded before you even begin to talk about letting them go," said Edwards. "You think you would give your superintendent the same graces."

Garrett said he would not recommend making that change and told board members he would not recommend accepting Edwards' recommendation but that it was up to the board and Collier.

Board Member Sherry Digmon made a motion to approve Collier as superintendent effective immediately, which was seconded by Board Member Danny Benjamin. The motion carried. Collier's yearly salary will be $174,735 and her contract expires June 30, 2026.

Schools recognized

The board recognized Escambia County Middle School, Pollard-McCall Junior High School, W.S. Neal Elementary School and W.S. Neal High School, the four schools in Escambia County that were in the state's 25 most-improved schools with each receiving a check for $8,000 from the state department of education for the benefit of the students and a banner that will be displayed at each school.

In other business, the board:

- Approved of an overnight trip for W.S. Neal High School cheerleaders to attend a cheer camp in Gulf Shores, departing on June 12, 2024, and returning on June 15, 2024.

- Approved of an out-of-state trip for the senior class of Flomaton High School to visit the Georgia Aquarium and World of Coke in Atlanta, Georgia on April 10, 2024.

- Approved of the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 School Calendars.

- Approved of 2024-2025 CTE Textbook Committee. Alabama Code requires a local textbook committee to be appointed by the board of education. Also the Alabama code states that the local textbook committee will meet 'for the purpose of selecting textbooks from the list of adoptions approved by the State Board of Education.'

- Approved to purchase one 2023 Ford Transit Connect Passenger Wagon for the Child Nutrition Program (CNP) from Long Lewis Ford of the Shoals, Muscle Shoals, Ala., State of Alabama Master Agreement in the amount of $35,620.50 to be paid for from CNP funds.

- Approved of contract with Walker Construction and Consulting Services for repair of damaged canopy at Escambia County Middle School for the amount of $29,950.

- Approved of subscription of SchoolStatus Connect High Impact program for data analytics and communication in the amount of $50,242 to be paid out of Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief 3 funds.

- Approved of the Escambia County Board of Education Cheerleading Constitution. This item has been tabled for 30 days.

- Held off on paying the bills until a special-called board meeting

Special-called board

session and meeting

A special-called board work session will be held at 3 p.m., Thursday, March 7, at Brewton Central Office. Following the work session, at 4:30 p.m., the board will have a board meeting and discuss applications for a new school chief financial officer, which are due the week prior, to plan a date and time for interviews.

The next regular board meeting will be held at 4:30 p.m., Thursday, March 21, at W.S. Neal Middle School.

Special request

Board Member Wallace made a request to School Secretary Michelle Lucas for a copy of the record of office business payroll, including overtime and a record of principals' salaries for the last five months.

Bus monitors

As part of the personnel recommended changes, the board approved several bus monitors, all certified teachers, who will be paid an additional hour in the afternoon, to ride a school bus.

The position will provide a stipend for $22.50, to ride a bus as needed, though not necessarily every day.

"We found a lot of our misbehavior was happening on buses," said Assistant Superintendent George Brown. "You ask teachers every day to not leave children unsupervised, and when you put them on a bus and that bus starts rolling, the bus driver is looking at the road, and they are basically unsupervised."

Brown said having that certified adult to sit on the bus and supervise the students has made a big difference already, especially on some buses where fighting was a problem. Collier said they are looking for several more monitors to ride the Brewton buses who would be interested.

"It's been really effective so far," said Brown. "It's a safety thing, and it's really about keeping our kids safe."

Personnel changes

The board approved the following recommended personnel changes at its meeting last Thursday. The changes are as follows:

Retirement

Deborah Peterson, instructional aide at Huxford Elementary School effective June 1, 2024 and Sharon Rose, Bus driver for Atmore Bus Stop, effective June 1, 2024

Resignation

Maranda Lambeth, teacher aide at Rachel Patterson Elementary School, effective Feb. 23, 2024; Terry Colbert, teacher aide at Rachel Patterson Elementary School, effective Jan. 30, 2024; Melanie Renfroe, 7-hour lunchroom worker at Rachel Patterson Elementary School, effective Jan. 12, 2024; Joyce Gunn, secretary/bookkeeper at Pollard-McCall Junior High School, effective March 1, 2024; Justin Dubose, utility/groundskeeper for Atmore Maintenance Department, effective Feb. 29, 2024; Stacey Fuqua, bus driver at Brewton Bus Shop, effective Jan. 4, 2024 and Ronald Davis, bus driver at Atmore Bus Shop, effective Feb. 8, 2024

Employment

Joseph DiFilippo, teacher at Escambia County High School, (amended) effective Jan. 22, 2024 (replacing Princess Davis); Rachel Land, LPN/special education aide at Flomaton Elementary School, effective March 1, 2024; Shannon Taylor, 7-hour lunchroom worker at Rachel Patterson Elementary School, effective Feb. 23, 2024 (replacing Melanie Renfroe); Joydan Pleasant, instructional teacher aide at Rachel Patterson Elementary School, effective Feb. 23, 2024 (replacing Terry Colbert); Lisa Paul, special education aide at W.S. Neal Middle School, effective Feb. 26, 2024 and Kevin Cardwell, mechanic at Atmore Bus Shop, effective March 1, 2024 (replacing Christopher Emmons)

After School Employment

Kelly McNeil, After School Program teacher at Escambia County Middle School, effective Feb. 20, 2024; James Scruggs, After School Program teacher at Escambia County Middle School, effective Feb. 6, 2024; James Scruggs, bus monitor teacher at Escambia County Middle School, effective Feb. 20, 2024; James Smith, After School Program teacher at Escambia County Middle School, effective Feb. 13, 2024; James Smith, bus monitor teacher at Escambia County Middle School, effective Jan. 3, 2024; Karl Smith, After School Program teacher at Escambia County Middle School, effective Feb. 6, 2024; Yolonda Walters, After School Program teacher at Escambia County Middle School, effective Feb. 6, 2024; Jennifer Lee, After School Program Teacher at Flomaton High School, effective Jan. 19, 2024; Wanda McKissack, After School Program teacher at Flomaton High School, effective Jan. 19, 2024; Leslie Wedgeworth, bus monitor teacher at Flomaton Elementary School, effective Jan. 3, 2024; Sydney Lambeth, bus monitor teacher at Flomaton Elementary School, effective Jan. 3, 2024; Jennifer Strawbridge, bus monitor teacher at Huxford Elementary School, effective Jan. 3, 2024; Patricia Bradley, bus monitor teacher at Rachel Patterson Elementary School, effective Jan. 3, 2024; Jessica Lockett, After School Program teacher at Rachel Patterson Elementary School, effective Feb. 23, 2024; Julie Rowland, After School Program teacher at Rachel Patterson Elementary School, effective Feb. 23, 2024; Jennifer Rowland, After School Program teacher at Rachel Patterson Elementary School, effective Feb. 23, 2024 and Kimberly Collins-Bright, After School Program teacher at W.S. Neal Elementary School, effective Feb. 15, 2024

Rehire

Brian Stallworth, part-time academic interventionist at Rachel Patterson Elementary School, effective Feb. 1, 2024