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After a brief ceremony recognizing board member Olen Kerby for his dedicated ten years of service, Board Chairman Harris Hurst moved to the next agenda item: election of board officers. 

“I usually do not make the motion, but it’s been over two years I’ve been sitting here in this chair,” Hurst began, “and I’m going to make the motion that Ms. Betsy Stephens be our Chair, and Mr. Bobby Armstead be our Vice Chair.”

The motion was unanimously approved.

After quickly moving through the monthly financial reports that demonstrated the system’s good financial health, the board moved on to approve the proposal from Duncan/Coker Associates, PC, for the first part of the storm drainage issue fix. Duncan/Coker had previously presented estimates and ideas to the board after coming to see the problems with storm drainage in person.

As part of their 20%-of-the-total-project fee, the firm will take an approximately $193,000 fee for the survey and design of the whole project. As the project progresses, Duncan/Coker will oversee the entire process, regardless of how long it takes, or how many different construction contractors and bids are required as the phases of the project are implemented. The project is estimated to cost a total of about $2.1million.

The board also approved Latham Associates Architects to “retrofit” a fix to the roof on the maintenance building. The firm will add insulation and overlay the roofing that’s already installed.

Also previously discussed, the board has been looking to upgrade the school system’s 22-year-old employee time clock system. While they have had an outstanding agreement to provide a new system from Harris Solutions NexGen for the past three years, the firm is currently unable to complete the project. After discussing the project with the current system provider, they have decided to stay with Gorrie Regan, but with an upgraded system that will use computers and a “geofence” locating system that will allow system employees to clock in with their smartphones, as long as they are where they are supposed to be when they attempt to do so. The new system will be ready to implement on June 1 of this year. 

Fleming Photography was approved as the portrait photographer for the system.

Policy updates regarding tobacco and associated electronic devices, as well as the policy that allows students to retake tests when they have scored below a 50 – if they so choose – were both approved.

New textbook purchases were approved, as well as an amended school calendar that gives employees Good Friday off and adds a flex day in July.

The board also approved a first reading of the job description of an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher, in case they need to hire one in the near future. According to Curriculum and Instruction Coordinator Derrik Hester, the system’s Hispanic population is on the rise, especially in elementary schools, and they have recently lost one of the two bilingual aides who assisted with ESL. While Superintendent Adam Pugh and the Board have not made a decision of the number of students that would necessitate a dedicated bilingual ESL teacher for the system – who would travel between the five schools – the job description presented will be a future time-saver, according to Hester.

The board approved the cheer team to travel to Tuscaloosa in June for UCA Cheer Camp.

Literacy and Numeracy camps will be at U.S. Jones and Westside June 2-26.

As part of the Superintendent’s report, Dr. Pugh described a summer orientation camp for kindergarten parents and students. The “Kindergarten Night” with hamburgers and hotdogs will “hopefully” be in June, and provide information for parents and students alike on what to expect during the coming school year.

The orientation night idea might be expanded to include third and sixth graders as well.

Pugh went on to describe the objective of making the system as paperless as possible. Online registration for students will go into effect for the first time ever beginning in June. As it is a new process, all students will need to register as though they are brand new students. If parents have questions or difficulties with the new system, someone will be available at schools to assist throughout the summer.

“I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but we’ve started doing a lot of cleanup at the high school,” Dr. Pugh said, “Personal Touch gave us a price that we could not refuse to do that, which was at zero dollars.” 

Personal Touch has been doing a great job, according to Pugh, but soggy ground has required a delay of a few days to keep from damaging school grounds.

The board went into closed executive session at the end of the night to discuss the personnel report and legal items.