Marla Jones, Managing Editor

marla@southerntorch.com

RAINSVILLE, Ala.--(Full Video on Southern Torch Facebook Page) The DeKalb County Board of Education held its regularly scheduled meeting on May 11. 

The Board approved the Non-Renewals/Terminations of the following:  

• Brent Reeves - Social Sciences Teacher - Ider High School - Non-renewal - 5/26/23
• Matthew Ogle - Elementary Teacher - Valley Head High School - Non-renewal - 5/26/23
• Heather Powell - P.E. / Health Teacher - Fyffe High School - Non-renewal - 5/26/23 
• Luke Powell - Social Sciences Teacher - Fyffe High School - Non-renewal - 5/26/23 
• Ken Brown - Itinerant Special Education Teacher - Crossville High School - Non-renewal - 5/26/23 
• Trina Land - CNP Worker - Plainview High School - Non-renewal - 5/26/23 
• Jordon Wright - CNP Worker - Plainview High School - Non-renewal - 5/26/23 
• Leslie Foster - CNP Worker - Plainview High School - Non-renewal - 5/26/23 
• Amanda McKee - CNP Worker - Fyffe High School - Non-renewal - 5/26/23 
• Natasha Fisher - Assistant Custodian 4-hour - Fyffe Special Services Center/DYSC - Non-renewal - 5/26/23 
• Antonia Cordell - English Language Arts Teacher - Crossville Middle School - Non-renewal - 5/26/23 
•  Jessica Horton - Itinerant Special Education Teacher - Collinsville High School - Non-renewal - 5/26/23 
• Maria Turner - Itinerant Special Education Paraprofessional - Collinsville High School - Non-renewal - 5/26/23 
• Judy Jones - Itinerant Special Education Bus Aide - Collinsville High School - 
• Non-renewal - 5/26/23 
• April Ivey - EL Teacher - Collinsville High School - Non-renewal - 5/26/23 
• Brenda Trotman - Elementary Teacher - Collinsville High School - Non-renewal - 5/26/23 
• Zach King - Secondary Science Teacher and Head Basketball Coaching Duties - Sylvania High School - Non-renewal - 5/26/23 
• John David Willoughby - Itinerant Special Education Teacher - Henagar Jr. High School - Non-renewal - 5/26/23 
• Kayla Andrews - Computer Science Teacher - Crossville Middle School - Non-renewal - 5/26/23 

The Board approved the following Retirements:

•  Jennifer Gilbert - Elementary Teacher - Geraldine High School - 6/1/23
•  Donna Ferguson - Library Media Specialist - Crossville Elementary School - 7/1/23 

The Board approved the following Resignations:

• Marilyn Brown - Assistant Principal (10 months) - Geraldine High School - Resignation - 5/30/23 
• Kelsey J. Smith - Secondary General Science Teacher - Geraldine High School - Resignation - 5/26/23
• Cameron Whitt - Elementary Teacher - Plainview High School - Resignation - 5/26/23 
• Melissa Coker - High School Counselor - Plainview High School - Resignation - 5/8/23
• James York - Varsity Girls Softball Head Coaching Duties only - Crossville High School - Resignation - 5/26/23 
• Riley Edwards - P.E. Teacher - Crossville High School - Resignation - 5/26/23 
• Brody Allen - Secondary English Language Arts Teacher - Ruhama Jr. High School - Resignation - 5/26/23 

The following Leaves of Absence were granted:

• Jennifer Davis - Pre-K Teacher - Ider High School - 4/4/23-5/26/23 (Extended from 5/4/23) 
• Brooklyn Self-Itinerant Special Education Paraprofessional - Collinsville High School - 8/1/23-8/25/23 

The following Transfers were made:

• Whitney Tinker from Itinerant Speech-Language Pathologist at Ider High School to Itinerant Special Education Pre-K Teacher for the District (Effective 8/1/2023) 
• Shannon Hilley from Itinerant Gifted/ Indian Education Teacher to Itinerant Gifted Teacher (Effective 8/1/23) 
•  Lisa Thayer from Elementary Teacher at Collinsville High School to Itinerant Migrant Teacher for the District (Effective 8/1/23) 

The following Placements were made:  (All placements are made pending a background review meeting suitability criteria and negative, pre-employment drug screen and appropriate certification) 

Certified 

• Lanie Bowlin - Elementary Teacher - Crossville Elementary School (Effective 8/1/23) 
• Matthew Hoge - Secondary General Science Teacher - Crossville High School  (Effective 8/1/23) 
• Adam Lawrence - Health/ P.E. Teacher & Girls Basketball Coaching Duties - Fyffe High School (Effective 8/1/23) 
• Whitney Brown - Elementary Teacher - Plainview High School  (Effective 8/1/23) 
• David Newsome - Secondary Social Sciences Teacher - Valley Head High School (Effective 8/1/23) 
• Cole Wooten - P.E. Teacher and Varsity Boys Basketball Coaching Duties - Ider High School  (Effective 8/1/23) 
• Lily Wills - Elementary Teacher - -Collinsville High School  (Effective 8/1/23) 
• Lola Cortez Garcia - Secondary English Language Arts Teacher - Crossville High School (Effective 8/1/23) 
•  Chris Williams - Career Preparation and Intervention Teacher / Head Football Coach and Head Girls Softball Coach - Crossville High School  (Effective 8/1/23) 

The Board approved the following Volunteer Coach

•  Jonathan Blevins - Football - Ider High School 

The Board approved the following Principal Contracts:

• Corey Dupree - Three-Year Principal Contract - 7/1/2023-6/30/2026 
• Chris Clark - Three-Year Principal Contract - 7/1/2023-6/30/2026 
• Tim McCollum - Three-Year Principal Contract - 7/1/2023-6/30/2026 
• Brian Pool - Three-Year Principal Contract - 7/1/2023-6/30/2026

In other business, the Board:

• Approved Luette Benefield as Band Director for Collinsville High School
• Purchased a 2022 Z950M ZTrak Lawn Mower in the amount of $12,800 for Valley Head High School
• Approved BETA Clubs going to Nationals  $2,000 per school to cover expenses. The schools that will be attending are as follows: Geraldine, Ider, Henagar, Sylvania, and Valley Head.
• Approved Softball Teams that qualified for the state tournament  $2,750 per school. 

The next DeKalb County Board of Education meeting will be held on May 25.  The work session will begin at 4:45 p.m. with the regular meeting beginning at 5 p.m. in the Meeting Room at the Facilities Building.