Board recognizes Employees of the Year

Board recognizes Employees of the Year

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 Thursday, August 25. 

The meeting was opened with a moment of silence in memory of Frankie Rowell who was Custodian at Crossville. Rowell was always in attendance at the DeKalb County Board of Education meetings and will be missed.  

Superintendent Wayne Lyles along with the board honored the Employees of the Year for the 2021-2022 School year.  The person who nominated each honoree read their submission before the following were awarded: 

  • Support Employee of the Year - Dana Paddock 
  • Co-Elementary Teacher of the Year - Pamela Diane Laney 
  •  Co-Elementary Teacher of the Year - Shannon Pruett 
  • Secondary Teacher of the Year - Dr. Brandon Renfroe 
  • Educator of the Year - Brian Pool 

**Chief School Financial Officer Anthony Cooper, presented the first budget outline for the next fiscal year. He stated that the budgeting is not complete due to all funding not being in.

“ We have until September 15 to get the physical year budget approved at the local level by the school system and then sent to Montgomery” stated Anthony Cooper. **

The following bids were awarded for the school year.

  • Petroleum Products - Cedar Bluff Oil Co. 
  • Paper Bid - Alabama Industries for the Blind - $29.95 per case 

The following resignations were granted:

  • Chris Szydlowski - Science Teacher - Fyffe High School - Resignation - 7/29/22  
  • Diana Street - P.E. Aide (Leave 8/1/22-12/16/22)- Plainview High School - Resignation - 8/12/22 
  • Cary Dewayne Hearn - Bus Driver - Crossville Elementary School - Resignation - 9/16/22 
  •  Josh Strange - Custodian (12 months) - Geraldine High School - Resignation - 8/19/22 
  • Michelle Collins - CNP Worker - Crossville Middle School - Resignation - 9/15/22 

The following Leaves of Absence were approved:

  • Brenda Douglas - Counselor/Teacher - Crossville High School - 8/15/22-10/13/22 
  •  Meg Jones - Business Education Teacher - Crossville High School - 9/1/22-5/26/23 
  • Harry Keller - Bus Driver - Ider High School - 8/5/22-8/22/22 
  • Rita Nugent - CNP Worker - Geraldine High School - 8/1/22-9/30/22 
  • Robert Bryant - Assistant Custodian - Crossville Middle School - 8/5/22-9/20/22 
  • Amanda McKee - CNP Worker - Fyffe High School - 8/1/22-8/29/22 
  • Mayra Olivares - Translator - Crossville Middle School - 8/8/22-10/17/22 
  • Karen Holcomb - Bus Driver - Crossville Middle/High School - 8/5/22-11/30/22 
  •  Alice Durham - Store Worker - DeKalb County Career Technical Center - 8/30/22-10/12/22 
  • Amber Smith - School Nurse - Ruhama Jr. High School - 8/10/22-9/21/22
  • Ashlei Wanninger - Junior High Counselor - Geraldine High School - 11/8/22-3/10/23 
  •  Barbara Neel - Family Consumer Sciences Teacher - Valley Head High School - 8/23/22-12/16/22 
  • Megan Gilbert - Science Teacher - Ider High School - 9/26/22-11/18/22 

The following On the Job Injury was approved:

  •  Eddie Hill - Custodian - Sylvania High School - 5 days 

The Board approved the following Transfers:

  •  Lezlie Pope from Itinerant ARI Instructional Coach at Ruhama Jr. High School to Pre-K Teacher at Plainview High School  (Effective 8/2/22) 
  • Emily Ferguson from Elementary Teacher at Ruhama Jr. High School to Itinerant ARI Instructional Coach at Ruhama Jr. High School  (Effective 8/2/22) 
  •  Melissa Warren from Itinerant Special Education Teacher at Ruhama Jr. High School to Elementary Teacher at Ruhama Jr. High School  (Effective 8/2/22)
  • Misty Beason from Elementary Teacher at Crossville Elementary School to Itinerant Special Education Teacher at Ruhama Jr. High School (Effective 8/2/22)  Donna Jones from English Language Arts Teacher at Collinsville High School to Itinerant Secondary Literacy Coach for the District (Effective 8/4/22) 
  •  Peyton Wilbanks from Itinerant Special Education Bus Aide at Fyffe Special Services Center to Itinerant Special Education Paraprofessional at Fyffe Elementary School  (Effective 8/23/22) 

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 

  •  David Hall - Elementary Teacher (Leave from 9/6/22-12/16/22) - Plainview High School 
  •  Brittany Keith - English Language Arts Teacher - Crossville High School (Effective 8/2/22) 
  •  Devin Wilson Ashley - Science Teacher (TEAMS) - Fyffe High School (Effective 8/15/22) 
  •  Ashley Hudgens Lewis - Elementary Teacher - Geraldine High School  (Effective 8/11/22) 
  • Savannah Killian - Middle School Counselor (9-month) - Crossville Middle School (Effective 8/26/22) 
  • Brooklyn Hicks - Elementary Teacher - Crossville Elementary School (Effective 8/5/22) 
  •  April Ivey - EL Teacher - Collinsville High School (Effective 8/26/22) 

Support 

  • Shannon Light - Itinerant Special Education Paraprofessional (Leave from 8/16/22-12/16/22) - Plainview High School 
  •  Seth Lowrey - CNP Worker - Crossville Middle/High School (Effective 8/5/22) 
  • Hannah Biddle - Itinerant Special Education Paraprofessional - Sylvania High School (Effective 8/5/22) 
  • Jodi Hill - Itinerant Special Education Paraprofessional - Geraldine High School  (Effective 8/5/22) 
  • Robert Sinclair - Bus Driver - Crossville Elementary School (Effective 8/11/22) 
  •  Judy Jones - Itinerant Special Education Bus Aide - Collinsville High School (Effective 8/19/22) 
  • John Willoughby - P.E. Aide (Leave from 8/15/22-12/16/22) - Plainview High School 
  • Brooklyn Self - Itinerant Special Education Paraprofessional - Collinsville High School  (Effective 8/26/22) 
  • Faith Crump - Itinerant Special Education Paraprofessional - Crossville Elementary School  (Effective 8/2/22) 

The following Volunteer Coaches were approved:

Collinsville High School 

  • Shannon Griggs - Softball 
  •  Kelvin Stewart - Baseball 
  • Teddy Helms - Baseball, Football 
  •  Bear Jones - Basketball 
  •  Jeff Chandler - Baseball 
  • Bryan Debter - Golf
  •  Pedro Sierra - Soccer 
  • James Coker - Softball 
  • Chad Wills - Softball 
  • Mike McElrath - Football 
  • Lydia Petty - Volleyball 
  • David Hernandez - Soccer 
  • Sandra Vazquez - Soccer 

Crossville High School 

  • Joshua Tyler Causey - Football, Baseball 

 Fyffe High School 

  • Erik Magnusson - Track 
  • Ryan Tramel - Golf 
  • Tyler Wilks - Golf 
  • Summer Guinn - Softball 
  •  Brant Rowell - Baseball 
  • Ricky Bryant - Basketball 
  •  Logan McKenzie - Baseball 
  •  Dallas Burt - Softball 
  •  Tommy Mayes - Basketball 

Geraldine High School 

  • Russell Hatley - Football 
  • Carlos Benitez - Football

 Ider High School 

  • Seth Finch - Football 
  •  John Massey - Football 
  •  Robert Elliott - Softball 
  •  Shawn Traylor - Softball 
  • Alex Carpenter - Baseball 
  • Steven White - Baseball 
  • Jeff Whitaker - Baseball 
  •  Timothy A. Dalton - Cheerleading 
  • Cole Wootten - Basketball 
  • Roger D. Pruett - Basketball 
  •  Paige Hall Whitaker - Cheerleading 

Plainview High School 

  • Sierra Murdock - Volleyball 
  • Jason Traylor - Softball 
  •  Brandon Freeman - Softball 
  • Monty Price - Softball 
  • Kennedi Traylor - Softball 
  • Blake Holloway - Football 
  •  Phillip Jackson - Football 
  •  Kevin Wilks - Golf 
  •  Taylor Seymour - Football 
  •  Josh York - Football 
  •  Elijah White - Baseball 

 Sylvania High School 

  •  Ryan Haney - Football 
  •  Travis Welden - Softball 
  • Derek Talley - Basketball, Cross Country 
  •  Labron Hill - Golf 
  •  Westley King - Basketball 
  • Isabella Corbin - Cheerleading 
  • Collin Parnell - Baseball

Valley Head High School 

  •  Coby Harrison - Football 
  • Rayford Bethune - Football, Basketball, Softball 
  •  John Kirby - Football 
  •  Josh Smith - Football 
  •  Ben Kirby - Football 
  •  Kevin Worthey - Basketball 
  •  Craig Hulgan - Football, Baseball 
  • Seth Benefield - Football 
  • George Wesley Frost - Football 

The following Contract was approved: 

  •  Rebecca Westbrook - Nurse Bus Aide - 8/5/22-5/25/23 

The date of the next meeting will be held on September 8. The regular meeting will begin at  5:00 p.m., A work session and Second Budget Hearing will begin at 4:30 p.m. in the Meeting Room at the Facilities Building.

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