VIDEO: The DeKalb Board of Education makes end of school year employee moves

PHOTO: Dr. Jason Barnett and members of the DeKalb County Board of Education discuss an effort to find a new home for the system's buses towards the end of the meeting. (Tyler Pruett | Southern Torch)

By Tyler Pruett, Managing Editor

tyler@southerntorch.com

RAINSVILLE, Ala. — (Full Video Below, Full list of employee items at the bottom) After approving the minutes, and a CNP Bid for Milk, Bread, and Ice Cream the DeKalb County Board of Education handled end-of-year employee items.

The board first voted on terminations and non-renewals. Board member Matt Sharp voted nay (meaning against the board recommendation of non-renewal) on the non-renewal of Amanda Slaton, Plainview Science Teacher. Board member Mark Richards also voted nay on the board's recommendation for non-renewal in the case of Medea Coffey, a facilities worker.

In terms of resignations, the majority were coaching related. Brian Mashburn resigned asst. football duties at Fyffe, Meg Jones resigned Softball duties at Crossville, Jana Goodwin also resigned softball duties at Fyffe, and Nick Ledbetter resigned baseball duties at Sylvania. Glenda Ingram also resigned custodian duties at Moon Lake and Jennifer Black Knight resigned as a Bus Driver at Valley Head. All were approved and accepted.

When the meeting moved to Transfers, the board notably transferred three teachers from within the system to Plainview as elementary teachers. Kristi Higdon was transferred from Crossville, Sloan Pope transferred from Moon Lake, and Miranda Crawford from Ruhama Jr. High.

For the first item of placements, the superintendent recommended Ali Dukes be hired as an Elementary Teacher and Volleyball Coach at Plainview School. The spot was to fill the vacancy created by the non-renewal of Meg Beasley, who the board voted to not renew at the special called meeting two weeks prior. Beasley was featured on WHNT 19 that very morning.

"Yeah, I have a... well I guess it's more of a comment than a discussion," said Board Member Matt Sharp of the placement. "I told Dr. Barnett that when we first came on, that there will be times when we disagreed on things, and not to take it personally. And I don't know anything about Ms. Dukes, and I'm sure she's a fine teacher and I know she's going to be a great women's volleyball coach. I was very disappointed in the first May meeting with the way Ms. Beasley was done."

Sharp continued: "Channel 19 did the tools for teachers, and it was just a really good interview that we had with her, and the principal had glowing remarks about her. I know the students were very supportive. I've had several parents and teachers too that have talked about what a good teacher she was, what a good coach she was."

"I just really feel think that we have done her a disservice in the way that this whole thing was done. Another thing is that was she was not notified prior to the meeting, and we were told that was going to happen. I know that's not your fault, but that was something that was told to us, and she found out as she was celebrating the interview," explained Sharp.

"I just really don't like the way that was handled, and I know you understand that, we've talked about it, and I just feel like that could have been handled so much better. And I really do believe she's a great teacher and coach, and I would be able to support her at any school in the system," he concluded.

The placement was approved, with Matt Sharp voting Nay.

Towards the end of the meeting, Dr. Jason Barnett updated the board on the effort to find a new home for the school system's buses. The buses are currently being housed in the old garage in Fort Payne, which had already been sold to Fort Payne Waterworks. DeKalb BOE is currently leasing the building, and working on building a new garage.

According to Barnett, the City of Rainsville is offering to build a new garage in the industrial park to the board's specifications, on terms of a lease-purchase agreement of 15 years. So to put it simply, Rainsville will build the garage, lease to the board of education for fifteen years, and the board will own the garage after paying the lease for the allotted time. This is a drastic improvement from the previous situation, which would have had the DeKalb County Board of Education paying $2.4 million for a new garage.

Watch the Full Video of the Work Session (Before the Meeting):

Watch the Full Video of the Meeting:

*All actions were unanimously approved unless otherwise noted*

Non-Renewals/Terminations:

Amanda Slaton - Secondary Science Teacher, Plainview, Non-Renewal (Sharp Voted No)
Medea Coffey - Computer Hardware/Software Technician, Facilities, Non-Renewal (Richards Voted No)
Sandra Boyer - CNP Worker, Crossville Elementary, Non-Renewal

Resignations:

Brian Mashburn - Asst. Football Coaching Duties Only, Fyffe High School, Resignation
Jana Goodwin - Head Softball Coaching Duties Only, Fyffe High School, Resignation
Meg Jones - Head Softball, JV Softball, Jr. High Softball Coaching Duties Only, Crossville Middle School, Resignation
Glenda Ingram - Custodian, Moon Lake, Resignation
Jennifer Black Knight - Bus Driver, Valley Head, Resignation

Retirements:

Kathryn Wood Henson - Secondary English/Chorus, Collinsville, Retirement
Denise Parker - Assistant Custodian, Fyffe, Retirement

Leave of Absence:

Kristie Cole - Elementary Teacher, Crossville Middle, 8/7/17-10/6/17
Ashley Crum - Itinerant Special Education Teacher, Geraldine, 4/28/17 - 5/26/17
Stacey Dover - Elementary Secretary, Plainview, 11/16/16 - 6/12/17
Mahala Neeley - Assistant Secretary, Sylvania, 4/4/17 - 6/1/17
Audra Noojin - Secondary Math/Art Teacher, Crossville High School, 8/1/17 - 5/29/17

Transfers:

Suzanna Hunt - Secondary Math Teacher to Instructional Coach at Crossville Middle
Betty Lowery - Assistant CNP Manager to CNP Manager at Geraldine
Heather Bethune - Itinerant SPED Elementary Teacher at Collinsville to Itinerant SPED Elementary Teacher at Ider
Kristi Higdon - Elementary Teacher at Crossville Elementary to Elementary Teacher at Plainview
Sloan Pope - Elementary Teacher at Moon Lake to Elementary Teacher at Plainview
Miranda Crawford - Elementary Teacher at Ruhama Jr. High to Elementary Teacher at Plainview
Rex Harrison - Media Specialist at Moon Lake to Media Specialist at Valley Head
Sid Gillian - Secondary History at Crossville High to Secondary Social Science at Geraldine
Tiffany Connor - CNP Worker at Sylvania to Assistant CNP Manager at Henagar

Placements:

Certified: