By Marla Jones, Managing Editor • marla@southerntorch.com

RAINSVILLE, Ala. — The DeKalb County Board of Education met on March 25 at 12 p.m. due to the possibility of severe storms moving through the area.

Crossville School will soon see new visitor bleachers, installed by Boatner Construction in the amount of $774,000.  Covington Flooring Company has agreed to make necessary gym floor repairs in the amount of $30,000.  Covington will provide a warranty on the gym floor. 

The DeKalb County School System will have a security update, complete with new cameras for all the schools.  The contract will be awarded to Howard in the amount of $973,381.88

Dr. Jason Barnett and the Board congratulated the Class 3A State Basketball Champions, Fyffe Red Devils, and the Class 3A Girls State Runner-Up, Sylvania Lady Rams on a great season. 

The Board approved the following:

On the Job Injury:

• Cristie Brothers - Elementary P.E. Teacher - Geraldine High School 
• Christopher Murdock - Bus Driver - Ruhama Jr. High School 
• Harold Guilford - Maintenance Worker - Facilities 
• David Bailey - Custodian - Moon Lake Elementary School 

Retirements/Resignations/Terminations: 

• Cindy Wilks - CNP Manager - Moon Lake Elementary School - Retirement - 6/1/21 
• Paul Benefield - P.E. Teacher - Fyffe High School - Retirement - 6/1/21 
• Gina King- Elementary Teacher - Sylvania High School - Retirement - 6/1/21 
• Regeania Dickerson - Special Education Teacher - Collinsville High School - Retirement - 6/1/21 
• Mahala Neeley - Assistant Secretary - Sylvania High School - Retirement - 5/1/21
• Michael Lacy - Bus Driver - Henagar Jr. High School - Retirement - 6/1/21 
• Tammy Richey - Itinerant Special Education Paraprofessional - Geraldine High School - Resignation - 3/1/21 
• Cori Willoughby - Assistant Custodian 7hr/9mo - Geraldine High School - Resignation - 3/12/21 
• Jake Peek - Head Boys Basketball Coaching Duties Only - Crossville High School - Resignation - 3/12/21 
• Casey Isbell - Head Varsity and Junior Varsity Volleyball Coaching Duties Only - Collinsville   High School - Resignation - 3/15/21 
• Ashley Williamson - Secondary English Language Arts Teacher - Sylvania High School - Resignation - 5/27/21 
• Jason Lindsey - Itinerant Special Education Paraprofessional - Plainview High School - Resignation - 2/18/21 
• Alexa Williams - Varsity Cheerleading Coaching Duties Only - Crossville High School - Resignation - 2/23/21 
• Brad Waldrop - Head Football Coaching Duties Only - Geraldine High School - Termination - 3/25/2021 

Transfers:

• Jackie Sue Davis - CNP Worker at Henagar Jr. High School to CNP Worker at Plainview High School 
• Jennifer Willoughby - Assistant Secretary at Geraldine High School to Assistant Custodian (9-month/7-hour) at Geraldine High School 
• Michael Peppers - Bus Driver at Crossville Elementary School to Bus Driver at Crossville Middle/High School 

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 

• Audre Gilbert - English Language Arts Teacher (3/22/21-5/27/21) - Ider High School 
• William Joshua Taylor - Physical Education Teacher/ Head Football Coaching Duties - Crossville High School (Effective June 1, 2021) 

Support 

• Robert L. Hale - Mechanic - Bus Garage 
• Amanda Moses - Itinerant Special Education Paraprofessional - Geraldine High School 

The following Volunteer Coaches were approved:

• Geraldine: Jackson Bearden - Baseball, Jason Dollar - Baseball 
• Plainview: Eligah White - Baseball, Jason Brown - Baseball, Jason Traylor - Baseball, Monty Price - Softball, Jason Traylor - Softball, Kennedy Traylor - Softball, Bailey Smart - Softball
• Sylvania: Chris Mattox - Baseball

The following Contracts were approved:

• Huntsville Behavior Associates - Behavior Analytic Services  
• Janie House - Contracted Special Education Teacher - Geraldine High School 
• Whittany Nicholas - Remediation Tutor - Crossville High School 
• Before, During, and After-School Tutoring Services-GEER 
• Summer Reading Camps-GEER
• Summer Reading Camps - ARI 
• Parenting Partners Facilitator - Title I 
• Casey Denton - 21st Century Crossville Teacher 
• Suzanne Hunt - 21st Century Crossville Site Coordinator 
• Lisa Middlebrooks - Reading Instructor at Collinsville   
• Charles Warren - Contracted Social Science Teacher - Ider 
• Scott McFall - Contracted Middle School Mathematics Teacher - Henagar 
• Gary Talley - Interim High School Principal - Sylvania High School 
• Alex Thomas - Student Computer Technician - Local 
• Nathan Hall - Bilingual Tutor - Crossville Elementary School 
• Leslie Foster - 3 hr CNP Worker - Henagar. Jr. High School 

The Board approved a $3,000 raise to the DeKalb County Chief Financial Officer, Anthony Cooper.  The Board praised the hard work of Cooper. 

The date of the next DeKalb County Board of Education meeting will be April 22, 2021, with the Regular Meeting at 5:00 P.M.; Work Session at 4:30 P.M. in the meeting room at the Facilities Building.