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

DeKALB COUNTY, Ala. — The DeKalb County Board of Education held their regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, August 28.

DeKalb County Superintendent Dr. Jason Barnett received his annual evaluation from the Board. He received excellent scores. The Board also recommended to give him a two percent raise.

“I am grateful and honored by the positive results of the Board’s recent performance review and evaluation,” said Barnett. “There is much in the evaluation that reinforces the work we are doing and refreshes for the labor that lies ahead.”

“I, and the Board, are very proud of the work and progress that we have been able to collectively make as a school system. It is an honor to serve as Superintendent of DeKalb County Schools and I am excited to see the work that lies ahead,” he concluded.

During the meeting, Chief School Financial Officer Anthony Cooper presented the Board with a preliminary budget for the 2019-20 school year. 

Retirements/Resignations

• Kathleen Brown, Bus Driver at Crossville Schools (Retirement, 10/1/19)
• Regina Jones, Itinerant Instructional Coach at Crossville Elementary School (Resignation, 8/1/19)
• Camille Bailey, CNP Worker at Geraldine High School (Resignation, 7/30/19)

On-The-Job-Inquiry

• Lea Long, Elementary Teacher at Moon Lake Elementary School (0 days)
• Mary Lance, Principal at Moon Lake Elementary School (0 days)

Leaves of Absence

• Haley Harbour, Elementary Teacher at Crossville Elementary School (8/19/19-10/11/19)
• Anna Hairston, Assistant Principal at Collinsville High School (Intermittent, 7/1/19-6/30/20)
• Tracy Gilliland, Secondary English Teacher at Crossville High School (8/1/19-5/27/20)
• Kimmy Hanners, CNP Worker at Geraldine High School (8/2/19-11/4/19)
• Ashley Swain Phillips, Itinerant Special Education Paraprofessional at Fyffe Special Services Center (9/23/19-11/1/19)
• Terry White, Bus Mechanic at Bus Garage (6/27/19-9/30/19)
• Linda Thacker, CNP Worker at Crossville Elementary (7/18/19-9/12/19) 
• Susan Lowden, Pre-K Auxiliary at Geraldine High School (8/21/19-9/20/19)

Transfers

• Holly Dupree from CNP Worker at Henagar Jr. High School to CNP Assistant Manager at Henagar Jr. High School (2019-163)
• Ariel Johnson from Secondary Mathematics Teacher at Crossville High School to Library Media Specialist at Crossville High School (2019-156)
• Donna Lingerfelt from Bus Aide at Fyffe SSSC to Bus Driver at Fyffe SSC (2019-159)
• Joey Haymon from Agribusiness Teacher at Sylvania to Assistant Career Tech Director system (2019-150)
• Juanee Gilliland from Job Coach System to Itinerant Special Education Bus Aide at Fyffe SSC (2019-165)
• Andi Burns from Counselor at Crossville Middle School to Elementary Counselor at Geraldine (2019-166)
• Lydia Peek from EL teacher at Crossville Elementary to ARI Reading Specialist-Itinerant- Crossville Elementary (2019-158)
• Allison Foster from Elementary Teacher at Collinsville High School to EL teacher at Crossville Middle School (2019-167)
• Tyler Parker from Computer Technician to Network Manager for the Technology Department (2019-148) (Effective 9/1/19)

Placements (Certified)

• Piyush Bhatt, Secondary Mathematics Teacher at Crossville High School (2019-171) 

Placements (Support)

• Constance Bowman, CNP Worker at Geraldine High School (2019-168) 
• Marcella Brown, Itinerant Special Education Aide at Ider High School (2019-133) (Retroactive to 8/13/19) 
• Patricia Willis, Itinerant Special Education Aide at Plainview High School (2019-172) (Retroactive 8/7/19) • Valerie Walston, Itinerant Special Education Bus Aide at Fyffe SSC (2019-165) 
• Amy Lincoln, Pre-K Auxiliary Teacher at Valley Head High School (2019-161) (Retroactive 8/2/19) 
• Ashley Blanks, Pre-K Auxiliary Teacher at Plainview High School (2019-160) (Retroactive 8/2/19) 
• Angie Gattis, Technology Receptionist at Technology Department (2019-170) (Effective 9/1/19)
• Nick Fleisher, Assistant Custodian (4 hr) at Geraldine High School (2019-162) (Retroactive 8/1/19) 
• Joanna Howell, Instructional Aide at Ruhama Jr. High School (2019-175)
• Danny Lindsey, Bus Mechanic at Transportation (2019-174)

Volunteer Coaches

• Collinsville: Teddy Helms (football), Mike McElrath (football)
• Crossville: Jonathan Ty Cole (football), Johnny Chacon (football), David Hinton (football), Robby Mays (football, baseball) 
• Fyffe: Destiny Ridgeway (girls basketball), Ethan Jones (football), Erik Magnusson (track), Steve Cowart (softball), Jamie Hatch (softball), Rodney Coots (football)
• Geraldine: Brian Waldrop (football)
• Henagar: Joseph Goza (basketball)
• Ider: Robert Elliott (softball), Meliah Blevins (cheer), Shawn Traylor (basketball, softball)
• Sylvania: Bartley Raulston (football), Ryan Haney (football), Scott Smith (football, baseball), Lucas Smith (football), Sierra Murdock (volleyball), Derek Talley (baseball), Gary Talley (basketball), Brittany Brown (tennis), Winston Wilks (baseball), Chad Murdock (softball)
• Valley Head: Alex Carpenter (football), Drew Hartline (football)

Contracts

• Amber Traylor, Homebound (local)
• Sherry Roberson, Homebound (IDEA B)
• Amanda Woodall, Homebound (IDEA B)
• Lakala Willingham, Homebound (local)
• Whitney Whiteside, Homebound (local)
• Kennedy Brown, Occupational Therapist Assistant (IDEA B)
• Madge Gower, SLP Consultant (IDEA B)
• Go Play Therapy, Occupational Therapist Assistant (IDEA B)
• Monty Coker, Gifted Students Bus Route (local)
• Terry Scott, Gifted Students Bus Route (local)
• Randall Templeton, Gifted Students Bus Route (local)
• Huntsville Hospital Auditory, Verbal Therapist (IDEA B)
• Billy Keith, Contracted Science Teacher at Ruhama Jr. High (Title 1)
• Kimberly Ford, Pre-K Aide (migrant)
• Holly Berrong, Healthcare Facilitator (Title 1)
• Zeb Ferguson, Summer Grounds Worker at Plainview (local)
• Jacob Henderson, Inservice Prep Crew (local)
• Cole Millican, Inservice Prep Crew (local)

The next meeting of the DeKalb County Board of Education will be held at 5pm on Thursday, September 12 with a work session beginning at 4:30pm.