CCBOE prepares for upcoming school year

Jul. 13—It may feel like Summer outside, but Cullman County Schools are preparing for the start of a new school year, welcoming two new principals to Hanceville Middle School and Cullman Area Technical Department.

Dr. Susan Patrick will be replacing William Troutman as Career Technical Director and Principal of CATA with the CCBOE approving her transfer retroactively effective July 1.

"I would like to thank the board for this vote of confidence, I am looking forward to taking career tech. to the next level," Patrick said.

Filling Patrick's vacated position as Hanceville Middle School Principal will be Kellie Tanner, effective July 26.

Superintendent Shane Barnette took a moment to recoginize Cold Springs High School student Ellanora Slusser for her achievements at the national FCCLA National Leadership Conference held in San Diego, CA. Competing in the Fashion Design category Slusser had to design a fashion line, present an outfit and prepare a ten minute speech. Slusser was awarded a gold medal in this category and was named 2nd overall in the Fashion Design Level Two competition.

"I think the only thing better than a State Championship is a National one," Barnette said.

With federal funding that has allowed for free lunches since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic two years ago coming to an end, students will once again be paying for school lunches. With inflation having drastically increased food costs over the last two years, the CCBOE will be increasing the price for lunches from $2.75 to $3.

"We work as hard as possible to provide lunches for as low as possible, it is just costing us much more now," Barnette said.

Students receiving free and reduced lunches will not be affected by the price increase. Barnette also said that education officials at both the state and federal level were currently working to secure funding for school lunch programs and that this item still had time to change.

In other business the board:

Approved Jeffery Aspinwall for summer work at Holly Pond High School.

Approved to pay Jessica Pankey for up to five unused annual leave days.

Approved Amber Thorton, Abbey Wren and Quinton Posey as Summer Learning/Reading Camp personnel.

Approved to pay a stipend of $2,532 to Leah Drauch for managing districtwide Math Teams and to Christine O'Leary for managing the districtwide Scholar's Bowl Team during the 2022-2023 school year.

Approved to pay district-wide social workers for additional hours to provide professional development and support to students and families in need.

Approved the request of Cold Springs High School to pay Adrian Dickerson $2,000 for providing summer workouts.

Approved the request of Good Hope Elementary to pay Jenna Lambert $500 for attending the AMSTI Training.

Approved the request of Good Hope Primary to pay Blake Flynt $1,200 for refinishing the gym floor.

Approved the request of Vinemont High School to pay Preston Boyd $1,100 Michael Williams $1,030 and Lance Lay $1,140 for extra work with Vinemont Summer Basketball to be paid by Vinemont Basketball Booster Funds.

Approved to pay a stipend of $1,500 to Mark Adams and Kimberly Whitman for Library Media Specialist software, professional development and other LMS support as needed during the 2022-2023 school year. Adams will handle the needs of the middle and high schools, while Whitman will handle elementary and K-8 schools.

Approved the appointments of the following probationary principals: Wesley Black (West Point High), Shanda Garner (Good Hope Primary) and Kellie Turner (Hanceville Middle).

Approved the following contract principals: Eric Dickerson (Cold Springs High), Christopher Gambrill (Fairview High), Lesley Hembree (Good Hope Middle), John Hood (Good Hope High), Beverly Jenkins (Good Hope Elementary), Michael Jones (West Point Intermediate), Kevin Sullins (Harmony), Kim Brown (Vinemont Elementary), Christopher Chambers (Child Development Center), Marty Hardman (Fairview Elementary), Robin Netherton (Vinemont High), Micah Rice (Cold Springs Elementary), Blake Thompson (West Point Middle), Trina Walker (Fairview Middle), Caleb Elrod (Parkside), Michael Lindsey (West Point Elementary), Stacie Olinger (Hanceville Elementary), Susan Patrick (CATA), Cynthia Roden (CARE), Karen Sparks (Holly Pond K-8), Janet Turner (Holly Pond High), Daniel Wakefield (Hanceville High), Gina Webb (Welti) and Johnny Whaley (Vinemont Middle).

Approved the following TEAMS contracts: Paige Adams, Andrea Bates, Cheryl Mangum, Kathryn Taylor, Justin Aby, Tristan Goodwin, Natasha Holder, Noah Holder, Lisa Holt, Alan Scott, Rebecca McSpadden, Lenny Seymore, Megan Stripling, Jennifer Swann, Shaunna Aker, Mary Brewer, Arianna Chandler, Kimberly Kanaday, Joshua Lambert, Jacy Douglas, James Brown, David Stokes, Samantha Whisenant, Emily Davis, Rebecca Drummond, Candice Harbison, Rebecca Drummond, Candice Harbison, Rebecca Harper, Emily Oldacare, Brittany Martin, Nicholas Feldner, Treyla Kessler, Roy Alexander, Gregory Thomas, Brittany Peak, Tracey Jones, Shannon Bridges, Lance Lay, Leah Cochran, Lucretia Smith, Joan Bryant, Leslie Arnold, Carol Cline, Paul Derrick, Jamie Martin, Dana Lisle, Amy Whaley, Mark Cornelius, Scotty Cofer, Joseph Hicks, Gerrita Cleghorn and Joqutta Posey.

Approved the requests from the Child Nutrition Program to continue the partnership contract with PACVA purchasing cooperative and to provide contract meals for Communtiy Action.

Approved the request from the Transportation Director to accept the bid from Virgil B. Fowler Insurance Company for Automobile/Fleet insurance for the 2022-2023 school year.

Approved the request from the Transportation Director to accept the bid from The McPherson Companies, Inc. for gasoline and diesel fuel for the 2022-2023 school year.

Barnette also announced that the Open House for the 2022-2023 school year would be taking place on August 8 from 4-7 pm, and that classes were set to start on August 10 for students with last names A-K and August 11 for students with last names L-Z.