CCBOE welcomes back Dr. Nate Ayers as Holly Pond High principal

Jun. 14—Holly Pond High School alumni and current principal of Etowah High School, Dr. Nate Ayers, has been named as the next principal of his alma mater effective July 1.

During the Cullman County Board of Education meeting on Monday, June 12, when Ayers was officially named principal, he described the appointment as a "full-circle" moment. In a press release sent to The Times the following day, Ayers said,

"HPHS has been a huge part of my family's lives for generations and I cannot wait to work alongside some of the best faculty members and students in the state. To the Holly Pond community and stakeholders, our commitment to you is simple; you will get the best version of us and your students will be pushed not only in the classroom but in every area of their lives. Our school doors will be open to you and we would love to hear your feedback and long for your input."

Dr. Shane Barnette, Cullman County Schools Superintendent, also expressed his excitement on Ayers' return to the district in the same release.

"Dr. Ayers has already been a successful high school principal and he will bring his love for young people and Holly Pond to help lead the school to the next level. I look forward to welcoming Nate back to the CCBOE family."

In other business the board:

Accepted the following resignations:

* Christopher Chambers — Child Development Center Principal

* Tammie Hudson — Fairview School Bus Driver.

* Brenda Twilley — Good Hope School Bus Driver.

* Bobby Nix — Hanceville Elementary part-time store clerk.

* Tracey Jones — Parkside TEAMS contract teacher

* Nicolee Johnson — Systemwide Psychometrist.

Approved the following voluntary transfers:

* Damon Monk — From Good Hope bus driver to bus shop assistant.

* Jessica Gorham — From Parkside school secretary to central office human resources assitant.

* Samantha Barbee — From Welti Elementary teacher to Fairview Elementary teacher.

* Jennifer Peterson — From Vinemont bus driver to Good Hope bus driver.

* April Rusk — From West Point child nutrition worker to Good Hope Primary child nutrition worker.

* Tracy Armstrong — From Good Hope Primary child nutrition worker to Hanceville Elementary child nutrition worker.

* Emily Seymore — From Vinemont Elementary teacher to Harmony Elementary teacher.

* Lindsey Latham — From Fairview Elementary teacher to Parkside Elementary teacher.

* Danielle Partain — From Vinemont Middle library media specialist to systemwide EL teacher.

* Donnie Holmes — From Child Development Center bus driver to Vinemont bus driver.

* Tracie Boland — From Vinemont Middle english teacher to Vinemont Middle secondary special education teacher.

* Linsey Hudson — From Vinemont Elementary teacher to West Point Elementary teacher.

* Nich White — From West Point Middle math teacher to West Point High TEAMS contract teacher.

Made the following appointments:

* Kinley Nunn — Cold Springs Elementary teacher.

* Zackary O'Bryant — Cold Springs High band director.

* Thomas Ganus — Fairview High physical education teacher.

* Julie Newton — Fairview Middle custodian.

* Samuel Dingler — Good Hope Higih agri-science teacher.

* Amanda Martin — Good Hope High secondary special education teacher.

* Joy Toll — Good Hope bus driver.

* William Weaver — Good Hope High maintenance/lead custodian.

* Laura Rankhorn — Good Hope Middle counsellor.

* Caitlin Bates — Hanceville Elementary teacher.

* Amanda Buckelew — Hanceville bus driver.

* Christopher Carnell — Hanceville High custodian.

* Brandie Mattow — Hanceville High TEAMS contract science teacher.

* Sonja Shivers — Holly Pond Elementary secondary special education coordinator.

* Monica Miller — Holly Pond High child nutrition worker.

* Shannon Thomas — maintenance technician.

* Brittany Komor — Parkside elementary teacher.

* Olivia McCreless — Parkside middle school math teacher.

* Lindsay McKenney — Parkside middle school science teacher.

* Lauren Harbison — Vinemont elementary teacher.

* Machiela Richarde — Vinemont Elementary music teacher.

* Brittney Shaddix — Vinemont Elementary teacher.

* Anna Tatum — Vinemont Elementary teacher.

* Sonya Adams — Vinemont Middle english teacher.

* Averie Harris — Welti Elementary teacher.

* Denise Manord — Welti Elementary part-time library media specialist.

* Kayla Drake — Welti Elementary Pre-K auxiliary teacher.

* Jordan Whitlock — Welti Elementary part-time counsellor.

* Meaghen Woodis — Welti Elementary teacher.

* Iris Minor — West Point elementary teacher.

* Cynde Roberts — West Point part-time intervention teacher.

* Lori Warden — West Point elementary teacher.

* Julie Thrower — West Point Hight child nutrition worker.

* Phillip Key — West Point Middle computer science teacher.

Upgraded Kurt Knight's contract to doctorate.

Upgraded Leana Nunn and Emily Willoughby's contracts to master's.

Approved the following non-faculty coaches:

* Cade Willingham — Cold Spring High basketball.

* Thomas Ganus — Fairview High boys basketball.

* Brant Tommie — Fairview Middle girls basketball.

Approved the following summer workers:

* Aidan Tidwell — Cold Springs High

* Matthew Williams — Cold Springs High

* Joshua Winfrey — Cold Springs High

* Ramey Hall — Holly Pond Elementary

* Shepard Marks — Holly Pond Elementary

* Blakely Baggett — Holly Pond High

* Levi Farr — Holly Pond High

* Lana Todd — Holly Pond High

* Desiree Barnett — Maintenance

* Rebecca Fox — Maintenance

* Elijah Page — Maintenance

* Noah Page — Maintenance

* Christopher Putman — Maintenance

* Emerson Schaefer — Maintenance

* William Skinner — Maintenance

* Branson Smith — Maintenance

* Noah Barnette — Maintenance group leader

Approved the following personnel for summer learning/reading camps

* Teachers — Felicia Chambers, Mackenzie McKoy, Elizabeth Metcalfe, Tracey Shaddrix and Kristie Walker.

* Aides — Maci Yeager

* Custodians — Sherry Blackwood

* Bus drivers — Terry Bates, Kimberly Kanaday and David Wallace

Approved the request to pay Tiffany Benfield $3,600 for curriculum development of the health science kit as an addition to the We Build It Better program.

Approved the request from Parkside School to pay Carrie Beth Ferrell $750 for 2022-2023 yearbook sponsor.

Approved the request from West Point Elementary to pay Susan Lewis $1,500 for assisting the principal.

Approved the request from West Point Middle School to pay Jon Bryant Farley $2,700 for waxing the floors.

Approved the following maintenance department bids:

* Hanceville High School walk in freezer — $77,998.

* Security camera system — $106 for each indoor camera, $153 for each outdoor camera and $162 for each cable drop.

* Access control — $1425 for each card reader and $162 for each network cable drop

Approved the request from the child nutrition department to provide contract meals for the community action program.

Approved the purchase of engineering workstations at the Cullman Area Technology Academy.

Approved to dispose of and/or sell any non-operational or obsolete technology, library or office equipment, furniture, televisions and electronics.

Joined the nationwide litigation against social media sites and approved the attorney's fee arrangement.