BOE Meeting 4/21/09
1.Early tonight the State Senate passed the Education Budget. The one that passed is the Senator Hank Sanders’ substitute budget and not Gov. Riley’s proposed budget. The Sanders’ budget restores pupil divisors to the ’09 levels, restores $108 million to Other Current Expense (the fund used to pay support personnel and utilities), and adds $6 million to Transportation. This is the budget that the School Superintendents of Alabama, the Council for Leaders in Alabama Schools, the Alabama Association of School Boards, and the Alabama Education Association worked with Senator Sanders to develop. For the lean time we are faced with, this is a much better budget for the children of Alabama than the one the governor proposed. Local Senator Roger Bedford played a major role in helping pass this budget. Now it goes to the House for approval. Representative Mike Millican is a supporter of the budget and hopefully within the next seven to ten days, it will pass the House and we will be able to keep our local teachers and support personnel in their jobs. It is a good budget and our thanks to Senator Sanders and Senator Bedford for their leadership in Montgomery.
2.This month’s highlight goes to our nurses and counselors. The Department of Public Health recently reviewed our students’ immunization certificates or “Blue Slips” as they are called, and found 98% were current and up-to-date. We have approximately 1650 students; for 98% to be in compliance, this is A+. Hats off for a job well done by nurses Cooley and Defoor along with counselors Rains, Temple, Chadwick, and McClouth.
3.Another spotlight shines on the Business-Marketing and Cooperative Education departments of the Career Technical Center. A site committee reviewed these two programs, interviewed staff, observed the facilities and determined the level of compliance to be with the standards and quality factors within the framework for the General Business/Industry Certification Process. Actually, no deficiencies were found in either program and both are recertified through the 2013-2014 school year. Congratulations to Mrs. Middleton, Mrs. Noble, Mrs. Allen, and Mrs. Adkins for this continued recognition.
4.Haleyville High School and Haleyville Middle School has been awarded a $3000 grant to pursue the Alabama Middle School Initiative: Making Middle Grades Work. This grant will assist in efforts for a committee of administrators and faculty members to collaborate with other MMGW and High Schools That Work by attending a Site Development Workshop this summer. This program will insure an academic core that is aligned with rigorous content and performance standards, a belief that ALL students matter, and high expectations and a system of extra help and time with ALL students. We are excited about becoming one of the first Making Middle Grades Work sites in Alabama and this is another example of giving our students every opportunity to be successful.
5.Congratulations to our Spring Sports teams. The baseball team is in the second round of state playoffs this Friday at Alexander; our boys tennis team has qualified for the State Tournament; our softball team is hoping to host the Area Tournament; and our golf and track teams are still in pursuit for post-season competition as well. Last week, 11th grade student, Melody Brinson, won second place honors in Business Law during the FBLA State Conference. This qualifies Melody for national competition later this summer. Haleyville continues to be the “Home of Champions!”
6.This Board held a Work Session last night at the Albright Administrative Building with all members present. Discussion centered on the current status of the budget in the State Legislature, local personnel needs, policy issues, system long and short term goals and heard reports from principals. No official business was transacted.
7.The next Regular Session of the Haleyville City Board of Education is scheduled for Tuesday night, May 19, 2009 at 7:00 in the Commons Area of the Middle School with a Work Session before.
