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Hartselle Enquirer

Morgan BOE moves ahead on Brewer, Danville projects

Morgan County School Board voted to proceed with plans to replace the field house at Brewer High School and add an entrance/office facility at Danville High School at its regular meeting Thursday night.

Goodwyn, Mills & Cawood, a Birmingham-based architectural firm, was approved to draw plans for both projects.

The new Brewer athletic facility will be similar in design and size to the one that will be built on the new Priceville High School site. It will have separate but equal accommodations for both boy’s and girl’s sports and is expected to be budgeted at about $1.3 million.

The office addition at Danville High will replace two classrooms, which were pressed into service as temporary office space when the school was built 20 years ago.

It will be located at the northeast end of the building and will consist of about 2,300 square feet, including a vestibule, lobby, conference room, secretary’s office and private offices for the superintendent and bookkeeper. The façade will be designed to give the building a distinctive entrance, facing Danville Road. It will be budgeted at about $500,000.

BRAC funds will be used to finance both projects.

Gary L. Owen Jr., vice president of architecture for Goodwyn, Mills & Cawood, reviewed preliminary plans for both projects, including an image of the proposed office/entrance, during a work session that preceded the board meeting.

Board member Carolyn Wallace, whose district includes Danville schools, requested additional time to sit down with the architect and principal Pat Smith for sharing ideas on the design.

“This is something that was put off, and we’ve waited a long time for it to be done,” said Wallace. “Now that we’ve gotten to this point, I want to make sure it’s done right because it will be there for the next 100 years.”

“I want the addition to be suitable for the administrative staff and something the community will appreciate,” said Superintendent Bill Hopkins Jr.

“It will improve security and bring character to the building,” he pointed out.

Owen said if all goes well both projects should be completed by the fall of 2014.

In a related matter, the board approved the final design for the new Priceville High School, after viewing a rendering provided by John Godwin of GBW Architects.

Superintendent Hopkins said enlarged copies of the rendering would be displayed at the central office, Priceville Town Hall and Priceville High School.

The board acted on other matters as follows:

•Accepted a change order request for additional work to the West Morgan High School gym floor at an additional cost of $10,460.

•Accepted a low bid of $6,507.37 from Republic Services for waste disposal and recycling pickup for Morgan County Schools.

•Accepted a low bid of $26,060 from Construction Specialty Associates for the demolition and re-pouring of the concrete sidewalks and drive-through at the Falkville High School gym.

•Accepted lows bids as follows for the 2013-2014 school year: Batteries (all sizes), Truck Pro of Decatur; lubricants and gasoline and diesel, W.H. Thomas Oil Co.

•Approved an independent contract with Kale Dement Physical Therapy Inc. to provide physical therapy services based on the IEPs of children served by Morgan County Schools.

•Approved payment of $9,600 to the State Superintendents of Alabama for 2013-2014 membership renewal.

•Approved the 2013-2014 student handbook.

•Approved a contract for services with Elizabeth Denard on an as-needed basis, effective Aug. 1, 2013 through July 31, 2014. She will provide translating and interpreting services as needed for the Morgan County School System.

•Accepted the low bid from Southland International to purchase eight 72-passenger buses for $73,804.18 each and two 20-passenger special needs buses for $83,755.08 each. They will be paid for with fleet renewable funds.

•Accepted a bid for vehicle insurance from Peck-Glasgow Insurance for $58,521.09.

Personnel items recommended by the superintendent and approved by the board are listed as follows:

•Approved a within school assignment of Carolyn McLaughlin from 9-12 Spanish to 9-12 Spanish (4) /English (2) at West Morgan High School, effective with the 2013-2014 school year.

•Approved an employee supplemental contract with Rickey Fortenberry as chief mechanic for Morgan County Schools, effective for the 2013-2014 contract year.

•Approved the employment of Shanna Bryant as bus aide, countywide/Sparkman, effective Aug. 14, 2013. He will be replacing Joyce Blankenship who transferred and will continue serving as a classroom aide for the school system.

•Approved Jonathan Lacy as a certified math teacher at Falkville High School. He will be replacing Jeremy Holloway who was non-renewed. Lacy’s employment is contingent upon certification.

•Approved Callie Beth Rutherford as a countywide certified counselor, career tech, effective July 29, 2013. This is a new position and employment is contingent upon certification.

•Approved a catastrophic leave of absence request form Tara Martin, a teacher at Danville Middle School, effective Aug. 20, 2013, until the 2014-2015 school year.

•Approved a probationary principal employment contract with Cherie Humphries, effective July 12, 2013 through June 30, 2014.

•Approved revising section 2A of the three-year principal employment contract with Shane Patrick Smith to state that the annual salary is revised from $80,192 to $89,373.13, effective July 12, 2013. All other terms of the contact entered into with Mr. Smith on June 1, 2013, remain in force and effect.

•Accepted the resignation of preschool aide and volleyball coach at Cotaco school from Mandy Burks, effective July 17, 2013.

•Accepted the resignation of Shelly Holmes as junior varsity volleyball coach at Falkville High School, effective July 22, 2013.

•Approved a within school reassignment of Julie Thompson from 7-8 1/2 time ELA to 6-8 ELA full time at Falkville High School, effective with the 2013-2014 school year.

•Accepted the resignation of Dwight Lang as a teacher’s aide and assistant baseball coach at Brewer High School, effective July 24, 2013.

•Approved the employment of Julia James as a certified teacher, gifted, countywide, effective Aug. 9, 2013. This is a new position.

•Approved a within school reassignment for Johnnia Linderman from 10-12 zoology to 12th grade English teacher at Brewer High School, effective with the 2013-2014 school year. She will be replacing Rhonda Booth who transferred.

•Accepted the resignation of Laura Lamb as a fifth grade reading teacher at Priceville Elementary School, effective July 24, 2013.

•Approved the employment of Alaina Raper as a Pre-K teacher’s assistant at Lacey’s Spring School, effective Aug. 9, 2013. This is a new position.

•Approved the employment of Ashley Kasman as a certified teacher of computer technology and Spanish ACCESS at Priceville Junior High School, effective Aug. 9, 2013. She will be replacing Jennifer Brown who resigned.

•Approved the employment of Traci Cherry as an ESL teacher at West Morgan Elementary School, effective Aug. 9, 2013. She will be replacing Donya Brewington.

•Approved the employment and promotion of Leann Richardson from clerical aide to secretary/bookkeeper at Priceville Elementary School, effective Aug. 5, 2013. She will be replacing Lisa Morton who resigned.

•Approved the employment and promotion of Tanya McCain from instructional coach to 1/2 assistant principal (10 month) and 1/2 teacher (nine month) at Priceville Elementary School, effective Aug. 5, 2013. She will be replacing Cherie Humphries who transferred.

•Approved the employment of Jamison Hill as a certified science teacher at Danville High School, effective Aug. 9, 2013. He will be replacing Joey Burch who resigned.

•Approved the employment of Julie Boger as secretary at Danville High School, effective Aug. 5, 2013. She will be replacing Geri Cole who retired.

•Approved a within school reassignment for Angela Wynn from second grade teacher to instructional coach at Priceville Elementary School, effective with the 2013-2014 school year.

•Accepted the resignation of Nicole Rogers, second grade teacher at Priceville Elementary School, effective July 30, 2013.

•Approved the promotion of Shane Bryan to principal at Falkville Elementary School, effective Aug. 2, 2013. He is replacing Pat Smith who transferred.

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