| Submitted

By Lauren Thornton Tobin|Hartselle Enquirer

Longtime Morgan County educator Jeff McLemore approved his last motion as a Morgan County Board of Education board member Thursday night.

Superintendent Bill Hopkins presented McLemore with a plaque, recognizing six years on the board and 29 years in education.

“When I first started, Jeff told me two things I’ve always remembered,” said Hopkins. “He told me ‘Always be reasonable’ and ‘You learn a lot about a person when you tell them no.’”

Hopkins went on to say how much he enjoyed working with McLemore over the years, as both an administrator and a superintendent.

When McLemore received his plaque, he emphasized not just how much he loves education, but how much he loves the people in Morgan County who are apart of it.

“We have people come to work who feel called to serve and serve well,” he said. “That’s what makes education in the United States and in Morgan County great.”

Hopkins along with board chairman Paul Holmes and member Tom Earwood spoke

about attending the Alabama Association of School Boards on Oct. 2-3.

Earwood told fellow board members about a Kentucky school’s out-of-the-box

approach to education.

He said the school has a graduation rate of 100 percent, drawing attention from

numerous superintendents and administrators around the country. Hopkins said he

was interested in finding out more about their practices, not simply for the

nonexistent dropout rate, but specifically how they’re able to cater to each student.

“I love the no dropout but they made sure every child got to be a part of education,”

he said.

Earwood said this particular school challenges students and rewards them in a win

win education experience.

In other business, board members:

• Authorized the change of November’s meeting from Nov. 8 to Nov. 10.
• Watched a presentation by Eva School students and Librarian Brooke Hudson about the hands-on science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics program Makerspace. Students performed an experiment using straws and plastic bags to make rockets to see which materials and construction methods produce the furthest launch.
• Approved a bid extension with Filter Pro USA for HVAC filters and services at $20,651.58, effective for the 2016-17 fiscal year.
• Approved Brian Bishop to replace John Godwin on the 2016-17 Morgan County Schools Sick Leave Bank Committee.
• Recognized Albert P. Brewer High School JROTC students Adrien Kenne and Katelyn Majors.
• Authorized Volkert as the construction manager for the West Morgan gymnasium and athletic department project.