By Sherri Blevins
On June 27, 2023, Chris Newton from the Examiner of Public Accounts Office for DeKalb County updated the Board on its recent audit of fiscal year 2022.
Newton complimented the Board’s staff on its cooperation and professionalism during the audit. His office issued an “unmodified opinion” on the Board’s financial statements. Newton said that opinion was “good.” He said the financial statements were presented fairly and following generally accepted accounting principles.
Newton added, “We did note one instance of noncompliance with state and local laws and regulations and other matters found during the audit. They will be reported on the Schedule of State and Local Compliance.” Newton said that another matter was considered a significant internal control deficiency and would be reported as a finding in the Schedule of Findings and Questions.
The examiner summarized the two findings. The instance of noncompliance was the same one that the Board had been cited for each year since 2018. A levy of a 7 ½ mill special property tax for educational purposes has a 4 ½ mill restricted for capital outlay. Only 31.4% of the 4 ½ mill was used for capital outlay. The second area of concern involved the following of Board adopted fiscal management policies created to ensure sound fiscal management. The examiner noted an issue at Collinsville High School. One of the Board’s policies states that all funds collected at the local school level shall be deposited in a bank daily whenever feasible, and no more than $100 shall be kept on the premises overnight. Teachers or anyone collecting money from students or others must turn in money daily to the bookkeeper who receipts the money for the deposit. The report indicated that the money was not always turned in daily and received promptly. Internal controls were not in place to ensure school personnel followed this policy leaving the money collected exposed to the risk of being lost or stolen. The full audit is available at the examiners’ website – www.examiners.gov.
Superintendent Lyles thanked Newton for the information and said the Board would work to correct the issues.
The Board moved on to other items. It approved the five-day suspension without pay of an employee. It also accepted the resignations of Luke Frasier – Computer Hardware/Software Technician; Angela Barber – Itinerant Special Education Paraprofessional – Ider Special Services Center; and James Barton – Itinerant Special Education Paraprofessional – Ider Special Services Center. Matthew Hoge rescinded his secondary General Science teacher position at Crossville High School.
The Board approved the following transfers:
- Christie Duncan from Pre-K Teacher at Valley Head to Pre-K Teacher at Henagar Jr. High School
- Misty Hicks from Elementary Teacher at Crossville Elementary School to Library Media Specialist at Crossville Elementary School
- Eryn Thrash from Assistant CNP Director to CNP Director
- Heather Paschal from Elementary Teacher at Collinsville to K-5
Building-Based Math Coach at Collinsville
- Cory Wills from Itinerant ARI Local Reading Specialist at Crossville Elementary School to Elementary Teacher at Collinsville High School
- Lily Hawkins from Elementary Teacher at Crossville Elementary School to English Language Arts Teacher (6th grade) at Crossville Middle School
- Mitch Mitchell from Elementary Teacher at Sylvania High School to Elementary Teacher at Henagar Jr. High School
- Brandy Baker from CNP Worker at Crossville Elementary School to CNP Worker at Plainview High School
- Miranda Edwards, from Elementary Teacher at Collinsville to Pre-K Lead Teacher at Henagar Jr. High School
- Amber Brown from Elementary Teacher at Crossville Elementary School to ARI Local Reading Specialist at Crossville Elementary School
- Harley Cambron from Elementary Teacher at Geraldine to Elementary Teacher at Fyffe High School
The following placements were approved:
- Chris Lasseter – Secondary Social Sciences Teacher – Crossville High School
- Crimson Hilton Long – Elementary Teacher – Crossville Elementary School
- Callie Rogers – Elementary Teacher – Crossville Elementary School
- Tori Hilburn – Elementary Teacher – Crossville Elementary School
- Patrick Leavell – Elementary Teacher – Crossville Elementary School
- Melissa Snyder – Elementary Teacher – Crossville Elementary School
- Stephanie Scott – English Language Arts Teacher & Jr. High Girls Basketball Coach – Crossville Middle School
- Brooke Lambert – ARI Local Reading Specialist – Crossville Elementary School
- Jeffery Jackson – Physical Education Teacher – Sylvania High School
- Hunter Hall – Secondary Teacher – Sylvania High School
- Alyssa West Rector – Elementary Teacher – Collinsville High School
- Jordon Wright – Itinerant Special Education Paraprofessional – Fyffe Special Services Center
- Tiffany Phillips – Itinerant Special Education Paraprofessional – Fyffe Special Services Center
- Jessica McClain – CNP Worker – Ider High School
- Amanda Ashley – Itinerant Special Education Paraprofessional – Sylvania High School
- Joey Smith – CNP Worker – Fyffe High School
- Harley Wilborn – CNP Worker – Plainview High School
- Sherry Swinford – CNP Worker – Plainview High School
- Bernard Byrum – Assistant Custodian (4-hour/9-month) – Plainview High School
- Katherine Umphrey – Itinerant School Nurse – Fyffe High School
- Jonathan Hollingsworth – Computer Hardware/Software Technician – District
- Glenda Hundeapillar – Pre-K Auxiliary – Crossville Middle School
- Rochelle Pendergrass – Pre-K Auxiliary – Geraldine High School
- Hannah Biddle – Pre-K Auxiliary – Henagar Jr. High School
- Mary Darwin – CNP Worker – Ider High School
Livia Smith was also approved as a volunteer cross-country coach for Plainview.
Superintendent Lyles stated that it was necessary to raise the prices of adult/staff meals this year to comply with state policy. Adult breakfast meals will increase from $2.50 to $2.85, and lunch meals will increase from $4.25 to $4.35.
Finally, the Board congratulated all the National Skills USA winners from the recent SkillsUSA National Competition. Those mentioned were Gabriella Green (Job Interview, Sylvania), Reece Burns (Technical Drawing, Geraldine), Carson Watson (Medical Math, Fyffe), Samineyen Blount (First Aid/CPR, Plainview), Derek Cruz (Collision Repair, Valley Head), Jonathan Ramirez (Welding, Crossville), and Brice Mayes (National Champion in Masonry, Fyffe). The next Dekalb County Board of Education meeting will be at 1:00 pm on July 13, 2023.
Mountain Valley News (MVN) is your trusted source for weekly hometown news, serving the vibrant communities of DeKalb and Jackson Counties in the heart of Alabama. We're here to bring you the latest stories, events, and happenings, all available conveniently both online and in print.
At MVN, we believe that community engagement is essential. We want to hear from you, our valued readers! Share your opinions, insights, and thoughts on our articles by adding a comment below each story. Your perspective matters, and your comments contribute to the rich tapestry of discussions in our community.
Together, we can foster meaningful conversations and build a stronger sense of community. Join us in shaping the narrative of DeKalb and Jackson Counties. Your voice is important, and we look forward to reading your comments. Let's make our community news a truly interactive experience!
Have a story idea or a topic you'd like to see covered? Feel free to suggest it in the comments or reach out to our dedicated team. We're here to serve you, and your feedback helps us tailor our content to your interests and needs.