By Sherri Blevins
DEKALB COUNTY, ALA – The DeKalb County School Board met on July 27, 2023, where county employees received some promising news, Nicole Carroll was named principal at Henagar Junior High School, and former Plainview Bear and college football coach, Jeremy Pruitt, was hired to teach P.E. at his Alma Mater. Pruitt will join his wife Casey, and father, Coach Dale Pruitt, as members of the Plainview faculty.
AEA representative Jesse McDaniel shared some exciting news for DeKalb County School employees. McDaniel said teachers would receive a two percent across-the-board base pay increase, and some employees would receive additional increases. The State set the minimum wage for support personnel at $15.00 per hour, and special education teachers and psychometrists will receive a $1,000 stipend. To help teachers cut their out-of-pocket expenses, the State voted to allow teachers access to half of their instructional supply money at the beginning of school rather than waiting until the middle of October or later. Teachers will receive $1,100 to spend on classroom instructional supplies this year. School nurses will also return to work with an improved pay scale and additional paid work days.
The Board approved one On-the-Job-Injury request for Michael Cory Shankles, a bus mechanic at the bus garage, and two Leave-of-Absence requests for Aubrey Nelson, a Collinsville elementary teacher, and Meagan Hale, a Health Science instructor at the DeKalb County Technology Center.
Three resignations were approved during the meeting: Kaylee Hubbard (Pre-K Auxilliary at Ider High School), Danielle Buchanan (Middle School Counselor at Crossville Middle School), and Draevan Bowman (P.E. Teacher at Plainview High School).
The following transfers were approved:
•A.Casey Kittle from Elementary Teacher at Crossville Elementary School to Computer
Science Teacher at Crossville Middle School
•B.Kristie Stephens from Itinerant Special Education Paraprofessional at Ider Special Services Center to Pre-K Auxiliary at Ider High School
•C.Blake Bearden from P.E. Teacher at Crossville Elementary School to Secondary Teacher and Head Softball Coaching Duties at Geraldine High School
•D.Tiffany Phillips from Itinerant Special Education Paraprofessional at Fyffe Special Services Center to CNP Secretary (12 months) at the Central Office
•E.Jason Mayfield from Principal at Geraldine High School to Instructional Supervisor – Attendance and Safety
•F.Robin Burns, from Math Teacher at Collinsville High School to Math Teacher at Sylvania High School
•G.Angela Snow from P.E. Teacher at Collinsville High School to P.E. Teacher at Crossville Elementary School
The Board hired the following personnel:
•A.Kimberly Haynes – Elementary Teacher – Crossville Elementary School
•B.Morgan Gothard – Elementary Teacher – Crossville Middle School
•C.Meagan Bryant – General Science Teacher – Fyffe High School
•D.Alyssa Smith – Secondary Teacher – Crossville Middle School
•E. Jeremy Pruitt – P.E. Teacher – Plainview High School
•F. Mary Paige Whitaker – Itinerant Special Education Paraprofessional – Ider Special Services Center
TEAMS Contracts were approved for the following math and science teachers:
•A.Luis Segura Hidalgo – Math Teacher – Preliminary Contract – Collinsville High School
•B.Devin Bouldin – Science Teacher – Advanced 3-Year Contract – Collinsville High School
•C.Christopher Jones – Science Teacher – Advanced 3-Year Contract – Collinsville HighSchool
•D.Ariel Brumbeloe – Math Teacher – Advanced 3-Year Contract – Crossville High School
•E.William Chandler – Science Teacher – Advanced 5-Year Contract – Crossville HighSchool
•F.Tobey Williamson – Science Teacher – Advanced 3-Year Contract – Crossville HighSchool
•G.Ashley Hawkins – Math Teacher – Preliminary Contract – Crossville Middle School
•H.Jase Jones – Math Teacher – Advanced 3-Year Contract – Fyffe High School
•I. Devin Ashley – Science Teacher – Advanced 3-Year Contract – Fyffe High School
•J. Colby Cochran – Science Teacher – Preliminary Contract – Fyffe High School
•K.Chris Chandler – Science Teacher – Preliminary Contract – Geraldine High School
•L.Dr. Keith Gorham – Science Teacher – Advanced 5-Year Contract – Plainview HighSchool
•M.Chassidy Griggs – Science Teacher – Advanced 3-Year Contract – Plainview HighSchool
•N.Cale Black – Math Teacher – Preliminary Contract – Plainview High School
•O. Jay Tyler Ellis – Science Teacher – Preliminary Contract – Valley Head High School
•P. Jonathan McGill – Math Teacher – Preliminary Contract – Valley Head High School
Nicole Carroll was given a two-year probationary contract as Henagar’s Junior High School Principal. Carroll has served as assistant principal at Sylvania High School in the past.
The next DeKalb County Board of Education meeting will be on August 24, 2023, with a work session at 4:30 pm and a regular meeting at 5:00 pm.