By Bonita Wilborn
moc.letsremrafobfsctd@nrobliwatinob
At the DeKalb County Board of Education that was held on Thursday, March 21, 2024, Valley Head High School Culinary Arts Class was recognized by the board. Child Nutrition Program Director Eryn Thrash explained that she had sent out an email, rather late notice, asking if anyone was interested in participating in the Alabama Junior Chef competition. Although the email came with little time for preparation, Mrs. Leeann Arnold’s Family and Consumer Science Culinary Team at Valley Head High School accepted the invitation. With no competition experience the team of three sophomores and one senior went against veteran teams and took 2nd place against last year’s team of all senior participants with only a 2-point deficit. This team was comprised of Bradi Callahan – sophomore, Hunter Gorham – senior, Bailey Trammel – sophomore, and Lanie Brittin – sophomore.
Arnold told how impressive her students were to go from a small home-style kitchen to a large commercial-type kitchen, where they were totally isolated from their instructor, but still scored the second highest in the state.
Arnold said the team’s sophomore members are already looking forward to next year’s competition.
In other business the board approved:
Bids
A. Geraldine High School Lunchroom Remodel and Graphics – Interior Elements
B. Fyffe High School Lunchroom Remodel and Graphics – Interior Elements
C. Crossville Elementary School – 2 – 24’ x 60’ Modular Classrooms – Fabricon Modular
Leaves of Absence
A. Jessica Corsentino – Pre-K Teacher – Collinsville High School – 2/1/24-5/24/24
B. Devin Ashley – Science Teacher – Fyffe High School – 5/1/24-5/23/24
C. Diane Barrett – Bus Driver – Ider High School – 12/14/23-3/20/24
D. Shannon Pruett – Elementary Teacher – Ider High School – 3/25/24-5/6/24
E. Leanna Johnson – Elementary Teacher – Crossville Elementary School – 2/1/24-5/17/24
F. Kendall Cochran – Elementary Counselor – Sylvania High School – 4/22/24-5/24/24
G. Shasta Izell – CNP Manager – Ider High School – 1/31/24-4/30/24
Retirements
A. Betty Bowman – CNP Worker – Fyffe High School – Retirement – 6/11/24
B. Sherri Holkem – Financial Clerk (Accounts Payable/Fixed Assets) – Central Office – Retirement – 6/11/24
C. Kimberly Shirey – Itinerant Special Education Teacher – Ider High School – Retirement – 6/11/24
D. Gina Ferguson – Itinerant EL Teacher – Crossville Middle School – Retirement – 6/1/24
E. Melissa Nabors – Elementary Teacher – Crossville Elementary School – Retirement – 6/1/24
F. Jeanie Green – Speech Language Pathologist – Fyffe High School – Retirement – 6/1/24
G. Linda Colvin – Itinerant Special Education Paraprofessional – Geraldine High School – Retirement – 6/1/24
H. Joy Stanford – Itinerant Special Education Paraprofessional – Fyffe High School – Retirement – 6/1/24
I. Stanley Bullock – Custodian (12 Month) – Valley Head High School – Retirement – 6/1/24 7.
Transfers
A. Peyton Wilbanks from Itinerant Special Education Paraprofessional at Fyffe High School to P.E. Leave (3/11/24-5/24/24) at Collinsville High School (2024-022)
Placements (All placements are made pending a background review meeting suitability criteria and negative, pre-employment drug screen and appropriate certification)
Certified
A. Sarah Dupree – Pre-K Teacher (Leave) – Collinsville High School (2024-023)
B. Ashley Bunch – Cheerleading Coach – Plainview High School
C. James Shankles – Varsity Girls Basketball Head Coach – Crossville High School (Effective 6/1/24)
Support
D. Jennifer Kelley Money – Itinerant Special Education Paraprofessional – Valley Head High School (2024-005) (Effective 3/4/24)
E. Raymond Smith – Bus Driver – Crossville Middle/High School (2024-021) (Effective 3/4/24)
F. Beth Farmer – Itinerant Special Education Paraprofessional – Fyffe High School (2024-024) (Effective 3/18/24) 9.
Volunteer Coaches
A. Sylvania High School a. Megan Chisenhall – Soccer b. Nicholas Bryant – Baseball 10. Contracts A. March 21, 2024 Contracts Report
B. Cadara E. Parks – LPC 11.
Superintendent’s Recommendations, Comments, and Reports
A. Declaration of Emergency – Ider High School Storm Damage
B. DeKalb County Board of Education Cybersecurity Incident Response Plan
C. Approval to Purchase Office Building – 24593 Alabama Highway 75, Sylvania, AL 35988
D. DeKalb County Schools Job Descriptions
E. BETA Winners
Geraldine High School
Elementary BETA
a. Saylor Westbrook – Performing Arts Solo Singer – 2nd Place
b. Bryleigh Hill – Pottery – 3rd Place
c. Songfest – 2nd Place 2.
Junior BETA
a. Gabryel Lewis – Social Studies (7th Grade) – 5th Place
b. Jessie Richey – Woodworking – 5th Place
c. Performing Arts Large Group – 2nd Place
d. Songfest – 4th Place
Henagar Jr. High School
Elementary BETA
a. Club Trading Pin – 5th Place
b. Accessorized Design – 4th Place
c. Service Learning Showcase – Champion
d. Colby Cortina – Hand Drawn Anime – Champion
e. Colby Cortina – Science (4th Grade) – 2nd Place
f. Hunter Bethune – Math (4th Grade) – 2nd Place
g. Carson Ward – Speech – 4th Place
h. Carson Ward – Recyclable Art – 3rd Place
i. Tanner Wright – Digitally Enhanced Photography – 4th Place
Junior BETA
a. Group Talent – 5th Place
b. Three Dimensional Design – 2nd Place
c. Service Learning Showcase – 3rd Place
d. Trio Variety Act – 2nd Place
e. Two Dimensional Design – 2nd Place
f. Accessorized Design – Champion
g. Scrapbook – Champion
h. Songfest – Champion
i. McKenna Mitchell, Chloey Graham, and Payton Lipscomb – Premier Performer
j. Cason Ridgeway – Digitally Enhanced Photography – Champion
k. Mary Ward – Mixed Media – 2nd Place
l. Matalynn Gant – Quilling – 2nd Place
m. Noah Smothers – Fiber Arts – 2nd Place
n. Dalton Williams – Recyclable Art – 4th Place
o. Logan Goza – Color Photography – 4th Place
p. Callie Watkins – Jewelry – 5th Place
Ider High School
Senior BETA
a. Jamie Slaughter – Spanish (10th Grade) – 3rd Place
b. Kaydence Smalley – Premier Performer
c. Briauna Porter – Premier Performer
Plainview High School
Senior BETA
a. Trey Rutledge – Math (11th Grade) – 2nd Place
b. Brandon Horton – Math (10th Grade) – Champion
Sylvania High School
Elementary BETA
a. Quiz Bowl – 5th place
b. Solo, Duo, Trio Variety Act – Champions
c. Aria Dupree and Oakley Dupree – Premier Performers
d. Colton King – Math (4th Grade) – Champion
e. Gavin Brown – Science (4th Grade) – 4th place
f. Eli Pettyjohn – Spanish (4th Grade) – 4th place
g. Brooklyn Carroll – Creative Writing – 5th place
h. Brooklyn Carroll – Digitally Enhanced Photo – 5th place
Junior BETA
a. Quiz Bowl – 3rd Place
b. Solo, Duo, Trio Variety Act – Champions
c. Aiden Parnell – Pottery – 2nd Place
d. McKinley Moses – Trading Pin – 5th Place
Senior BETA
a. Anna Beth McSpadden – Premier Performer
b. Engineering – Champions
c. Show Choir – Champions
d. Small Group Talent – 2nd place
e. Solo, Duo, Trio vocalist – 3rd place
f. Will Gant – Agriscience (11th Grade) – 2nd place
g. Clayton Dalton – Science (10th Grade) – 3rd place
h. Samantha Ragsdale – Language Arts (10th Grade) – 2nd place
i. Samantha Ragsdale – On-Site Painting – Champion
j. Johanna Bryant – On-Site Drawing – Champion
k. Johanna Bryant – Digital Art – Champion
l. Clayton Dalton – Digitally Enhanced Photo – Champion
m. Cammie Wilks – Digitally Enhanced Photo – 2nd place
n. Macey Frost – Jewelry – 2nd place
o. Kelby Graham – Sculpture – 3rd place
p. Marleigh Jo Williams – Mixed Media – 2nd place
Valley Head High School
Elementary BETA
a. Accessorized Design – 2nd Place
b. Apparel Design – Champion
c. Marketing and Communication – 2nd Place
d. Musicology – 5th Place
e. Service Learning Showcase – 2nd Place
f. Three Dimensional Design – 2nd Place
g. Two Dimensional Design – 5th Place
h. Myles Battles – Digital Art – Champion
i. Myles Battles – Digitally Enhanced Photography – 2nd Place
j. Zoey Chambers – Fiber Arts – Champion
k. Kenneth Taylor – Mixed Media – 4th Place
l. Anna Gregory – Onsite Drawing – 3rd Place
m. Kenneth Taylor – Pottery – 2nd Place
n. Braxtin Meadows – Quilling – 5th Place
o. Natayla Buffington – Science (5th Grade) – 3rd Place
p. Abrielle DeSantis – Sculpture – 2nd Place
q. Kensleigh Ditmore – Social Studies (4th Grade) – Champion
r. Zoey Chambers – Spanish (4th Grade) – Champion
Junior BETA
a. Musicology – 5th Place
b. Performing Arts Trio Variety Act – 3rd Place
c. Service Learning Showcase – 5th Place
d. Hunter Battles – Digital Art – 3rd Place
e. Addison Shoults – Digitally Enhanced Photography – 3rd Place
f. Kailyn Cooper – Hand Drawn Anime – 2nd Place
g. Addison Shoults – Language Arts (6th Grade) – 2nd Place
h. Kailyn Cooper – Onsite Drawing – 4th Place
i. Skye Bailey – Poetry – 5th Place
j. Addison Shoults – Pottery – 5th Place
k. Addison Shoults – Science (6th Grade) – Champion
l. Skye Bailey – Social Studies (6th Grade) – Champion
m. Hunter Battles – Woodworking – 4th Place
Senior BETA
a. Senior Apparel Design – 2nd Place
b. Senior Service Learning Showcase – Champion
c. Carley Collins – Sculpture, Division I (9th Grade) – Champion
d. Annabelle Gifford – Mixed Media, Division I (9th Grade) – Champion
e. Catherine Gifford – Drawing, Division II (11th Grade) – Champion
f. Makayla Gilbert – Black and White Photography, Division II (11th Grade) – Champion
g. Johnny Mann – Digital Art, Division II (11th Grade) – Champion
h. Chance Pearson – Woodworking, Division II (12th Grade) – Champion
i. Brant Smith – Agriscience (12th Grade) – 3rd Place F.
F. Congratulations to the Geraldine High School Boys Basketball Team for making it to the 3A State Semi-Finals.
G. Congratulations to the Plainview High School Girls Basketball Team for making it to the 3A State Finals.
H. Congratulations to the Ider High School Girls Basketball Team for winning the 2A State Championship.
The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, April 25, 2024, at 8:30 a.m. in the Meeting Room at the Facilities Building.
