Photo by Leah Ingram Eagle
The five members of the Shelby County Board of Education were recognized by Superintendent Lewis Brooks on Aug. 26 for completing the required training hours of the Alabama Association of School Boards governance act for the 2021-22 school year.
Jimmy Bice, David Bobo, Jane Hampton, Peg Hill and Aubrey Miller received certificates for meeting their required training hours. Brooks presented each member with a certificate and thanked them for their work and diligence serving on the board.
Brooks also announced that Dr. Reisa Brooks will be serving next year as the president of the Alabama Association of School Personnel Administrators (AASPA) on the council of leaders in Alabama schools board of directors for 2022-23.
On Aug. 25, Brooks went to Calera High School to give Journey Shaper Awards to the volleyball team for showing sportsmanship, kindness, and character during their match against Sylacauga’s volleyball team.
One of Sylacauga’s star players, Brighton Clary, passed away over the summer after an ATV accident. The Calera volleyball team presented Sylacauga’s players with a poster and flowers and held a moment of silence at the onset of the game to honor clary. They were the first students to ever receive this recognition.
“It’s a blessing to know we have kids who display this kind of character and sportsmanship and pay attention to the details of what’s going on in their opponents' lives and are willing to do something to honor them,” Brooks said. “I’m very proud.”
Deputy Superintendent Lynn Carroll shared that the schools are using the Open Court reading program to assist students in meeting the requirements based on the Alabama Literacy Act.
The program has a band for foundational skills, a band for reading and responding and a band for English Language Arts for K-5th grades.
“We are trying to do everything we can to boost academy achievement in early grades,” Carroll said. “We really want teachers to focus on using this board approved curriculum. We’re excited about the very intentional plan this program has to offer for our literacy instruction and feel it will be a good foundation for our students.”
Also during the meeting, the board approved:
- Tyler Lemen for the assistant principal position at Montevallo Elementary School
- TEAMS contracts for teachers meeting all criteria
- Personnel actions
- Bus subs and aides
- Superintendent’s compensation plan
During the architect and construction report, Barbara Snyder shared updates on several school projects, including phase three of the playground equipment being installed at Oak Mountain Elementary and the turf project at Chelsea High School is anticipated to be completed in about a week.
The next SCBOE meeting will be Sept. 15 at SCISC in Alabaster.
