The Demopolis Board of Education discussed extending the contract of U.S. Jones principal Leon Clark through 2018 during Wednesday’s called meeting.

Superintendent Dr. Al Griffin said the board decided to extend Clark’s contract, which ends after this year, for three years through 2018. The vote to make the extension official will be during the board’s November meeting.

“We wanted to make this proactive move to provide security and stability for the staff at U.S. Jones,” Griffin said. “We’re working with PLAN 2020, and this move will help us move through 2018 as a system in preparing students for college and careers. We want to thank Mr. Clark for his service and his desire to remain with the system.”

The board also approved overnight travel for U.S. Jones fourth and fifth graders to Columbiana to the Alabama 4-H Center on Sept. 22-24. They also approved overnight travel for the Demopolis High School cross country team for the season.

In other business, the board entered into an agreement with the Alabama-Tombigbee Rural Conservation and Development Council. The council will oversee a project at the Demopolis High School stadium that will help alleviate ponding on the football field after hard rains.

“We’ve had a problem with ponding since the construction of the facility on some spots on the field,” Griffin said. “Coach Tom Causey and his staff are going to work on some erosion control, and the project will be overseen by the council.”

The project will be funded by a $5,000 grant the school system recently received.

The board also approved the following personnel recommendations from Griffin during the meeting:

•Hire Tammy Knott as the U.S. Jones Elementary School reading coach

•Open the USJ special education position through Friday, Sept. 5

•Remove Brad Daniels as assistant soccer coach on the supplement form. Daniels is listed as the head coach, so he was removed as the assistant.