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The Demopolis Board of Education held a brief called meeting last Thursday, July 27 to approve contracts and quotes for the upcoming school year.

The meeting began with recognizing the class of DHS AP English Rachel White. White and her class were recently recognized for having 100 percent of her students pass their May AP exam. Her students earned qualifying scores of 3, 4 or 5 and scored higher than the Alabama average of 71.1 percent and the global average of 77.2 percent.

To pass the exam White’s students had to pass a multiple choice test where they have to read passages, poetry, and excerpts from novels, and then have to answer 55 questions which has to be done in 60 minutes. Students then have two hours to write three essays on topics they are seeing for the first time and have to analyze.

“They blew it out of the water. They did above and beyond what I expected,” said White. “I am so proud of them. It’s one of those teacher moments where you don’t necessarily expect it to happen every time, but it happening one time is enough. It’ll last me thirty years, I’m sure.”

The Board approved contracts with World of Works for student workers/internships, and approved TEAMS contracts.

The Board approved quotes from Curriculum Associates for i-Ready Products and services in the amount 0f $88,882.50. The Board also approved a quote from Howard Technology Solutions for 180 Samsung Galaxy Laptops in the amount of $183,780.00.

Also approved were changes to the ESSER Position title and a subscription renewal with Renaissance Products and Services for data maintenance and Accelerated and Star Reader Subscription for a total of $23,095.59.

Personnel Report

• Resignations: McKenzie Dawson, History Teacher, effective 7/26/23, Norvie Womack, P.E. Teacher, effective 7/26/23.
• System Wide Resignations: Anthony Charleston, declined offer as Maintenance Assistant, Denise Etheridge, Bilingual Interpreter, effective 8/18/23
• Employment: (U.S. Jones) Itisha Bennet, as lunchroom worker effective 8/1/23 (pending procurement of satisfactory documentation and Board approval), Cierica James, as lunchroom worker effective 8/1/23 (pending procurement of satisfactory documentation and Board approval), Janelle Adams, as P.E. Aide effective 8/1/23, ReidClaire (Stein) Allen, as Elementary Teacher effective 8/1/23 (pending procurement of satisfactory documentation and Board approval), (DMS) Dion Tolbert, as lunchroom worker effective 8/1/23 (pending procurement of satisfactory documentation and Board approval), Kendrick Office, as P.E. Teacher effective 8/1/23 (pending procurement of satisfactory documentation and Board approval), Keesha Jamison, as Director of Impact 180 Program, 10 month, effective 7/31/23. Salary to be prorated from 7/18/23 (is moving from 9 month P.E. teacher)
• System Wide Employment: Andre Boykins, as Maintenance Assistant – 12 month (pending procurement of satisfactory documentation and Board approval). Start date to be determined by background clearance
• Substitutes: Millicent Schroeder with Sub license
• Miscellaneous: Deithrice Lewis, as Intervention Teacher, Requesting approval of the following contracts for the 2023-2024 school year in the same contractual agreement as last year: Amelia Mackey – Art at U.S. Jones, Becky Holley – Art at Westside, Kirk Brooker – Art at DMS, Bill Barkley – Art at DHS, Rob Steiner – Soccer, Rodney Rowser – Track, Kathleen Randall – Cheerleading, and Leon Clark – Truancy