School board recognizes foundation grants
The Homewood City Schools Board of Education held its monthly meeting Oct. 15 to discuss minor items within the school system.
The biggest item on the agenda was the acknowledgement of foundation grants from the Homewood City Schools Foundation.
The foundation awarded $76,232 to Homewood City Schools on Oct. 10. Assistant Superintendent Kevin Maddox said this was a sizable donation.
“This amount reflects the largest single grant award cycle to date,” he said. “We’re very appreciative of all the efforts and contributions of the Homewood City Schools Foundation.”
Board member Judy Truitt said this money will be a great help in the coming year for the school system.
“$76,000 is an amazing amount of help and is greatly appreciated,” she said.
Also approved were change order requests. They included a $98,000 deduction for the changing of roof materials on the first phase of the high school, along with an additional $90,367 on the second phase for ductwork modifications in the science labs, Bailey Center and modifications to the kitchen areas, with no additional days added.
Elementary Package B will request an additional $54,454 to modify Hall-Kent’s foundation to accomodate for an existing sanitary sewer line, with no additional days as well.
Board President Charlie Douthit was chosen and approved unanimously to be the delegate for the 2019 Alabama Association of School Boards Convention and represent Homewood City Schools at the event.
Board Vice President Justin Russell will be the alternate for this convention if Douthit can’t attend.
Maddox said the hard work of the school board and others makes Homewood City Schools one of the best systems in the state.
“We’re so fortunate to have such a phenomenal administrative team,” Maddox said. “We’re all doing different things, but we’re doing it with the same purpose in mind. That’s to help our students reach their unique potential.”
In other business, the school board:
- Voted to renew the technology agreements with Microsoft and Renaissance Learning. The contract will run through one more school year before it comes back to the board to be approved again for the following school year.
- Approved contracts with the Drug Free Communities Grant, Dr. Hayden’s Center Independent Evaluation Service, Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services and Williams Prevention Consulting. These will benefit the school system in the coming years.
- Approved funding for professional services for one part-time, nine-month, pre-employment transition specialist and Justin Coley as a Spanish-English interpreter.
- Approved minor personnel changes.
- Approved out-of-state field trips scheduled for 2019-20 school year for the Homewood High School show choir and marching band.
The Homewood Board of Education will hold its next monthly meeting Nov. 19 at 7 p.m.