The sounds of the Christmas season echoed through the Columbia School District Board of Trustees meeting last week.
Director Kimberly Walley and the Columbia High School Concert Choir entertained the board as its Dec. 12 meeting began, and CHS Student Board officers led the Pledge of Allegiance. The choir sang the National Anthem and other selections.
The board then recognized Walley and the choir for its “outstanding performance” before acknowledging other faculty and student guests.
The board recognized:
• Jennifer Terrell, Student Council sponsor, and student body officers for their leadership: President Daysha Wilson, Vice-President Sadie Willis, Secretary/Treasurer Paige Saucier and Reporter Courtney Wells;
• CHS Principal Sheila Burbridge, staff, teachers, and students for increasing CHS accountability score by 74 points and achieving a label “B” on the new accountability system;
• Patty Farmer, Child Nutrition Program director, and Toni Floyd, teacher of the CHS Food and Nutrition Class, for the food and refreshments;
• Jefferson Middle School Student Council officers for their leadership: President Hayden Adkins, Vice-President Jalaysia Everett, Secretary Shania Martin and Reporter Skye Abram;
• Columbia Elementary School staff members who have perfect attendance for the first semester of the 2017-2018 school year: Ashley Grantham, Melissa Herring, Danielle Whittington, Emily Knight and Ashlee Montgomery; and
• Columbia Primary School “Principal for the Day” students Briggs Ford and Azarie McKinney. These students earned more 100 Accelerated Readers points and were rewarded by working closely for a day with Principal Heather Singley.
In other business, the board:
• Received the monthly financial status report.
• Approved the claims docket for payment of current accounts.
• Received monthly reports on transportation repairs/ expenses and the use of school buses for special events.
• Gave second approval of School Board Policies: GADAC Suicide Prevention Education In-Service Training and IFBC Field Trips and Excursions.
• Accepted a donation from the ExxonMobil Foundation in honor of Edward Hough for his volunteer work at Columbia Primary School.
• Approved requests for permission to remove and discard equipment that is beyond repair from the district’s fixed assets inventory.
• Rejected bids received for Columbia High School baseball dugout renovations.
• Accepted the bid received from Calhoun Fencing Inc. in the amount of $17,386 for new chain-link fencing on the CHS baseball field.
• Approved the request of Lisa White, director of Federal Programs/grant writer, for authorization to accept the approved 2017-2018 21st Century Community Learning Center grant for $250,000.
• Accepted employment resignations submitted by Timothy Johnson, long term substitute teacher/paraprofessional coach at Jefferson Middle School, effective Dec. 19; Loretta Carol Dixon, Child Nutrition Program worker, for the purpose of retirement effective Dec. 19; and Mary L. Edwards, administrative assistant to the superintendent, for the purpose of retirement effective Dec. 19.
• Approved employment recommendation for the remainder of the 2017-18 school year: Kelly Johnson, Kededra Oatis, Elizabeth Wallace, Taisha Ellzey, Patsy Lowery, and Marsha Stringer as substitute teachers; Melissa Tomlinson as a special education teacher at Jefferson Middle School (replacing Becky Sinclair) effective Jan. 3, 2018; Stephen Price as a science teacher at Jefferson Middle School (replacing Timothy Johnson) effective Jan. 3, 2018; and 21st Century Community Learning Center (21st CCLC) workers.
• Approved employee transfers: James Harvey, teacher at Columbia High School, to fill the position vacated by Kim Todd as the ICT II teacher at Jefferson Middle School effective Jan. 3, 2018; and Melanie English, Business Assistant for Personnel, to fill the position vacated by Mary Edwards as Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent effective Jan. 3, 2018.
The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Columbia School District Board of Trustees is set for Jan. 11, 2018 at the board offices on Wildcat Way.
Pictured Above: Students who were honored, parents and guests listen to the CHS Concert Choir as they perform at the meeting. | Photo by Mark Rogers
