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By Fred Guarino

The Lowndes Signal

Dr. Daniel Boyd delivered his last superintendent’s report to the Lowndes County Board of Education at its Thursday, June 21 meeting covering topics from district accreditation, Head Start, dual enrollment courses for Lowndes students, credit recovery and a strategic plan.

Boyd was recently unanimously approved by the State Board of Education and Governor Kay Ivey as deputy state superintendent of instruction for the State Department of Education.

His last day with Lowndes County Public Schools is today, Thursday, June 28, and he begins his new position with the state on Monday, July 2.

In his final report, Boyd said the Lowndes County Public School System will go through the district accreditation process by AdvanceED. He said site visits are scheduled Oct. 14-17. And he said the September school board meeting will be videoed and sent to AdvaceED as an indicator of the effectiveness of the county school board.

Boyd reminded the board that because of excellent reviews, the Lowndes County Public Schools will not have to compete in order to have a local Head Start Program.

In April Boyd told the board, Lowndes County Public Schools are not required to make a competitive application for the program. He said some school districts like Selma have to compete to have one. He said because of the work of Lowndes County Head Start Director Samita Jeter, “We do not have to

compete with anybody. We are guaranteed to get it.”

Boyd said credit recovery classes will end June 29^th. And, he said, of 28 students enrolled, “All students are either ahead or on pace to successfully complete the program.”

Boyd reported, however, that a partnership with Wallace Community College to offer Apple Coding courses failed to attract 16 students for the summer. But, he said, the Apple Coding classes will be offered in the fall and spring at Calhoun and Central High Schools.

Boyd said three students are participating in a welding program earning college and high school credit.

He also said that in January Lowndes County Public School students will be taking classes with Job Corps which will count as associate credit and high school credit.

Boyd said work is being done to get renovation of the Central High gym completed before the start of school.

He said Central Elementary School Media Specialist Annie Hayes received a grant for $5,000 from Mid-South RC&D which will be used to purchased Chromebooks (laptop computers) for the school.

Boyd also reported five goals of a strategic plan to serve as a road map for Lowndes County Public Schools include imjproving teaching and learning, human resources, finances, safety and community support.

In actions taken, the Lowndes BOE approved the minutes of its May 14 meeting. And after an executive session to discuss the good name and character of certain individuals, during which no decisions were made and no votes taken, the board approved the following action items:

• A Memorandum of agreement between the board and the Alabama State Department of Education (Montgomery Jobs Corp Center Career Technical Training Program and Driver’s Education Program). •Contract between the board and: Best Western (revised site of the Head Start Program staff retreat); Boys to Men Basketball Team (extended use of Lowndes County Middle School Gymnasium); Stephanie Rogers {processing and reviewing of Individualized Education Program (IEP)/eligibility records, Special Education Program}; Central Alabama Football Officials Association, Inc. (officials, 2018-2019 home football games, Calhoun High School) ; Central Alabama Basketball Officials Association, Inc. (officials, 2018-2019 home basketball games, Calhoun High School); Lee Arthur Holcombe (maintenance services for Central High School); Aaron Thigpen (maintenance services for Fort Deposit Elementary School); PowerSchool Group LLC (project scoping and professional development services).
• 2018-2019 board meeting schedule.
• Bid extension for bread (Bimbo Bakeries USA).
• 2018-2019 Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) application for Lowndes County Head Start Program.
• April 2018 Financial Statement, Profit and Loss Detail Report and Check Detail Report for the Lowndes County Head Start Program
• Approval of Revenues and Expenditures Report, Financial Statement and Payroll Register April 2018 – based on reconciled bank statements.
• Approval of the personnel report.

And of course, as reported in another article, the board accepted Boyd’s resignation and approved the hiring of Assistant Superintendent Jason Burroughs as interim superintendent for Lowndes County Public Schools.

The next meeting of the Lowndes County Board of Education will be 7 p.m., Thursday, July 12 at the central office in Hayneville.