Eleven set to retire from Covington County school system

The Covington County Board of Education approved several personnel matters including the retirements of 11 employees during a regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, April 1.

The board approved the following personnel matters:

Retirement

• Sherry L. Williams as teacher at Fleeta Junior High School effective at the end of the 2024-2025 school year (33 years)
• Melissa W. Zessin as library media specialist at Florala High School effective at the end of the 2024-2025 school year (27 years)
• Tammie K. Chesser as nurse at Red Level School effective at the end of the 2024-2025 school year (29 years)
• Brenda J. Sims as paraprofessional at Red Level School effective at the end of the 2024-2025 school year (24 years)
• Melisa Lucas Thomas as teacher at Straughn Elementary School effective at the end of the 2024-2025 school year (28 years)
• Cynthia I. Tucker as teacher at Straughn Middle School effective at the end of the 2024-2025 school year (27 years)
• Debra C. Turman as library media specialist at Straughn High School effective at the end of the 2024-2025 school year (34 years)
• Bill Frank Graham was bus driver at Straughn High School effective at the end of the 2024-2025 school year (12 years)
• Bettina Bagley Shiver as teacher at Straughn High School effective at the end of the 2024-2025 school year (31 years)
• Abbie Lesa Caffy as teacher at W.S. Harlan Elementary School effective at the end of the 2024-2025 school year (20 years)
• Leigh G. Powell as teacher at Straughn Elementary School effective at the end of the 2024-2025 school year (35 years)

Resignation

• Ben Steven Robbins as custodian at Florala High School effective May 27
• Kimberly H. Strickland as science teacher at Florala High School retroactive to March 18
• Arlena Gail Byrd as teacher at W.S. Harlan Elementary School effective at the end of the 2024-2025 school year
• Brandy Colvin as paraprofessional at Straughn High School effective April 11

The board also recognized the following for outstanding achievements:

• Florala High School Boys Cross Country Team Sectionals, third place: Jay Murray, Markeith Thrash, Nathan Ainsworth, Seth Danner, Denny Sutton, Dalton Devenney, Uriah Mathews, and Jamison Jackson with coaches Leigh Newby and Taylor Gentz
• Pleasant Home School Boys Cross Country Team Sectionals, second place: Jackson Hawkins, Nathan Hobbs, Hyram Josey, Andrew Clark, Jude Bradley, John Isaac Hawkins, and Jonah Hawkins with coaches Ben Clark and Mendy Clark
• Straughn High School Varsity Girls Basketball, regional tournament appearance: Coach Calen Lowery
• Straughn High School Varsity Volleyball, Elite 8: Coach Deidra Burleson

In other business:

• The board heard a presentation by the Examiners of Public Accounts of an audit report for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2024. The school system was reported to have a clean audit with no findings. The full audit is available for public review at alison.legislature.state.al.us/epa-audit-reports.
• The board appointed a Covington County Schools science textbook adoption committee.
• The board approved the purchase of the following science textbooks as recommended by the committee: K-2 Studies Weekly, 3-8 McGraw-Hill, and 9-12 Cengage National Geographic.
• The board heard a distribution of financial reports that have been reconciled to most current bank statements. Chief School Finance Officer Ressie Gray.
• During a special called meeting that was held on March 18, the board approved a bid from Singer/Hotel and Restaurant Supply for a serving line replacement at W.S. Harlan Elementary School in the amount of $45,185.

The board set the next meeting date for Tuesday, May 6, 5:30 p.m., at the central office.