News Editor

Students at Troy Elementary School are improving their reading skills thanks to the Alabama Reading Initiative, which will be implemented for the second year this school term.

Marianne Gilbert, reading specialist at TES, reported to the Troy Board of Education at its meeting Monday night, sharing with the board members the successes of the program.

"We assessed the students using the STAR program (a computer reading program)," Gilbert said. "When we first assessed the students 51 percent were reading below their grade level. At the end of the school year we assessed the students again and the number of students reading below their grade level decreased to 35 percent."

Gilbert said she sees those number as "real progress."

The Alabama Reading Initiative will continue at TES this year. Gilbert said she and TES Principal Geoffrey Spann have set goals for the year, which include guided reading implementation in grades K-5, grades 3-5 writing program and to improve SAT scores.

Financial matters are on the minds of all educators now, and the Troy Board of Education is looking ahead in case problems arise.

To prepare the school system for a money crisis the board approved a flexibility plan for the system.

"The legislature granted school systems a flexibility plan to avoid layoffs," said Hank Jones, Troy City School System superintendent. "We have identified specific accounts to get money from if necessary."

Jones said he does not foresee the system having to use the $164,924 from the accounts that have been identified, but if it is necessary the school system have the "flexibility" to use it.

"Again I’m not saying we are going to use it, but approving this gives us the ability," he said.

Accounts identified in the flexibility plan are textbooks, technology, library enhancement, professional development and High Hopes.

Also to prepare for the upcoming school year, the board took action on personnel issues.

The board accepted resignations from Wanda Bean, a maid at TES; Lesia Redman, an In School Support aide at Charles Henderson Middle School; and Doug Bailey, a math teacher at Charles Henderson High School. The board employed Vicki Pritchett as a math teacher at CHHS and Deborah Huggins as the principal and director of Troy Pike Center for Technology. Huggins was formerly the media specialist at CHHS. The board transferred Sherry Dye from the middle school to the elementary school and Joyce Curry from child nutrition at TES to Child Nutrition manager at the high school; re-employed Frankie Hubbard, Cathy Napper and Dana Benton as aides at TES. The board also hired Camille Hedden as a library media aide at CHHS and CHMS and Wayne Tillman as an ISS and assistant coach at CHHS.

In other business, the board …

· Approved minutes from the June 18 and June 28 meetings

· Approves payment of bills, payroll and accounts

· Approved the 2001-02 salary schedule

· Adopted the revised board policy (JGC) – health policy

· Reviewed the Internet Use Policy, which will be available for viewing at the Central Office, TES, CHMS, CHHS and the Troy Public Library.

· Approved CNP bid. Milk and ice cream will be provided by Dairy Fresh, bread will be provided by Earth Grains and a la cart items will be provided by Sunshine Beverages, Lance and Earth Grains.

· Awarded the extermination service for all Troy City Schools to Meeks Termite and Pest Control. Meeks was the lowest bidder at $355 per year.

· Approved student transfers. The board approved the request of a Troy City Schools student to the Pike County School System so he may participate in the Indian Program, and approved transfer request of a Banks School student to the Troy City School System based on the majority/minority rule. This request had been previously approved by the Pike County Board of Education.