The Pike County Board of Education seeks to terminate the board’s recreation lease with the City of Brundidge.

Dr. Mark Bazzell, superintendent of Pike County Schools, made the recommend to terminate the recreation lease at the Monday night board meeting and the board approved the recommendation.

“By all indications, we have done a good job running the City of Brundidge recreation program,” Bazzell said. “Participation has increased. But, at this time, it is not financially viable for the board to run the City of Brundidge recreation program.”

Also on the superintendent’s recommendation, the board approved the Pike County Virtual High School Home School Consortium and “Stay Home” option proposal.

Bazzell said this option would allow those who reside in the Pike County School zone and those eligible for the non-residency transfer in grades 9-12 to enroll in the school system and would be eligible to receive virtual instruction but would not have to attend on a daily basis.

“There are groups of people that are home schooling but are struggling to get instruction delivered in a meaningful way,” Bazzell said. “We are offering them the opportunity for a meaningful educational program delivered through the state ACCESS program.”

The ACCESS (Alabama Connecting Classrooms, Educators and Students Statewide) Distance Learning program is designed to provide high-quality, on-line classes for all Alabama public schools.

“Access has grown by leaps and bounds across the state,” Bazzell said. “We can help parents of home school students by delivering instruction through the ACCESS program and we will track the students along the way.”

Bazzell said, to this point, instructional assistance for parents of home school students would come though church/school organizations that monitor home school programs and private home school programs.

In other new business, the board:

• Approved permission for transportation to purchase a 1991 Ford F-450 tool body work truck from Garrett Enterprises at a cost of $4,500.

• Approved permission for five students and two teachers to attend the 2018 SkillsUSA Leadership Conference, April 23-25 in Birmingham and also the request for a school bus and driver. All other expenses will be paid by SkillsUSA.

• Approved permission for Julie Simmons to attend the 2018 CTE Directors’ Conference April 17-20 in Perdido Beach. Expenses will be paid by Perkins funds.

• Approved permission for Becky Kelly and Mitzy Distel to attend the AASBO Conference, May 1-4 in Orange Beach. Expenses will be paid out of the general fund.

• Approved permission for Tina Senn and Shatasha Carter to attend the Conscious Discipline Training, March 20-21 in Montgomery. Expenses are to be paid by OSR funds.

• Approved permission for Anthony May to attend the SREB Conference, July 9-11 in Orlando. Expenses to be paid by federal funds.

• Approved permission for James Lowe, Bruce Campbell, Jamey Boutwell and Earlene Newman to attend the Annual Alabama School Transportation Association Summer Conference June 4-8 in Mobile. Expenses will be paid by general funds.

• Approved permission for Brundidge Head Start to use a bus and driver for a trip to the Pioneer Museum of Alabama on March 28. Expenses will be paid by Brundidge Head Start.

• Approved permission for Sgt. Aaron Young to attend a mandatory recertification course for JROTC, March 23-30 in Fort Knox, Kentucky at no expense to the board.

In personnel action, the board:

• Approved the retirement resignation of Tammy Meeks, Goshen Elementary School teacher, effective June 1, 2018.

• Approved the superintendent’s recommendation concerning the discipline of a non-certified employee contract.

• Approved the superintendent’s recommendation concerning the non-renewal of a certified employee contract.

• Approved leave of absence for Michelle Caffie, effective February 26, 2018.

• Approved the transfer of Jessica Cole from aide to long-term substitute until Ms. Caffie can return from leave.