School staff for the 2013-2014 school year are still being considered for positions throughout the school system. At Tuesday night’s regular scheduled meeting of the Dodge County Board of Education, coaches Tony Taylor and Terry Underwood, of Dodge County Middle School (DCMS), came before the school board with regards to a fellow employee and coach Corey Hobbs. The coaches requested Hobbs not be transferred from DCMS. The school board has transitioned Hobbs to South Dodge Elementary School (SDES), where Hobbs will be the physical education coach.
Hobbs will fill the position of Kelly Gray, who resigned a few months back.
Superintendent Dr. Melinda Dennis stated, “I am looking at all areas of the school system and the board and I are working to ensure that we have a female coach represented in the various sports and physical education areas of all our schools.” Dr. Dennis stated that positions throughout the school system are being evaluated to support the needs of the students and is excited about the current staff in place for the upcoming school year.
Examples of Excellence certificates were presented to North Dodge Elementary School’s (NDES) math team consisiting of team members Rachel Catoe, Jenna Pace, Elizabeth Parks, Shandler Smith and Brodie Woodard for placing first in the Heart of Georgia RESA competition; NDES artists of the month students Jordan Hardy, Jackson Kitchens, Gage Pittman and Gabrielle Roan; Dodge County High School (DCHS) region champions golf team members Skye Brack, Kristen Holland, Madison Pritchett and Kelly Weathersbee; DCHS region champions tennis team members Chelsea Barrentine, Myranda Burch, Lila Coleman, Lillie Douglas, Kylie Erwin, Virginia Hargrove, Brenna Hutcheson, Sydney Manning, Hannah Moore, Taylor Thomas, Jamia Troup and Mikayla Quinones and DCHS Future Farmers of America (FFA) students Katie Barlow and Kelly Weathersbee for obtaining their FFA state degrees.
The school board approved a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) grant resolution for surplus material and equipment be advertised and a change of order for the DCMS kitchen project and the heating and cooling (HVAC) at NDES.
The DCMS and Dodge Prekindergarten (Pre-K) handbooks were approved for the upcoming 2013-2014 school year. The elementary schools and DCHS handbooks were placed on the table for a 30-day review until next month’s board meeting.
A spending resolution was approved for the school’s fiscal year beginning July 1, 2013 and ending June 30, 2014 for the purpose of allowing the superintendent to continue to expend funds to continue operations until the school board can adopt a budget for the 2013-2014 school year.
At the request of director Anne Bowen of the Dodge County-Murrell Memorial Library and the recommendation of superintendent Dr. Dennis, the school board approved to continue funding the library at the current rate of $1,000.00 per month for fiscal year 2014.
The school system’s school food service department received official notification that the Dodge County schools were found in compliance with the new required meal standards. As a result of this certification, the school system will receive an additional six cents reimbursement for lunch meals.
The Seamless Summer Nutrition Program started on May 28. There are currently 12 sites located throughout the community, which are open daily. Over 800 meals are being served daily.
DCHS was recently recognized by US News and World Report as a bronze award winner among our nation’s high schools.
Special purpose local option sales tax (SPLOST) income for the month of March 2013 totaled $153,902.23 and the SPLOST fund balance as of May 31, 2013 was $4,013,025.00.
Expenditures from the SPLOST account for May 2013 totaled $425,664.75 and included items for the field house and DCMS kitchen, architect fees, technology, softball field repairs, concrete test at bus shop, bus shop expenses and HVAC at NDES and SDES.
The following personnel recommendations were made and approved: resignations of Rita Culberson of school food service; Angela Pitts, DCHS custodian; Clint Sanders, DCHS football and golf coaching and Karla Spires, Dodge Achievement Center (DAC) teacher.
Retirements were approved for Cathy Brown, SDES teacher and Hardy Lee Gooch, bus shop mechanic/foreman.
The school board approved Carla Mills to fill the position of central staff accounts payable clerk/administrative assistant and Jennifer Lee as SDES teacher.
The coaching list to include new coaches include community coach Ezekiel Andrews, football and Megan McCranie for DCHS ninth grade head basketball coach, varsity basketball assistant, girl’s head soccer coach and assistant softball coach.
Darci Rogers was approved for DCHS yearbook and Cassandra Wright was approved as DCHS B-team basketball and varsity assistant.
Several coaching positions are still available are open to current employees.
Dr. Dennis informed the board Scarlett Driggers will be working at The Club during the months of June, July and August.
There will be a called school board meeting on June 25, 2013 at 5:30 p.m. for the purpose of the superintendent’s evaluation and continued personnel considerations.
The next regular scheduled meeting of the school board will be July 11, 2013 at 6:00 p.m.