Work will begin this summer to upgrade the lighting at Rachel Patterson Elementary School after board members approved a six-figure bid last Thursday.

According to Superintendent of Education Billy Hines, federal funding will pay for the $120,327 ADECA Energy Project. The funds were made available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009.

“They have a new type of florescent light out that is better for the environment and saves money on electric bills,” Hines said.

The bid was awarded to P.G. Wells Enterprises, Inc.

The current lights at Rachel Patterson are in working order, but Hines said that the grant funding was made available and the board applied for it.

“This is part of the going green initiative,” Hines said.

Hines said a reduction in electricity cost at Rachel Patterson is expected with the new lighting. He added that work to replace the lights is scheduled to be complete before the school bell rings in a new school year.

Also awarded were architectural services for the electrical improvements to McKee & Associates in the amount of $11,072. It is also part of the ADECA Energy Project and paid for through ARRA funding.

In other business, the board:

• Approved the 2010-11 Student Code of Conduct.
• Chief School Financial Officer Julie Madden reported the April financial statement, which ended with a fund balance of $9.07 million, down from $9.4 million in March.
• Approved to advertise for a Math and Reading Curriculum Specialist using ARRA funding.
• Tabled revision of board policy No. 966 Grading/Promotion Policy Grades 1-6. Hines said the change would make the county schools “uniform” moving all schools to a nine-week grading period. He said some elementary schools still use six-week grading periods.
• Tabled revision of board policy No. 966A Grading, Testing & Homework Grades 1-6.
• Approved the AHSGE Learning Lab Summer Program at the Atmore Central Office with one student tutor.
• Approved to advertise for a six-hour lunchroom worker at W.S. Neal High School.
• Approved to advertise for a teacher at W.S. Neal High School to work in the media center, effective June 7 through July 10 (Funded by Title IV, Safe & Drug Free).
• Approved the following personnel issues:

– Resignations, William P. Mosley, supervisor, Atmore Bus Shop, effective June 1; Shirley Stanovich, counselor, Escambia County High School, effective June 9 and Kellean Stacey, bus driver, Atmore Bus Shop, effective May 27

– Retirements, Terrence Dunaway, teacher, W.S. Neal Elementary School, effective June 1; Jane Henderson, director, Escambia-Brewton Career Technical Center, effective July 1; Juanita Ward, lunchroom manager, W.S. Neal Elementary School, effective July 1 and Gwynne Shell, counselor, W.S. Neal High School, effective July 1

– Transfers, LaShonda Marshall, secretary/bookkeeper, Escambia County High School, to teacher aide, Rachel Patterson Elementary School, effective 2010-11 school year

– Employment, Joseph Padro’, 21st Century credit recovery lead teacher, countywide, effective June 1, 2010; Sue Benton, bus driver, 21st Century Community Learning Center “Project MADE” Summer Program, W.S. Neal Elementary School, effective June 1; Julie Faulk, substitute teacher, Children’s First After-School Program, Flomaton Elementary School, effective April 1; Joseph L. Dean, principal, Escambia County High School, effective June 1; Kathy Douglas, community educator, 21st Century Community Learning Center Program, effective May 2 through May 28; Virginia G. Bell, substitute teacher, 21st Century Community Learning Center Summer Program, Huxford Elementary School, effective June 1; Elizabeth Alford, bus driver, Title I Jump Start Summer Program, W.S. Neal Elementary School, effective June 1 and Allison Reid, student worker, 21st Century Community Learning Center Summer Program, W.S. Neal Elementary School, effective March 29 through May 28.

• Approved the following summer employment:

– Children’s First After-School Enrichment Program employment for Flomaton Elementary School, teachers, June Kent and Julie Faulk and aide, Leslie Newton.

Save the Children Grant Program at Rachel Patterson Elementary School and Nutrition & Physical Activity Coordinator, Lori Bonds.

– Title I Summer School at Rachel Patterson Elementary School, teachers, Brian Stallworth, Leigh Ann Rowland and Jessica Lockett and substitute teacher, Tanisha Henderson.

– Title I Jump Start at Rachel Patterson Elementary School, teachers, Julie McDonald, Tansey Espey, Meagan Stewart and Melissa Nichols; aides, Murray Stephens, Latrice Bush, Linda Mills and Detrie Russell; office aide, Debra Smith and custodian, Michele Tolbert.

– CNP Summer Feeding Program at Escambia County High School, managers, Cindy Young and Becky Boutwell; workers, Earnestine Arnold, Linda Daniel, Lisa Sawyer, Mary Dow, Mark Rodgers and Debra Burnham.

– CNP Summer Feeding Program at W.S. Neal High School, manager, Cynthia Weatherford and workers, Barbara Shipp, Diane Ewing, Karen Capps, Eloise Ates and Janice Pettis.

– 2010 summer maintenance custodians, A.C. Moore Elementary School, Cal Abner; Escambia County High School, Jean Chaloux and Robert Smith; Escambia County Middle School, James Williams and Torris Richardson; Flomaton Elementary School, Sherry Cole; Flomaton High School, Floyd Wilson; Huxford Elementary School, Connie Waller; Pollard-McCall Junior High School, Brent Killam; Rachel Patterson Elementary School, Mary Zimmerman; W.S. Neal Elementary School, Ken Corbin; W.S. Neal Middle School, Jason Thomas; W.S. Neal High School, Robert K. Rittenhouse and Jason P. Blaney; Turtle Point Environmental Science Center, Kathy Steadham and Escambia-Brewton Career Technical Center, Michael Sutton

– 2010 student summer maintenance, Escambia County High School, Michaela Norman, Renard Brown and Dylan Broadbent; Flomaton High School, Brett Gafford and Josh Brock and W.S. Neal High School, Robert C. Milstead and Mario Gomez-Moncada.

– AHSGE Learning Lab Summer Program personnel, Atmore Central Office, lead teacher, Magaline Marshall; teacher, Carolyn Adams; Substitute teacher, Mona Simmons and college mentor, Brandon Marshall and W.S. Neal High School, teachers, Carolyn Adams and Susan Hardyman; substitute teacher, Michal Stallworth; college mentors, Douglas Revel and Jasmine Jones; student workers, Nathan Frazier and Morgan Cooper and substitute student worker, Wesley Maddox.

– PASS Grant Summer Program personnel, graduation coaches, Flomaton High School, Sherrie Lisenby; W.S. Neal High School, Patty Frazier and Escambia County High School, Kenny Revel and William Casaday

– 21st Century Community Learning Center Summer Program, Pollard-McCall Junior High School, teachers, Brent Killam, Andrea Stone, Virginia Parker and Kimberly Madden; substitute teacher, Karie Richburg; community educators, Shirley Manning, Sharon Chavers, Toni Lee and Connie Lewis; student aides, Amanda Dunn, Monica Dunn and Tyler Sawyer and college mentors, Mynetra Boley; W.S. Neal Elementary School, site coordinator, Sandra Reid; teachers, Sally Denton, Susan Parker, Rebecca Jordan, Linda Langham, Mandy Smith, Kina Burkett and DeAnna Ross; substitute teachers, Allison Nalty and Joe Ellington; student workers, Douglas Revel, Jared Robinson, Allison Reid, Danielle Grantham, Kaitlin Hadaway, Jordyn Madden and Shana Hoomes; substitute student worker, Caitlin Turner; community educators, Ashley Fore, Beverly Dozier and Fabiola Jones and custodian, Jason Thomas.

– 2010 Credit Recovery Program personnel, Escambia County High School, Keiana White; Flomaton High School, Erin Treadwell and Stephanie Spicer and W.S. Neal High School, Michal Stallworth.

– Title I Summer School Summer Program personnel, W.S. Neal Elementary School, teacher, Briana Hunt

– Temporary employment, Jason Tolbert, temporary part-time grass cutter, Atmore Maintenance Department, effective May 10.