Longtime W.S. Neal Principal Phillip Ellis left a lasting impression on all those affiliated with the Escambia County School System.

Ellis lost a yearlong battle to cancer Monday and was laid to rest Friday morning after family, friends, students, teachers and staff of schools across the county paid their final respects to the 21-year veteran educator. His funeral was held in O.C. Weaver Auditorium on the campus of the school he held so dear to his heart, a place his family felt was fitting for a final farewell.

To honor his legacy, board members set aside a few minutes prior to Thursday’s school board meeting to remember the man that touched the lives of so many.

“The flags of our souls are flying at half-mass today because of the loss of our dear principal and friend, Mr. Phillip Ellis,” board member Danny Benjamin said. “He was a great friend to all of us and I think it would be fitting today at this board meeting not only to have a moment of silence, but a moment of prayer for his family.”

Benjamin then led the board and those in attendance in prayer.

“Gracious God our Father, we come before you now with heavy hearts, but yet we are grateful,” Benjamin prayed. “We are grateful for all of your blessings and how you blessed us with Mr. Ellis in our system for 38 long years. His dedication, his devotion, his loyalty and his integrity, we thank you for that Lord. We ask you now to bless Saundra, Elizabeth, Karen and all those that are connected to the Ellis family, let them know this moment that the earth has no sorrow that Heaven can not heal. Father we thank you for the lives he touched over the years, bless this board, bless this gathering this evening. We ask it all in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

After paying their respects to Ellis and his devotion as an administrator, the board later approved the hiring of three new administrators.

Linda Shuford was hired as principal of Escambia County Middle School to replace Zickeyous Byrd who is now principal at Escambia County High School. Shuford, an 18-year veteran, has four years administrative experience and transfers to ECMS after most recently serving as assistant principal at ECHS.

“I’m very excited about this opportunity,” Shuford said. “I feel honored to step up to the plate and carry on the dynasty that Mr. Byrd has already established. I know what these children need. Mr. Byrd and I are going to network together and I plan to keep everything in place. I would like to give thanks to God for using whom he used to put me in this position. I know that a lot of prayers went up and I want to thank everyone who supported me. It seems as if I’m going full circle in my career, and I hope that the teachers at the middle school will share in the enthusiasm that I have for this upcoming year.”

Joining Byrd at ECHS will be Forrest Dale Jones, who was hired as one of his assistant principals. Jones had been serving as teacher and football coach at ECMS.

“I’m excited to join the staff at Escambia County High School,” Jones said. “I appreciate the opportunity that Mr. Byrd and the board have given me. I’m looking forward to working with the faculty, staff, students and the Atmore community to help Mr. Byrd implement his new vision for the high school.”

In addition, John Brantley, who has taught at Rachel Patterson Elementary School, was hired as assistant principal at W.S. Neal Elementary School replacing Sandra Reid. His first day on the job will be July 26.

In other business, the board:

• approved the revised salary schedule effective July 1, 2010-June 30,2011;

• awarded the 2010-11 video surveillance equipment bid to Audio Plus in the amount of $65,711.90;

• OK’d the JROTC salary schedule effective July 1, 2010-June 30, 2011;

• approved the Title I after-school tutoring program at W.S. Neal Elementary School to begin Aug. 9 and continue two days per week for two hours and continuing for 20 weeks. The program requires two teachers;

• approved the 21st Century Community Learning Center “Project Made” program at W.S. Neal Elementary School from Aug. 9, 2010 through May 31, 2011. The program will be held Monday through Thursday from 3 p.m. until 5:15 p.m. and Friday from 3 p.m. until 4 p.m. The program requires one site coordinator, six certified teachers, two student workers and three community educators.

• approved the following personnel:

• Resignations, Christy Finch, 6th Grade language arts teacher, Escambia County Middle School, effective July 6; Shane Spence, six-hour lunchroom worker, Flomaton High School, effective July 8; Tanner Shehan, summer student worker, W.S. Neal Elementary School, effective July 6; Robert Wilkerson, teacher, Escambia County High School, effective June 25; Timothy Moorer, social studies teacher, Escambia County Middle School, effective July 12 and Mary Zimmerman, summer custodian, Rachel Patterson Elementary School, effective July 14.

• Transfers, Jenny Engle, teacher, W.S. Neal Elementary School, to kindergarten teacher, Flomaton Elementary School, effective Aug. 4; Forrest Dale Jones, teacher, Escambia County Middle School, to assistant principal, Escambia County High School, effective July 26 (replacing David Lanier); Yolanda Walters, teacher, Escambia County Middle School, to science teacher, Escambia County High School, effective Aug. 4 (replacing Jay Hay); Tonya Grant, counselor, Escambia County Middle School, to counselor, Escambia County High School, effective July 26 (replacing Shirley Stanovich); Eddie Reed, teacher, Escambia County Middle School, to math teacher, Escambia County High School, effective Aug. 4 (replacing John Saxon) and Linda Shuford, assistant principal, Escambia County High School, to principal, Escambia County Middle School, effective July 19 (replacing Zickeyous Byrd).

• Employments, Terry Levan, math teacher, Flomaton High School, effective Aug. 4 (replacing Selina Kornegay); Larry Lambeth, mechanic, Brewton Bus Shop, effective July 19 (replacing Wesley Dunn); Marion Collins, Early Childhood teacher aide, Early Steps to Success Program, effective July 1 through July 30 (Save the Children Grant); Douglas Revel, summer student worker, W.S. Neal Elementary School, effective July 5; Tanner Shehan, summer student worker, W.S. Neal Elementary School, effective July 5; Caleb Palmer, summer student worker, W.S. Neal Elementary School, effective July 5 (replacing Tanner Shehan); Elizabeth Crosby, elementary teacher, Flomaton Elementary School, effective Aug. 4 (replacing Linda Luttrell); Kristen Roberts, science teacher, Escambia County Alternative School, effective Aug. 4 (replacing Mary Flowe); Cindy Scott, Class Size Reduction teacher, A.C. Moore Elementary School, effective Aug. 4; John Brantley, assistant principal, W.S. Neal Elementary School, effective July 26 (replacing Sandra Reid); Kimberly Huggins, secretary/bookkeeper, Escambia County Middle School, effective July 19 (replacing Linda Stevenson); Franklin Boykin, math teacher, Escambia County High School, effective Aug. 4 (replacing Tarvarris Gilbert); Rachel Chambers, art teacher, Escambia County High School, effective Aug. 4 (replacing Holly Fowler); Melissa Ingram, Nutrition & Physical Activity Coordinator, after-school tutoring, Rachel Patterson Elementary School, effective Aug. 4 (Save the Children Grant) and Ashley Turk, Literacy tutor, in-school and after-school tutoring, Rachel Patterson Elementary School, effective Aug. 4 (Save the Children Grant).

• Temporary employment, the following personnel will work during off-contract days as necessary, Gwynne Shell, counselor, W.S. Neal High School, not to exceed 10 days (for scheduling).

• Rehires, Shirley Stanovich, counselor, W.S. Neal High School, effective July 26 (amending hire date); Kimberly Palmer, elementary teacher, Flomaton Elementary School, effective Aug. 4; Jill Coulter Stewart, math teacher, Escambia County Alternative School, effective Aug. 4 (replacing Curt Bell); John Saxon, math teacher, W.S. Neal High School, effective Aug. 4 (replacing Rachel Knowles); James Warren, special education teacher, Escambia County High School, effective Aug. 4 and Andrea Chance, social studies teacher, Escambia County High School, effective Aug. 4.

• Employment changes, Amy Bell, 1st grade teacher, Pollard-McCall Junior High School, to 5th grade teacher, Pollard-McCall Junior High School, effective Aug. 4 and Stephanie Buitron, office aide, Escambia County High School, to secretary/bookkeeper, Escambia County High School, effective July 19 (replacing Lashonda Marshall).

• scheduled the next school board meeting for 4:30 p.m. on July 29 at the central office in Brewton to hire additional personnel