The Escambia County Board of Education paid a special trip to Atmore Thursday, holding its regularly scheduled board meeting at Rachel Patterson Elementary School.

RPES provided a student program for the board members as part of January’s State School Board Appreciation Month.
Interim Superintendent Randal Little said the board always looks forward to traveling to different schools for special meetings.

“We enjoyed it immensely,” Little said. “It’s a unique and special treat for us.”

Seated amid a large crowd gathered in the RPES library, the board got down to the month’s business, but not before a special program including songs and a big thank you for a job well done from the RPES children’s choir.

In other business, the board:

• Heard a review of education, business and industry from Escambia Brewton Career Technical School Principal David Lanier, who praised the job Escambia County doing by implementing business technology and industry classes in area schools.
“Alabama is the only state in the union to require career tech programs to certify to industry standards,” Lanier said.

• Heard a review of the monthly financial statement from Chief Financial Officer Julie Madden. Madden reported a budget of $10.5 million as of Dec. 31, 2011. That total is up from one year ago by $450,000 Madden said. She also reported the balance gives the BOE a 3.5 month reserve of funds.

• Approved a resolution allowing the BOE to bid for type C school buses.

• Approved a three-year contract for Gregory L. Shehan as principal of Huxford Elementary School effective Jan. 9, 2012, and lasting through Jan. 9, 2015.

Before adjourning Thursday’s meeting, board Chairman Willie Grissett said he believes the first meeting of the new year is a great time to renew the board’s dedication to education in Escambia County and added that goal will take determination and hard work.

“We can’t just come to expect excellence,” Grissett said. “We must demand it.”

The BOE’s next scheduled meeting will be held Thursday, Feb. 23, at the home office in Brewton.