By By Kerry Whipple-Bean
The Escambia County School Board on Thursday decided to allow the Poarch Band of Creek Indians to take over the Title VII Indian education program in the county schools.
"This project is supposed to benefit the Indian children," said Sandra Heibert, director of education for Poarch. "We as a tribe feel we're in the best position to administer the (cultural) component of the program."
Huxford Elementary School has the largest concentration of Poarch Creek students, Heibert said. Superintendent Billy Hines said the move will take some work from the school district's accounting department, because Poarch Creek will be responsible for accounting for the federal funding for the program.
Also Thursday, the school board voted to retain Brewton lawyer Broox Garrett as the board's attorney.
The move came after an executive session at which the board said it was discussing the "good name and character" of an individual.
Garrett, a longtime school board attorney, is also the chairman of the city of Brewton's annexation committee.
County school officials have criticized the city's annexation proposal, saying it would hurt the county schools in East Brewton if students were annexed into the city school district.
Board members had no public discussion before voting to continue paying Garrett's $500 retainer fee.
In other business:
"At a time when other school systems' enrollment is down, we gained 44.6 students," Hines said.
The W.S. Neal schools had a net gain of one student. Atmore area schools gained 22 students, and Flomaton-Pollard schools gained 24 students.
The increase in enrollment gives the school district an opportunity for more state-funded teacher units.
Financial statements will now be available at the schools Web site on a monthly basis, Madden said.
Also Thursday, the board approved the following employment changes:
Leave of Absence: Leah Fuqua, Teacher, Pollard-McCall Junior High School, maternity leave under the Family Medical Leave Act; Elaine Swilley, Teacher, A.C. Moore Elementary School, leave of absence under the Family Medical Leave Act
Resignation: Kimberly Renee Howington, 6-hour Lunchroom Worker, W.S. Neal Middle School; Frenchie Goodman, seventh-grade English teacher, Escambia County Middle School
Retirement: Vicki Jones, Business/Marketing Education Teacher, Escambia County High School; Anna Zarahn, Teacher, Escambia County High School
Employment: Holly Dellaccio, Special Education Teacher, A.C. Moore Elementary School; Jessica Blankenship, Child &Elder Care Instructor, Escambia-Brewton Career Technical Center; Mattie Boggan, Custodian, Escambia County High School; Gilda Stubben, Special Education Teacher, Huxford Elementary School; Kellie Steele, Business Education/Marketing Teacher, Escambia County High School (Replacing Vicki Jones); Rachel Chambers, Art Teacher, Escambia County High School (Replacing Anna Zarahn)
Employment Change: Debra Burnham, 6-hour Lunchroom Worker, Flomaton High School, to Lunchroom Manager, Flomaton High School.