The Greene County Board of Education, who had engaged consultant Dr. Daniel Boyd to conduct Superintendent Dr. Corey Jones’ annual evaluation, received the final report at a special meeting held Tuesday, June 25, 2024.
According to Dr. Boyd, (former Assistant Superintendent, Alabama State Board of Education), eight Standards were utilized in the evaluation including Leadership and District Culture; Policy and Governance; Communications and Community Relations; Organizational Management; Curriculum Planning and Development; Instructional Management; and Values and Ethics of Leadership. The five data sources included Questions and Comments from board members, central office, administrators, and principals; Superintendent’s Self-assessment Questionnaire; Professional Development Plan; Internal Data Sources and External Data Sources.
Board members’ evaluation summary results cited the following as Superintendent Jones’ areas of strength: Student and Staff Accomplishments; Consults with the board as necessary to handle the school district’s legal issues; Demonstrates good character and integrity. Three areas of weakness cited by the board included: Develops and nurtures relationships with community leaders; Works collaboratively with board to shape the district’s vision, mission and goals with measurable objectives and high expectations for student achievement; Available community resources are secured to help the school solve problems and achieve goals.
Superintendent Jones evaluation questionnaire summary results from principals and central office administrators include the following: Areas of strength: Is an effective spokesperson for the District; Professional development promotes a focus on student learning consistent with the school district’s vision and goals; and reports to the school board the status of projected student achievement and instructional program effectiveness. Areas of weakness include: Monitors and evaluates progress and revises plans as needed; Develops positive staff morale and loyalty to the system; and recruits and assigns highly qualified personnel.
Superintendent Jones evaluation summary indicated progress in six of the eight Standards, with an overall score of 3.77 on a scale of 5.0.
Dr. Boyd recommended professional development for the superintendent in the areas of Vision, Culture and Leadership; and Communications and Community Relations.
Editors Note: Specifics progress under Dr. Jones leadership regarding the three schools in the system will be provided in a follow-up article.
Tag: Dr. Daniel Boyd
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Superintendent’s 2024 overall evaluation indicates progress guided by eight standards
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School Board receives update on Superintendent Jones evaluation process
The Greene County Board of Education met in regular session Monday, April 15, 2024 with all members present. The board heard an update on Superintendent Dr. Corey Jones evaluation process, conducted by Dr. Daniel Boyd, former Assistant Superintendent with the Alabama State Board of Education and former Superintendent of the Lowndes County School System. Dr. Boyd presented the board members with evaluation forms, to complete individually, using five performance standards. Dr. Boyd indicated that he will return on Wednesday to administer similar surveys to the administrative staff and principals. He asked the board members to have their surveys completed and returned to him by that date.
Dr. Boyd stated that he will compile the findings of all surveys and present a final report on Superintendent Jones evaluation by June, 2024.
Dr. Boyd noted that the superintendent’s annual evaluation process is significant in clarifying leadership roles; enhancing communications; creating a common understanding consisting of multiple sources of data and providing mechanisms of accountability.
In his monthly report to the board, Superintendent Jones presented positive news for each school.
Eutaw Primary: K-3 educators are currently participating in Reading Data meetings. Educators will analyze most recent progress, monitoring data and make instructional adjustments. All K-3 grade scholars will take the Aimsweb End-of-Year Assessment beginning April 29, 2024. The educators will participate in i-Ready/ACAP Practice Test Data meeting during week of April 22-24. They will review pertinent information prior to administering Diagnostic 3. ACAP testing has concluded at Eutaw Primary.
Robert Brown Middle: 8th grade course selection cards completed April 4. ACAP testing completed. School wide Basketball Tournament scheduled for April 19. P.A.W.S. (Parents Always Willing to Support) meeting scheduled for April 30.
Greene County High: Scholars attended Future Teachers Day at University of Alabama. Seniors attended WOW 2.0 held at Shelton State Community College, sponsored by Alabama Works. Mu Alpha Theta celebrated at OWA and Gulf Bowl Entertainment in Foley, Alabama.
Greene County Career Center: Students participated in Modern Manufacturing Lear Corporation Industry Tour, March 14. Jobs for Alabama Graduates Career Closet dedicated. Students participated in Modern Manufacturing Hanna Steel Industry tour, March 27.
Current Construction/Renovation Projects: Flooring at EPS is complete; roofing is 95% complete due to landscaping issue. Press box at RBMS scheduled to be completed by June 2. Company replacing HVAC system at RBM has begun receiving materials. GCH still has roofing issues which are under warranty.
The board acted on the following personnel items.
*Approved compensation for the following staff for any College Career Readiness related activities for the remainder of the fiscal year 2023-2024 – Teresa Atkins, Nicole Henley, Paula Calligan-Leftwich, Tomora Morris, Shamyra Jones, LaMonica Little, Tamika Thompson, Angela White, and Tweila Morris.
*Approved resignations of Nkenge Reynolds, 7th/8th grade Social Studies teacher at RBM and Ashley Moody, 7th/8th grade Language Arts teacher at RBM, both effective May 24, 2024.
The board acted on the following administrative items.
* Memorandum of Agreement for Special Education Services between Community Service Programs of West Alabama, Inc. Head Start/Early Head Start and Greene County Board of Education* Job description for Gifted Education Specialist
* Quote in the amount of $36,229.00 from Alabama Door and Hardware, Inc. for doors at RBMS.
* Greene County Schools to participate in Winning Grant Training Program with MSB at The University of Alabama with a one-time fee of $3,500.00.
* Out-of-State travel for Shamyra Jones to attend the Jobs for Alabama Graduates (JAG) National Training Seminar in Las Vegas, NV, July 8-12, 2024. (Attending this conference is listed in the JAG Memorandum of Agreement.)
* Out-of-State travel for Tomora Morris to attend the SREB Conference in Nashville, TN, July 9 -12, 2024. (Pending available grant funding).
* Quote from Kelley S. Wassermann in the amount of $2,000 for two days of onsite assistance and training for Mosaic nutrient analysis and database collection for CNP Director and managers (Includes overnight hotel and travel expenses).
* Out-of-state travel for Rodney Wesley to attend 2024 Spring National Association of Basketball Coaches Clinic in Atlanta, GA on May 3-5, 2024.
* Payment of all bills, claims, and payroll
* Bank reconciliations as submitted by Mrs. Marquita Lennon, CSFO
* Permission for Career and Technical Student Organization (CTSO) members to travel to Georgia to Six Flags for their Educational Day on Friday, May 10, 2024.
CSFO Marquita Lennon presented the following Financial Snapshots as of March 31, 2024.
Operating Reserves: 5,73 (months) combined general fund reserve; 4,65 (months) cash reserve. All bank accounts have been reconciled. The General Fund Bank Balance totaled $5,728,137.95 (reconciles to the Summary Cash Report). Accounts Payable Check Register totaled $359,485.61. payroll Register totaled $947,547.82, (total gross pay, to include employer match items). Combined Ending Fund Balance totaled $7,049,670.75.
Local Revenue: Property Taxes – $42,146.87; Sales Taxes – $95,701.40; Other Taxes – $139,908.26.
Prior to the April meeting, the school board members participated in its annual Whole Board Training, Governing for Achievement, administered by Alabama Association of School Board staff. The first module of the five-part training focused on Committing to High Expectations, which has four expected outcomes: The board understands the high stakes of the Governing for Achievement programs work; The board feels a sense of urgency toward this work; The board understands the impact of quality teaching; The board understands the importance of building a culture of high expectations of all levels of the school system. -
Newswire : Greene County Career Center scholars highlight course achievements
L to R: Keyora Cross, Kaden Roberts, Quentin Walton, Jr., Brianna Powell, Marlene Lee, Kayla Nickson, and Jeremiah Bullock
The Greene County Board of Education held its monthly meeting, Monday, February 26, 2024, with all members present. The board held a student hearing prior to the official meeting, which progressed one hour past the scheduled time for the opening of the Board meeting,
A highlight of the meeting included presentations from Greene County Career Center scholars. Each student presented a brief summary of a Career Center course in which they are engaged. Keyora Cross presented from Health Science; Kaden Roberts presented from Modern Manufacturing; Quentin Walton, Jr. presented from Marketing, Brianna Powell presented from Jobs for Alabama’s Graduates (JAG), Marlene Lee presented from Cosmetology and Jeremiah Bullock presented from Welding.
Ms. Teresa Atkins, Greene County Career Center Director, asked students to introduce themselves and give a brief statement of their work, since the time allotted for them was very short. Other Career Center instructors and staff present in support of the students included Angela White, Counselor; LaMonica Little, Career Coach; Nicole Henley, Health Science; Patricia Rhone, Business Administration; Shamyra Jones, JAG Specialist; and Dexter Hinton, Modern Manufacturing.
Instructors and staff not able to attend with the students included: Tomora Morris (Marketing); Paula Calligan (Cosmetology); Zachary Rutledge (Welding); Jackie Clark (HVAC) and Tweila Morris (Secretary).
The Board approved the following personnel items recommended by Superintendent Dr. Corey Jones.
Employment: Jimirriam Roscoe – CNP Cook at Greene County High, effective January 29, 2024; Antonique Wilder – Long Term Sub, 7th/8th Grade Math at Robert Brown Middle; Linda Davis – Substitute CNP Cook.
Catastrophic Sick Leave for Cindy Taylor, Attendance/Truancy Officer for the Greene County School System.
Supplement for La Tanya Cockrell to serve as Superintendent’s Secretary, effective January 2024.
Supplement Contracts – Rodney Wesley, Assistant Boys Track Coach; Victoria Moore, Head Girls Track Coach; Torethia Mitchel, Assistant Girls Track Coach; Denzel Davis, Assistant Baseball Coach.
The board approved the following administrative items recommended by Superintendent Jones.
* Change order to replace ceramic tile in 5 locations at Eutaw Primary School by Floors and More, LLC in the amount of $6,564.
* Lowest responsible bid from Stateline Mechanical to install HVAC equipment at Robert Brown Middle School in the amount of $1,499,000.
* Travel for Superintendent Dr. Corey Jones to attend NSBA Conference and Exposition in New Orleans, LA on July 5 – 8, 2024.
* Travel for Board member Robert Davis to attend NSBA Conference and Exposition in New Orleans, LA on July 5 – 8, 2024.
* Out of state field trip request for Lamonica Little and 11th grade students to tour Jackson State University and Tougaloo College in Jackson, Mississippi on April 10, 2024.
* Travel to attend SREB Making Schools Work Conference – Nashville, TN – July 8 – 12, 2024 -Dr. Corey Jones, Dr. Charlayne Jordan and Garry Rice.
* Lowest quote from Joe Hurst, JAZJ Painting in the amount of $8,380 to paint the kitchen area at each school.
* MOA between the Greene County Board of Education and The University of Alabama at Birmingham for Robert Brown Middle and Greene County High School to participate in the Alabama Rural Learning Accelerator Program.
* Agreement between Greene County Board of Education and Tammy W. Lewis MSCCC-SLP to provide virtual speech-language services to students in Greene County Schools as indicated in their IEP.
* LEA Consolidated and Parent Engagement Plan for FY 2024.
* Payment of all bills, claims, and payroll.
* Bank reconciliations as submitted by Mrs. Marquita Lennon, CSFO.
Proposed 2024-2025 Academic Calendar Option 1.
CSFO, Marquita Lennon, presented the following monthly financials as of January 31, 2024.
Operating Reserve: 5.94 (months) combined general fund reserve; 4.87 (months) cash reserve. All bank accounts have been reconciled. General Fund Bank Balance – $5,989,902.60 (Reconciles to the Summary Cash Report). Payroll Check Register – $285,784.90; Payroll Register – $945,182.32 (Total gross pay to include employer match items). Combined Ending Fund Balance – $7,307,781.28. Local Revenue: Property Taxes – $1,948,298; Sales Taxes – $98,226; Other Taxes – $4,095; Total – $2,050,619.
Dr. Daniel Boyd, consultant who is leading Superintendent Jones annual evaluation, presented the evaluation process to the board which utilizes eight standards and five indicators, including various surveys/questionnaires. Through these he will collect data from board members and school personnel that the superintendent supervises directly and who report directly to the superintendent and make his report to the board between March and April. The superintendent’s self-assessment will also be included in the summary findings.
Dr. Boyd stated that the areas of improvement noted in Dr. Jones previous year’s evaluation included leadership, communication and community affairs. For the current evaluation, Dr. Jones must provide internal data sources, 16 artifacts documenting various areas of his performance.
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ANSC Spring Convention features workshops on voting issues
The Alabama New South Coalition (ANSC) Spring Convention featured workshops on a variety of voting issues.
This was in keeping with the convention theme that Every Issue Is A Voting Issue.
In the morning, prior to lunch, there were three workshops. The first was on Education with Dr. Daniel Boyd, State Assistant Superintendent for Instruction and former Lowndes County Superintendent of Education and Dr. Carol P. Zippert, Greene County School Board member and Chair of the Greene County ANSC Chapter.
Dr. Zippert mentioned her concerns with the recently passed Alabama Literacy Act, which requires that third graders not reading on a third grade level, not be promoted to the next grade, but held back until their reading meets the proper standard. Dr. Zippert expressed concerns about whether the state would provide resources for reading tutors, coaches and other support necessary for third graders to meet these goals.
Dr. Boyd commented on his work at the State Department of Education, saying, “Education is based on three pillars – the school, the home and the community – all three are important to the full development of the child. In some cases the schools will have to supplement what the parents can do and motivate the community to do more for the education of our young people.”
The second workshop was on Medicare Expansion and its critical impact on health care for people, hospitals, especially small rural hospitals and the general welfare and economic development of the state. John Zippert, who is the current ANSC President and Chair of the Greene County Health System reflected on the importance of expanding Medicaid to provide insurance coverage for 300,000 working poor Alabamians who currently lack health care insurance coverage.
Presdelane Harris, Organizing Director for Alabama Arise pointed out that despite claims by Governor Ivey and legislative leaders that funds were unavailable for Medicaid expansion, there was a source to fund Medicaid Expansion, prison reform and taking the sales tax off groceries. This would require Alabama, which is one of a small number of states that allows the deduction of Federal taxes paid from State income taxes, to end this deduction, which mostly benefits the richest taxpayers.
Harris said closing this tax loophole would generate over $700 million a year in new revenues for the state of Alabama, which would pay for Medicaid Expansion ($168 million first year, decreasing thereafter), prison reform and allow for taking the state sales tax off groceries.
Martha Morgan reported on the work of ANSC, SOS, Poor Peoples Campaign and other organizations rallying each week at the Legislature to urge the adoption of Medicaid Expansion. Zippert suggested that ANSC chapters and other groups may need to meet with their state legislative delegations to educate them and advocate with them on eliminating this regressive tax deduction to allow for progressive changes.
The third workshop was on voting rights. The presenters included Faya Rose Toure of Selma, Robert Avery of Gadsden and Jessica Barker of Huntsville. They spoke on a variety of concerns to register, educate and prepare voters for the 2020 elections, the Presidential Primary on March 3 and the general election on November 3, 2020. The group is planning a “Freedom Ride to Revive Section 5 of the VRA” from August 3 to 7, 2019 to push for restoration of the Voting Rights Act and ending voter suppression tactics across the nation.
At the luncheon in place of a guest speaker, twenty ANSC members spoke, each for a minute, about the voting issue that most concerned them. These issues included: gerrymandering, police misconduct, climate change, voter apathy, substance abuse, waste water treatment, involvement of young people and many others. This was a very spirited discussion.
After lunch, ANSC members held Congressional District meetings to elect members to the ANSC Board and to discuss local priorities.