Newspaper Page Text
Stye Aiiuance
The ADVANCE, September 29, 2021/Page 2A
BACK TO SCHOOL — Montgomery County teacher Melissa Barrow, center, works with
students Harley and Jade Kight in a face-to-face class last week, The school system re
sumed in-seat classes on September 20 following a two-week period of virtual learning
due to COVID's impact on the system,
MoCo
continued from page 1A
book like the rest of the
student population. The
Randolphs said the Special
Education students were
denied access to daily, on-
campus sessions due to
COVID protocols. The
parents said they did not
understand this limitation
once they discovered that
the school remained pop
ulated by staff and staff’s
children during this pause
in normal learning.
Stacie Randolph not
ed, “It is not as if these
(two) weeks have left
the halls of Montgom
ery County Elementary
empty. It only took a short
scroll through social media
to discover that many of
the teachers’ children were
roaming the hallways and
gathering together to play
and work on schoolwork.
If the situation was unsafe
and unacceptable for the
SPED students, why was
it safe and acceptable for
these children?”
Mrs. Randolph ex
plained her understand
ing that the recent pause
in face-to-face instruction
came because of a staff
shortage due to absences,
as she cited the school’s
press release regarding the
virtual learning period.
It stated, “Currently, the
number of staff who have
tested positive or who are
in quarantine due to expo
sure has impacted our abil
ity to continue in-person
learning.”
She continued to share
her perspective on the
pause of in-seat instruction
in regard to continuation
of athletic practices and
events. “This reality [of
reasoning behind the tran
sition to virtual learning]
was why it made sense that
the athletic department
would continue as nor
mal for these two weeks,”
she told the Board. “We
are not against athletics;
our family attends many
football games and other
events. What I am against
is the double standard: the
ability for large masses of
coaches and players be
ing able to congregate and
practice, but children who
desperately need in-person
learning for the successful
foundation of their educa
tion cannot gather.”
The two-week period
also seems a miniscule
amount of time to those
without special needs
children, according to
Randolph, who explained
she understood that most
would think that this short
period would not seem like
a big issue to most. “To you
all, this probably seems mi
nor because of the time
only spanning two weeks;
however, allow me to il
lustrate the difference that
two weeks may make to
these children. My (usually
nonverbal) daughter spoke
to her teacher for the first
time in her academic ex
perience on September 1,
the Wednesday before the
decision was made for vir
tual learning. On this past
Wednesday, September
15, my daughter refused to
speak while doing her sight
words during her half day,”
she told Board members.
“This is a direct result from
the lack of consistency and
normalcy in environment.”
Mrs. Randolph con
tinued, “These students,
specifically the ones whose
program you limited, are in
their prime foundation of
learning; numerous Special
Education teaching philos
ophies stress that students
ages 3 to 8 are dependent
upon structure and consis
tency,” she said. “You not
only changed the structure
of their day, but by mak
ing them only attend two
half-days of school a week,
you stripped them of con
sistency. They could not
get into a routine because
there was no sense of nor
malcy in their days.”
The pair concluded
their statements to the
Board by sharing the
frustration that they felt
from the perceived lack
of concern for the situa
tion from the leadership in
the school. They told the
Board that many involved
in making the decision had
been contacted but did not
follow up or respond.
Board Chairman Jim
Paul Poole expressed his
apologies to the Ran
dolphs. “We appreciate
you coming and speaking
to us tonight, Mr. and Mrs.
Randolph. We encourage
you to know that those
things will be reviewed,
and if we are in violation,
I don’t think there is any
one here that would be
opposed to correcting any
situation that could be a
detriment to our kids.”
Poole continued, “We
have all been faced with
things that stay out of our
control. Sadly, it usually
hurts some and has maybe
hurt everyone. We want to
continue to try to give our
kids the best education
possible - and that’s all
kids. Thank you again for
coming to speak with us.”
Action Items
The Board unanimous
ly approved the purchase
of the home behind the
Montgomery County Mid
dle/High School, which
was owned by Michael
and Lauren Stanley, for
$127,500. The property on
Dobbins Street is now the
third residential property
surrounding the school
campus that is owned by
the school administration.
Two other properties are
currently being rented out
by the School to residential
tenants.
The proposed millage
rate of 15 mills was ap
proved unanimously by
the Board and was adopted
into action by the Mont
gomery County Commis
sion on September 21. This
millage rate is the same rate
as last year, as the Board
explained that it had dis
covered this rate brought
the most federal funding
to the school. While this
rate did not increase, indi
vidual property taxes will
increase because of the rise
in property values in the
latest assessment.
The federal policy
GARHB Paid Parental
Leave was unanimously
approved by the Board.
This policy gives new par
ents - either by birth, fos
ter child placement, or
adoption completion - up
to 120 hours of paid leave
to settle into this new role
in life.
Board members ap
proved the contribution
of $12,000 to the district
Future Farmers of Ameri
ca (FFA) and Agriculture
program’s renovation of
the barn on campus. A fun
draising effort had already
brought in $12,000, but
an additional $12,000 was
needed for concrete work.
The previous air con
ditioning unit replacement
contract with Rivers Air
Conditioning & Electric
was rescinded by the Board
because of the company’s
inability to complete the
work in a timely period.
Interim Superintendent
Mark Davidson explained,
“I talked to Rivers and they
are very backed up in work
orders. They understand
and respect our decision
to seek other options, and
there are no hard feelings
in the situation.”
The Board also ap
proved the replacement
of the elementary school’s
15-ton HVAC unit in the
lunchroom by Alexander
Brothers HVAC at a cost of
$20,503. Several mini-split
units in the elementary
school will be replaced by
Airtech, which will cost
$4,852.
The Board also ap
proved the purchase of 100
yards of mulch to cover a
portion of the playground.
This mulch will be pro
vided by Thompson Hard
wood, which had the low
est bid of $1,762.
Personnel Changes
Nesbeth Blaxton was
approved to return to the
Financial Director posi
tion at 49% following her
previous retirement in July.
Davidson explained that
Blaxton’s role would be to
continue to train and aid
current Payable/Adminis-
trative Assistant Mylinda
Moore in financial work.
High school students
Gage Martin and Austin
Glisson were hired for cus
todial, maintenance, and
grounds keeping services
as a part of their work-
based learning program.
Kimberly Purvis’s res
ignation from her role as a
paraprofessional at the ele
mentary school was unani
mously approved. Current
high school Agriculture
Teacher and FFA Advisor
Sarah Larson’s resignation
was accepted on a 4-1 vote,
with Chairman Jim Paul
Poole voting against this
acceptance.
Return to School Report
Davidson shared that
he had completed a walk
through of all schools
upon the return to in-seat
learning on September 20
and the school population
seemed pleased to return.
“I talked to several stu
dents in the high school,
and they explained that
they would much rather
participate in face-to-face
learning — so, I am glad we
are able to provide that,” he
explained.
Davidson said, “We
would like to thank the
parents and guardians for
their support and under
standing while we were vir
tual. We realize that being
out of school is tough for
parents, as well as students.
We know our students
need face-to-face instruc
tion, and we sincerely hope
and pray that they are able
to stay in school for the re
mainder of the school year.
Other News
Davidson also in
formed the Board and at
tendees that 39 students
had been accepted into the
school’s permanent virtual
learning plan for the year.
According to Davidson,
these students are in regu
lar contact with program
overseer Rhonda David
son, and are receiving ef
fective instruction, just as
the in-seat students are.
Upon review of the fi
nancial report provided by
Moore, Chairman Poole
commented on the finan
cial status of the school,
stating, “It looks like we
are in very good financial
status.”
Interviews for the Su
perintendent position have
continued to be conduct
ed; the district plans to
have a permanent superin
tendent in place by the end
of the current semester.
Copies now available
From the
PORCH
A collection of
personal essays
from author Amber
Nagle’s weekly
column published
in The Advance
“Nagle writes with Southern flavor and charm,
capturing the rhythms of her life with grace ancl
artistry. ” - Audrey Andersen
Get your copy at
ntt