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May 21, 2007

AISD receives $700,000 grant

by Dan Gordon

A new trustee and more than $700,000 in grant money were introduced at the Athens ISD school board meeting last week.

Athens school board incumbents David Freeman and Bob Spears, as well as first-term trustee Raymond Williams, were sworn in at the meeting. Williams took the seat of former trustee Peggy Rhodes, who did not run for reelection.

The school board officers were unchanged.

A $719,000 Murchison Foundation grant for AISD was outlined at the meeting. The grant, which was proposed to the Murchison Foundation on May 9, will be paid to the district through 2009.

The district has agreed to spend a total of $150,000 in grant money over the next three years to enhance the Athens High School Advanced Placement Incentive Program. Other areas of spending include:

• $425,000 for technology equipment. The district’s purchases will include a computer projector in every academic class and mobile computer carts;

• $30,000 to establish for a college and career center at Athens High School beginning next year;

• $10,000 in scholarship funds to be distributed by the high school’s Athens Academic Renaissance Organization,

• $42,000 for outside experts to consult with district teachers;

• $12,000 for professional learning libraries at each campus. The libraries will allow teachers to keep up-to-date on their periodical and software skills; and

• pay stipends of $500 to $1,000 each for staff members who complete at least 30 hours of additional job training.

Additionally, the grant will provide the district another $50,000 per year in 2008 and 2009.

“This is the single biggest gift that they’ve ever given to one organization,” AISD Superintendent Fred Hayes said Friday. “I am really excited about this. Anytime anyone gives you three-quarters of a million dollars, it’s exciting to be able to use for students.

“They (The Murchison Foundation) do a lot for our students and the community in general.”

In other action, the school board approved a district policy amendment that would keep some students off the stage at graduation beginning this year. Under the new policy, students who do not meet both all of their academic requirements and their end-of-year testing requirements will be barred from participating in graduation activities.

The renewal of 18 service contracts with the Region VII Education Service Center for $87,000 was also approved.

Another action item, the high school HVAC renovations, was pulled from the agenda. The district received only one bid for the project: A $489,000 proposal from Estes, McClure and Associates.

District officials said a new bidding process for the heating and air conditioning systems would begin this month.

“We’ve got to get down with our calendar…but I’d say (the bidding process will last) about four weeks,” AISD Business Manager Randy Jones said Friday. “Hopefully, it’ll be voted on at our June board meeting.”

After meeting in executive session, the trustees approved the employment of AHS science and athletics teacher Tracy Carter, AHS social studies and athletics teacher Tonye Davis and Bel Air teacher Feleciah Brown. They also accepted the resignations of teachers Mark Wimberley and Donald Hammonds (AHS), Erin Hammonds and Wendy Gonzalez (Athens Middle School), Laura Wimberley and Jane Lunceford (Athens Intermediate) and Misti Pate (South Athens Elementary).

———

e-mail dgordon@athensreview.com

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