Students share gratitude for board members

The January Franklin County Board of Education saw more visitors than usual, with a packed board room full of students and parents waiting to thank the board members for all of their hard work.

January celebrates Alabama’s 27th School Board Member Recognition Month, so student representatives from Tharptown Elementary, Tharptown High, Belgreen High, Red Bay High, Phil Campbell High and Phil Campbell Elementary were present at the meeting to personally thank the board members.

“We want to thank all of these students for coming out tonight,” said Franklin County Superintendent Greg Hamilton. “Thank you all for your encouragement and support.”

In meeting action, board members approved new hires for the TRACKS program. This included hiring Savannah Smith as the Vina site coordinator and Lisa Gann as the Tharptown site coordinator.

Gann was also named the 21st Century program director. Funding for this program comes from a recent 21st Century Learning grant.

Five teachers were hired at Belgreen for TRACKS, along with one aide and one high school aide. Three teachers were hired for TRACKS at Tharptown, and one aide was hired for East Franklin.

Phil Campbell TRACKS will receive four teachers, one aide and two high school aides. Red Bay will have two teachers and four high school aides.

The board also accepted the retirement of East Franklin bus driver Paige Wehunt and hired part-time custodian Jeff Clark for Tharptown Elementary and science teacher Jennifer Cooper for Belgreen.

Lauren Moomaw, Bryne George and Mikel Mitchell were approved as volunteer softball coaches for Vina, and Callie Barber was approved a volunteer assistant track coach for Belgreen.

The Board of Education approved an out-of-state trip to New York City for Phil Campbell High School seniors, a senior trip to Orlando for Belgreen seniors and a trip to Orlando for Vina cheerleaders.