001Call to order. Notices for the meeting were properly posted and provided to those who requested direct notification. Uh let the record reflect that all board members are present except Bradley Young. We'll have a prayer by Dr. Herring followed by the pledge by Mr. Christ. >> Holy Father, we thank you so much for a chance to be together. Um, and Father, we just pray for wisdom and for knowledge that you give us direction of what we should do uh to protect and prepare the young people that are in our charge. God, thank you for the privilege of working with these young people. We just pray your hand be upon them as you guide them on their journey. And this we ask in your precious name. Amen. I aliance to the flag of the United States of
002America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> We have an agenda before us. Do I have an a motion to accept the agenda? >> I'll offer. >> Can I get a second? >> Second. >> Any discussion? All in favor? Passes unanimously. I'll turn it over to the superintendent. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. I've got several folks that I'd like to recognize tonight. We've got a pretty pretty big night here in the board meeting with lots of recognitions and So, first, can you hear me? So, first we have the 2026 Alabama Environ. Yeah. The Ardmore Environ Environ Competition in Col Colombana Col Colombana in February. I always have trouble saying that. Team members participate in workshops, training, and competition activities. Students compete in
003teams and are tested on aquatic ecology, forest, forestry, soils and land use, wildlife, and a current environmental issue topic. Their hard work, critical thinking, and passion for natural resource conservation reflect the very best of Ardmore High School. The team will now go on to compete in the international competition in Starkville, Mississippi this summer. I would like to recognize team members and their sponsors with a superintendent accommodation at this time. First, we have Tegan Pepper. Congratulations, >> Alex Hensley. Eva Kennedy. Okay. Haley Gray, >> Riley Glette, Kiara Hogan. >> Okay. and sponsor Elizabeth Hillyard. Okay. Good luck to you guys. really appreciate it. >> Like it's all >> So now we have district honor band and all state band members band directors. The Alabama district band recognizes the achievements of exceptional school musicians. This year Limestone
004County Schools has a middle school student who earned this distinction. >> Oh wow. I would like to recognize Malia Bennett, an eighth grader at West Limestone, as well as her band director, Davin Cy, for this accomplishment. Ashley, >> they're not here. Okay, they're not here. And then the Alabama Allstate Band is an honor band made up of the most outstanding band students in the state who are selected through auditions. The festival features multiple bands including high school red, white, and blue bands as well as a middle school red band. These bands offer a prestigious opportunity for students to perform with their peers and work with guest conductors. This year, Limestone County Schools has one band member who was selected for this honor. I would like to recognize Blake Talbot from Ardmore High School. Blake also
005earned this distinction last year. Mr. Steven Ball, principal at Ardmore High School, is here tonight to help celebrate this honor with us. Okay, >> I was just going to give this to Stephen. Now we have Creekide Primary and Creekide Elementary. Um the Lighthouse School, Blue Ribbon School Award. Um Creekide Primary and Creekide Elementary were both recently named a two-time Blue Ribbon Lighthouse School based on the blueprint for excellence assessment process. The schools once again met the criteria in all nine categories. Student focus and support, school organization and culture, challenging standard and curriculum, active teaching and learning, technology and integration, professional community, leadership and education vitality, school, family and community partnerships and indicators of success. designation as a blue ribbon lighthouse school lasts for five years at which time the school will be eligible for re-evalidation.
006Blue ribbon lighthouse schools commit to sharing expertise and exemplary practices with other schools on a local, regional, and national level as well as providing mentoring and networking to schools seeking guidance and assistance in school improvement initiatives. I would like for Kade Baker, principal at Creekide Primary, and his team, I don't know if you've brought anyone with you or not, just Kade, come on up, Kade, to come forward and be recognized for this outstanding achievement. We'd also like Dana Reinhardt to come forward from Creekide Elementary. Okay. And now we get to recognize the Athens Limestone Education Retirees Association. So if you're part of that group, will you just raise your hand so we can know who you are? Wow. We got a good group. Yep. Mr. Terry, you part of that group now? Wow. Amazing. Amazing.
007All right. So we we frequently recognize our current employees for their accomplishments, but we do not often get a chance to show our appreciation and the contributions made from our retired employees that have been made in the past and continue to be made. The Athens Limestone Education Retirees Association was recently presented with the 2526 Community Service Award by the Alabama Education Retirees Association. Al is involved in numerous projects including purchasing books for the limestone child advocacy advocacy center. The counselors of the advocacy center read these books to children. Each year the group awards a minimum of one $1,000 scholarship to a graduating senior for college tuition books. For the 25 calendar year, one scholarship was awarded to a student from Ardmore High School and she's currently enrolled. Bill, you like this? At Auburn University, Al
008members volunteer at local churches to help with special needs members of the Birdie Thornton in Athens by participating in games, programs, crafts, and by helping with lunches. Al Teachers of Friendship Church have adopted classrooms and assist throughout the year with winter clothing and classroom supplies. They also volunteer hours in the classroom as needed. Retirees participated in a fundraising event for the Athens Women's Resource Center. For the 2025 calendar year, retirees donated $1,200. They offer free, compassionate, and confidential help for both women and men as they make family planning decisions. One retiree has volunteered 192 hours meeting with clients at the center throughout the 25 calendar year. Alle has volunteered 6,343 hours and has given 17,329 to a variety of organizations, way too many to mention. Tonight, we extend our sincere congratulations on this well-deserved recognition.
009We're proud to celebrate your achievements and grateful for your continued contributions to our schools and community. Now, we're going to ask you to do something if you don't mind. We're going to ask you to come up and if you don't mind just introduce yourself and tell us where you talked um here locally um in the county or or Athens city. If you don't mind if you'll come come up and line up up here would be great. >> He's suspicious. Um, I'd like to take a minute to uh to say I'm I'm the outgoing president and this young man, young compared to me, uh, is the new president and he took office uh, just a few days ago. go. And so we plan to carry on with all our community activities. But the point I want
010to make is there are lots of volunteers that are not standing here. Lots of them. They're out there throughout Limestone County, Athens City. Um, and there's many. We probably never even got their hours that they volunteered. And so it's not just an award, it's a state award. we competed against all the other organizations in the whole state of Alabama. So, it's the first time we've ever had this distinction. Um, and I I was telling Brian, we usually get the unit of excellence award. That's another award. And I said, well, that's pretty easy to get because we've gotten several of them, but we have never gotten this award. And I'm just so proud of all these retirees and the ones that are not here uh to they gave their time, their money, and most of all
011they love people. They love people and uh so I want to thank them for everything they do and the ones that are not here too. Uh about me, I've taught Limestone County. Um the first year I was hired as a special ed teacher and went to every school in the county but Elmont and Morrisville Belina. That tells you how old I am. And then when I got an opportunity uh I'd never been to Elmont and I asked to go to Elmont and I was asked do you know Mr. Dawson and I said no. And he said okay you can go. And so it was Kenneth Lutter that uh did that for me and I thanked him for that later. And then I my teaching years, the four years at Elmont, then to West Limestone and
012then ultimately I made some rounds and went back to Elmont and retired from Elmont and went back home. Okay. But my teaching years in the classroom and I got a couple of my students in here um were the best years I think and and it was um uh worked for several principles over there. >> Thank you. she's gave me big shoes to fill, but um I'm excited about working at this group, continue the efforts, and she said it's one of the most prestigious awards that the state gives. So, uh hats off to her for leading our group this past year and doing that. And like she said, all the other volunteers. Uh she looks pretty good for a 62 year old, doesn't she? She accomplished a lot. Um I am Brian Terry. I retired in
0132024 from the Limestone County Career Technical Center with 35 years of Limestone County Schools. >> I'm Shirley Williams and I retired from Athens State University with uh 34 years. >> I'm Vicky Stevenson and I retired from Athens City Schools, Athens. I taught at Athens Middle School uh 8th grade math for 26 years. I'm Trudy Romanine and I work with special needs and uh I work for the city and then most of the time was with the county. >> Allison Jones and I was at Clemens High School for 18 years and Elmont for seven. >> I'm Carol Malone. I spent six years at Athens co when it was Athens College as a staff member and then 25 years as director of continuing medical education at UAB Huntful campus. I'm Elaine McCord. Uh I started off as
014a title one assistant and then um moved to technology specialist and retired as technology specialists at Tanner High School and I worked at Piney Chapel for about 10 years. I'm Annabelle Posey and I'm a product of Limestone County and Athens High School, but I taught in Tuscambia City Schools and retired and moved home. >> Welcome. >> Thank y'all so much. I know of course you guys gave a lot during your careers um to make everyone better and that you can continue doing that is great. I appreciate you guys volunteering and make a difference still making a difference today with children here in Limestone County and others. So, thank you so much for what you're doing. And these ladies make me feel guilty that I pay my dues, but I don't ever do anything. >> You
015don't do anything? >> I'm going have to do something, aren't I? >> Amazing. Come on. Come on, Mr. Terry. Get on. Yes. Take care, Miss Malone. I'm sure most of us can think of that um favorite teacher we had along the way and what a difference they made in our lives. So, we certainly appreciate those individuals being here tonight. Did want to mention my last part is just to mention that our transportation department um 136 buses were inspected and there were no major deficiencies of the 136 buses and this keeps happening year after year and we don't take it for granted. We appreciate our mechanics, Russ Cleveland, leading that effort, but um they do a great job keeping our buses rolling and in great shape for our students. >> We'll know how the CSFO financial
016update, Miss Hub, >> February 2026. If you look at our local source of revenue, it's 3.3 million and that's 70.76% of what we have budgeted now when we once we hit February is going to go down now we've collected about all of that and March hit the floor for our lawsuit sales tax so we're >> in March >> so we're going to see it kind of level off if you look over on the next page projects. We've already moved over our 2.5 million and then the additional you see sitting there 167,000 that's interest that the capital project fund has has actually earned. If you look at our expenses we have 51.1 million. fun balance our local revenue you can see where you look at adorum like the first line you can see where it came
017in December and January and that's starting to fall off because it all should have been collected by Ron Patter's office and sent over to us by now our sales tax is at 92 and remember there's another 2.5 that's sitting over in the capital project fund for this If you look at our interest, we're at 1.2 million. We got 222,000 in February. And then on our month end fund balance report, my chart, you can see that we shot back up from last month. And Okay. Thank you, M. Um, do I have a motion to accept the consent agenda? >> Second offers. Miss Maples seconds. Uh, any discussion? All in favor? It's unanimous. Item seven, discussion, approval of personnel actions. >> Do I have a motion? >> Mr. Hood offers. >> I'll second. >> Miss Fqua seconds.
018Any discussion? All in favor? It's unanimous. Item eight, discussion, approval, rescheduling of the October 13, 2026 board meeting to October 20th, 2026. Do I have a motion? >> Boy, nobody wants to accommodate you, don't you? Right. I'll offer >> dispute offers. Have a second. >> I'll second. >> Thank you. All in favor? All oppose? >> All right. You got all that? >> All right. Item nine, discussion approval of the closure of the CD bank account for Ardmore High School and transfer of account to the school's general fund bank account. >> Do I have a motion? >> I offer. Okay, Dr. Herring offers. Can I have a second? Anthony, we're all looking at you. Wait, wait. I'll offer >> Anthony offers a second. Any disc is there any discussion? >> Any background? We can um so
019I know Stephen it wasn't gaining much interest of course um in the CD and y'all wanted to move into your general fund account. It's not their general fund gets like a percent and a half more interest than their CD account does. So they're going to move it over to the general fund but keep it separate in a different activity so they'll know that the actual that's what they'll be >> just out of curiosity is there any strings attached to this money was it given for some purpose it has to go to some >> it was it was given way before my time and best I could find out no there was not any strings attached to I did. >> Seems like everything has strings attached. Find that shock. Yeah. Yeah. >> But for some reason
020that we don't know about in case it came up. >> So they'll just basically be drawing more interest off of it. They can use the interest, but it'll >> Okay. All right. All in favor? It's unanimous. Item 10, discussion approval of 2026 2027 salary schedules. Do I have a motion? >> Mr. Hillard offers a motion. Do I have a second? >> Miss Fwell seconds. Any discussion? That's reflecting the 2% >> that is that would be 2% for all employees. Special ed supplements have been added um changing the classified from 35 to 25 years. That's all been included in the salary. Any further discussion? All in favor? It's unanimous. Item 11, adjournment. >> Anthony, >> Miss Chris offers. I'll >> second. >> Miss Maple, Dr. Maple seconds. All in favor. It's unanimous. Good night, y'all. >>
021Thank y'all.