The Morgan County Schools Transportation Department was presented a certificate of achievement by Superintendent Bill Hopkins Jr., second from left, at a school board meeting Thursday night. The award recognizes the department for earning an Excellence in School Bus Safety Certification from the ALSDE. Receiving the award, from left, are Hank Summerford, transportation director; Keith Clark, maintenance shop foreman; and Jimmy Blevins, inventory control. | Clif Knight

Morgan County Board of Education awarded contracts to Woodward Construction and Design of Hartselle to construct a new transportation and maintenance shop and a new fieldhouse at Falkville High School at its regular meeting Thursday night.

The transportation and maintenance facility calls for an expenditure of $907,878, or $200,936 less than the board-approved budget.

The bid amount for the Falkville High School fieldhouse is $244,578, or about $5,500 less than the  board-approved budget.

Kevin Gunnison, project manager for Volkert Inc, said metal for the Transportation and Maintenance facility, which is located behind Priceville Elementary School, is scheduled to be on site next week and completed by June.

“Construction of an access road and a pad for the building by District 1 Commissioner Jeff Clark and his personnel contributed  to getting a construction bid well under the board-approved budget,” said Superintendent Bill Hopkins Jr.

Gunnison reported that the pad for a new central office building on Alabama 67 in Priceville is complete and footings for the foundation are in progress.

The relocation of the transportation and maintenance facility and central office system from the sale of the existing 13-acre central office property on Alabama 67 in Decatur.

In other business, the board:

• Amended its exam exemption for 6-12 grade students by adding three days, effective for the second semester only as follows: make an “A” average and miss no more than six classes per subject, make a “B” average and miss no more than five classes per subject, or make a “C” average and miss no more than four classes per subject. Students may not be exempt a test when making below a “C” average in that subject. Three tardies to school count as one absence for exemption purposes.  Two half days constitute one absence. All absences, for whatever  reason, will be counted in the exemption policy.

• Approved a contract for Hopkins at an annual salary of $120,000. He will be entitled to receive whatever  raises are provided by the State to certified employees., He will be evaluated each year by June 30. The board may increase his salary from 0 percent to 5 percent based upon the board’s discretion after considering the outcome of his evaluation and based upon any other factors considered by the board. He will also be entitled to other benefits, including a $1,250 per month expense allowance.

• Allowed 200 fifth and sixth grade students from DMS to travel to Chattanooga, Tenn., on that date to visit Lake Winnie for Education Day.

• Approved a contract for services with Kristina Hutchens to provide transportation for a student.

• Accepted a low bid of $18,934.50 from Lynn Layton Chevrolet for a ¾ ton Chevy Van.

• Approved a strategic plan facilitation proposal from Lean Frog for a fee not to exceed $11,500.

• Approved family medical leaves for WMES librarian Courtney West and WMES teacher Kristi Hood.

• Accepted the resignations of BHS bus driver Jeanette Hoskins, DMS math team sponsor Nicole Chambers and Sparkman bus driver Helen Whisenant.

• Approved supplemental contracts with Tara Martin as math team sponsor at DMS, Pam Estes as lead bus driver at PES, Richard Gayle as assistant baseball coach at FHS and Nyleena Marie Cross as assistant girls’ soccer coach at DHS.

• Approved a catastrophic leaves of absence request for Sparkman instructional aide and bus driver Helen Whisenant, and Anita Dawn Burgess, teacher at Danville Middle.

• Hired Laurie Keaty as countywide special education aide and Amanda Wray as countywide bus driver.

Jackson Broadfoot, a senior honor student, presents the Student Leadership Showcase for Danville High School at the Morgan County Board of Education meeting Thursday night. He spoke extemporaneously about how his school lives up to the motto “Living Today to Lead Tomorrow.” | Clif Knight

Keith Wilemon, right, assistant principal and boys track coach at Falkville High School, receives a certificate of achievement from Morgan County Schools Superintendent Bill Hopkins Jr., center right after he was chosen as the National Federation of State High School Associations 2014 Coach of the Year in Boys Track and Field. Also pictured are board member Mike Tarpley, left, and Wilemon’s wife, Karen. | Clif Knight