The entrance to the gymnasium at the new Priceville High School is shown above. The entrance to the gym is on the back side of the school campus. | Randy Garrison

Clif Knight

Hartselle Enquirer

A plan is in place for the opening of the new Priceville High School, according to Morgan County Superintendent of Education Bill Hopkins Jr.

“We could’ve opened the school today,” Hopkins said, “but after talking it over with Principal Mark Mason, we decided it would be better to wait until after student testing.

“The last day for ACT testing is April 19,” Mason said. “We haven’t decided on the date we’ll make the move but it will happen soon after the `19th.

Testing is an important part of the school year and we didn’t want a move to the new school to interfere with that.,” Mason pointed out. “Waiting a few more days won’t make that much difference when it comes to getting settled in at the new school. Students will have their classroom assignments and have a few weeks to get familiar with new surroundings. It should help us make a smooth transition from this school year to the next.”

He said graduation exercises would be conducted at the football stadium as usual with weather permitting. A backup plan will be to use the new school’s two gymnasiums, which would seat about 2,000 people combined.

The new school campus will be opened to the public for a ribbon cutting and open house later in the year.

Volkert Inc. representative John Hitt gave school board members a report on progress at the new school.

“We are making good progress,” he said. “The building is looking good.

His report indicated that the main building will be ready for occupancy in March and the field house, all site work and all punch list work will be completed by April 2016.

The Student Leadership showcase was presented by a third grade chorus from Falkville Elementary  School.

Matt Adams, a counselor at Brewer High School, was recognized as the recipient of the 2015 Peggy Roberts Murphree Memorial Children’ Fund Award, sponsored by the Mental Health Association of Morgan County.

Ms. Dawn Burgess, a Danville Middle School educator, was recognized as the recipient of Athens State University College of Education’s 2015 Outstanding Educator of the Year Award for Excellence in Service in P-12 education.

The board acted on other matters as follows:

• Approved a low bid of $15,055.00 from Teachers ‘N Tools for document cameras Title I funds will be used to purchase the cameras

•Approved out-of-state field trip for 10 TAG students from Eva and Priceville Junior High Schools and Priceville High School to travel to New York, NY June 7-12, 2016. This group of TAG students and their chaperones will visit and study various historical and cultural sites in the city and surrounding area

•Approved out-of-state field trip request from Danville-Neel Elementary School and Danville Middle School to travel to Chattanooga, Tenn., on April 29, 2016, to visit the Chattanooga Aquarium and Rock City

•Approved contract for services with Tara Forrest to provide tutoring services for Morgan County Schools, effective January 15 through May 20, 2016

•Approved contract for services with Amelia Canon to provide teaching/interpreting/translating services for Morgan County Schools effective Feb. 8 through May 26, 2016.

•Approved agreement amendment with Child’s Play Therapy Center LLC, effective Jan. 12. 2016, to increase weekly hours of occupational therapy services to identified students in the Morgan County School System for the 2015-2016 school year to 70 hours per week.

The superintendent recommended and the board approved the following personnel items:

•Approved application for continued salary in lieu of sick leave for Gloria Brooks, a custodian for   Falkville High School, for a total of 53 days (Jan. 4 through March 18, 2016).  Ms. Brooks     was injured while on the job

• Approved  employment of Felecia D. Wilson as pre-school teacher at Sparkman School effective Jan. 15, 2016.  Ms. Wilson will be replacing Tara Noe who resigned

•Accepted the resignation of Wayne Hoffman as end user computer technician/trainer at the Central Office, effective Jan. 5, 2016

• Accepted the resignation of Chris Mooneyham. a maintenance worker at the Central Office, effective Feb. 5, 2016

•Accepted the resignation of Denise Rose, a countywide occupational therapist, effective Dec. 18, 2015

•Accepted notice of retirement from Jimmie Blevins, an inventory control clerk at the Central Office, effective March 31, 2016

• Approved within school reassignment of Terina Nelson from 6th-reading/ELA teacher to 6th-8th physical education teacher at Princeville Junior High School, effective Feb.1, 2016

•Approved school to school transfer of Sovonna Brown from 6-8 math teacher at Eva School to 6-8 math teacher at the Morgan County Learning Center, effective Jan. 4, 2016

*Approved school-to-school transfer of Bethany Franklin from math teacher at the Morgan County Learning Center to 6-8 math teacher at Eva School, effective Jan. 4, 2016

•Approved contract for services with Anna Spradling to provide tutoring services for Morgan County Schools, effective January 15, 2016, through September 30, 2016

• Approved a contract for services with Maria Kennedy to provide tutoring services for Morgan County Schools, effective Dec. 3, 2015, through Sept. 30, 2016

• Approved the employment of Nita Landers as countywide bus aide, effective Jan. 15, 2016. Ms. Landers will be replacing Darlene Lambert who retired

•Approved leave of absence request (as needed) from Amanda Wray, countywide bus river, effective Jan. 5, 2016, through May 2, 2016

•Approved maternity leave-family medical leave of absence for Ashley Boyd, teacher at Cotaco School, effective Jan. 7, 2016 through March 28, 2016

•Approved family medical leave of absence request from Johnna Ladner, teacher at Priceville Junior High School, effective Dec. 15, 2015, through February 23, 2016

•Approved catastrophic leave of absence request from Robert Graham, bus driver at Brewer High School, effective Jan. 5, 2016, through Jan. 14, 2016

• Approved a catastrophic leave of absence request from Cam Harris, countywide bus aide and classroom aide, effective Feb. 1, 2016, through April 1, 2016.

•Approved the employment of Darryl Whitehead as a custodian at Brewer High School, efective Jan. 25, 2016. He will replace Dylan Thompson who resigned.