By Brittany Woodby

BWOODBY@CULLMANTIMES.COM

Good Hope Elementary Assistant Principal Cynthia Roden will be taking the helm at Hanceville Middle School as of July 1.

Roden, who has been an administrator with the system for the last three years, accepted the title of HMS principal Monday night at the Cullman County Board of Education meeting.

“I’m just thrilled and so excited,” she said. “I can’t wait to be there. My heart is in it.”

Roden said her goals for the new school year include improving standardized test scores and gaining more support and participation from parents.

“I hope we have a positive image this school year,” she said. “I want parents to be receptive of us and to get involved.”

“I’m excited and tickled to have Ms. Roden back at Hanceville,” Hanceville board member Sheila Kretzschmar said. “I know her knowledge and expertise will take us far.”

In other business:

* The board accepted the following resignations: Derinda Duke, ARI regional coach/ reading coach, state department of education, Holly Pond Elementary; Paul Morris, geometry teacher at Vinemont High; Leana D. Nunn, teacher’s aide at the Child Development Center; Brittany Wilson, custodian at the Child Development Center; Patsy Mayo, aide at the Child Development Center; Wesley Harden, middle school boys basketball coach at Fairview Middle; Douglas E. Webb, Jr., baseball coach at Vinemont High.

* The board approved the following transfers: Amy Hutchison from third-grade teacher at Fairview Elementary to second-grade teacher at Fairview Elementary; Donna Thomas from second-grade teacher at Fairview Elementary to third-grade teacher at Fairview Elementary; Mark McKelvy from fifth-grade teacher at Fairview Elementary to fourth-grade teacher at Fairview Elementary; Layla Minor from seventh-grade writing teacher at Fairview Middle to seventh-grade teacher at Fairview Elementary; Christy Brown from third-grade teacher at Hanceville Elementary to second-grade teacher at Hanceville Elementary; Lindsey James from kindergarten teacher at Hanceville Elementary to third-grade teacher at Hanceville Elementary; April Dean from fifth-grade teacher at Holly Pond Elementary to sixth-grade reading and writing teacher at Holly Pond Middle; Donna Humphreys from special education teacher at Cold Springs High and Cold Springs Elementary; Rhonda Howse from special education teacher at Fairview High and Fairview Middle to special education teacher at Fairview Middle; Janet Sweatman from special education aide at Good Hope Primary to special education aide at Good Hope Elementary; Miranda Rutledge from special education aide at Good Hope Elementary to special education aide at Good Hope Middle; Stacey Long from special education aide at Hanceville Elementary to special education aide at Hanceville Middle; Dana Powell from special education aide at Good Hope Elementary to special education aide at Hanceville Middle; Deanna Stephens from special education teacher at Holly Pond Elementary and Holly Pond High School to special education teacher at Holly Pond Elementary; Stephanie Barnett from special education teacher at Holly Pond High to special education teacher at Holly Pond Middle; and Tammy Guthery from special education teacher at Fairview Middle to special education teacher at Vinemont Middle.

* The board approved the following appointments: Whitney Carden to speech and language pathologist at the Child Development Center; David Smith as computer technician at West Point and Child Development Center; Steve Humphries as custodian at West Point Middle; book room helpers at the central office; summer program bus drivers; bus drivers for the Wallace State Upward Bound program; maintenance department summer workers; summer bus washer; J. Lynn Bradford, assistant principal at Child Development Center; Larisa Cotner, speech therapy at Child Development Center; Tammie Dunkling, VI teacher at Child Development Center; Drue Hightower, speech therapy at Child Development Center; counselors MEDC members at Child Development Center; and after-school substitutes.

* The board approved the maintenance department’s bid for Harmony School phase two to be awarded to Craft and Associates in Cullman.

* The board approved the request from Cold Springs Elementary School for permission to sell a 1983 Chevrolet S-10 Tahoe school truck.

* The board approved the child nutrition program to dispose of equipment that can no longer be fixed.

* The board approved the commitment to provide up to $100,000 as a match to the Secure Our Schools grant to be written and managed by the Cullman County Sheriff’s Office.

* The board approved the request from Good Hope Elementary to modify a classroom into an office space to make more space from the current offices for classroom spaces.

* The board approved to pay stipends of $100 per day during the summer to teachers and counselors for test training and/or test administration.

* The board approved the revision to the board policy Promotion and Retention.

* The board approved to pay teacher stipends for summer work.

* The board approved to pay consultants for summer work.