The Cullman County Board of Education recently announced Parkside Elementary teacher Kendra Dowski and Good Hope Elementary custodian Linda Chapman as the districts teacher and staff members of the month.

Each month the CCBOE partners with AmFirst to select one teacher and one staff member “who have displayed their ability and willingness to go the extra mile in their profession,” according to a press release. Employees are selected at the recommendation of their coworkers and receive a $100 prepaid gift card.

Dowski is in her third year as a Parkside PreK teacher and was praised by the school’s principal Caleb Elrod.

“She has worked hard over the last two years creating a learning environment that is second to none,” Elrod said in the press release. “Her expertise in conscious discipline and teaching procedures has been crucial in helping me with new teachers and she is deserving of this award.”

Good Hope Elementary principal Beverly Jenkins said Chapman has made a noticeable impact in and around campus.

“[Chapman] was hired late due to an unexpected opening and has come in and accomplished so many things in a short time,” Jenkins said in the press release. “She works hard each day without wanting to be noticed and is very deserving of this award.”

On Thursday, Sept. 12, the board moved for the final approval of next year’s fiscal budget with minor modifications from the first presentation made last month.

Changes from the first budget hearing include:

— Added revenue and expenditures from state and federal grant allocations which were received since the first hearing including Numeracy Act allocations, supplemental ARI, Title III and Title IV funds.

— Adjusted expenses based on prior legal and rental fees as well as testing supplies.

— Included the budgeted expenditures for renovations at the Child Development Center and increased expenditures for capital improvement projects at Good Hope Elementary and Hanceville Middle School based on recent estimates.

In other business the board:

— Terminated the employment of Good Hope bus driver Paul Chamblee.

— Accepted the following resignations:

– Jacob Russell: Holly Pond teacher.

– Elijah Page: Part time maintenance apprentice student worker.

– Rhonda Wynn: West Point High School aide.

— Approved the following voluntary transfers:

– Vince Williams: From Hanceville High School bus driver to Good Hope High School bus driver.

– Melissa McCullar: From West Point Elementary teacher to ARI intervention teacher working toward CALT certification.

— Approved the conditional employment of the following personnel:

– Kaitlinn McKissack: Secondary special education teacher.

– Noah Page: Part time maintenance apprentice student worker.

– Michaelle Basinger: Part time child nutrition program worker.

— Approved the following contract/salary changes:

– Justin T. Aby: Upgrade to Education Specialist.

– Crissy Dingler: Upgrade to Master’s

– Nina Moss: Upgrade to Education Specialist.

– Angel Carnell: Change hours from seven and a half to eight hours per day.

– Donna Drakes: Change hours from seven and a half to eight hours per day.

– Shelba Edge: Change hours from seven and a half to eight hours per day.

– Rebecca Glaze: Change hours from six to eight hours per day.

– Particia Hutson: Change hours from seven and a half to eight hours per day.

– Amanda Reid: Change hours from seven to eight hours per day.

— Approved a request from Fairview High School to pay Kristy Harris $750 for additional summer hours.

— Approved a request from Fairview High School to pay George Redding $2,200 for maintenance and mowing fields.

— Approved a request from Fairview High School to pay the following coaches for summer workouts:

– Logan Baird: $80

– David Carrell: $300

– Brian Simmons: $1,000

– Mason Black: $600

– Kyle Kugler: $200

– Jonathan Steadman: $40

— Approved a request from Good Hope Middle School to pay Shelba Edge $200 per cleaning of the gymnasium after middle school volleyball games.

— Approved a request from Hanceville High School to pay Emily Brown $1,200 for extra Athletic Director duties.

— Approved a request from Holly Pond High School to pay Jeffrey Horton $1,680 for setting up before and cleaning after varsity and middle school basketball games.

— Approved a request from Vinemont Middle School to pay Ginger Lamon $2,500 for operating school concessions and cleaning for all events during the 2024-2025 school year.

— Approved a request to pay Candice Baty a $500 stipend at the end of each semester for serving as a mentor as required by the ALSDE for temporary special education certificate mentee support.

— Approved a request to pay Jackie Chaffin $20 per hour for assisting in the production of live streaming Cullman County athletic and academic events.

— Approved a request to pay a $5,000 supplement to Pamela Roberson for additional virtual school duties.

— Approved a request to pay Rena’ Watson a supplement of $1,200 per month for additional duties.

— Approved a request to RN and LPN School Nurses at their hourly rate or their overtime rate for additional hours as required for any academic and athletic activities.

— Approved to pay a supplement to the following local school athletic directors:

– Adam McKinnon, Cold Springs Elementary (K-8) — $750

– Adam McKinnon, Cold Springs High — $1,500

– Kenneth Griffin, Fairview Middle — $750

– Brian Simmons, Fairview High — $1,500

– Elizabeth Taylor, Good Hope Middle — $750

– Scott Adams, Good Hope High — $1,500

– Brent Barnett, Hanceville Middle — $750

– Emily Brown, Hanceville High — $1,500

– Taylor Appling, Harmony — $500

– Daniel Weaver, Holly Pond K-8 — $750

– James Brett Neal, Holly Pond High — $1,500

– David Martin, Parkside — $500

– Michael Willliams, Vinemont Middle — $750

– Roy Todd Johnson, Vinemont High — $1,500

– Joshua Davis, West Point Middle — $750

– Shannon Anderson, West Point High — $1,500

— Approve for the West Point High School Scholar’s Bowl team to travel to Tusculum, Tennessee Sept. 28 to compete in a tournament.

— Approved a proclamation declaring September as Attendance Awareness Month.