Cullman City School Principal Tricia Culpepper escorts two students inside during the first day of school in Aug. 2020.

Cullman City Primary School Principal Tricia Culpepper has been named one of three finalists for Alabama’s National Distinguished Principal in the Elementary Division.

Cullman City Schools Superintendent Susan Patterson reported the news during Tuesday night’s meeting of the Cullman City School Board, and recognized Culpepper for the honor while wishing her good luck in being selected as the state’s top principal. 

“We want to congratulate her on that and also wish her well,” she said. 

Patterson said the National Distinguished Principal program has some stringent requirements that have to be met in a short time, including videos and parent interviews, and Cullman City Schools Technology Coordinator Michael Fowlkes has been lending Culpepper a hand as she prepares for the final selection.

“It’s a lot of work, but it’s definitely an honor and a prestige for her, so we appreciate job she does at the primary school and hope to see her make it to the top one,” she said. 

The National Distinguished Principal program is conducted by the National Association of Elementary School Principal’s to honor outstanding elementary and middle-level administrators in all 50 states for setting high standards for instruction, student achievement, character, and climate for the students, families, and staffs in their learning communities.

In other business, Patterson also reported that the system had nine COVID-19 cases among teachers, students and staff members this week, which is down from last week’s total of 23 cases. 

“I was pleased to see that,” she said. 

School systems around the state report their total cases to the Alabama Department of Public Health every Tuesday, and the data is published weekly on the Department of Health’s COVID-19 dashboard on alabamapublichealth.gov

In other business, the board:

• Approved December 2020 payroll of $2,642,361.27, invoices paid of $613,664.62, financial statements and bank reconciliations.
• Approved Head Start Expenditures Report for December 2020.
• Approved Head Start/Health/Nutrition/Disabilities/Enrollment Report for December 2020.
• Gave permission to contract with Jessica Williams to clean floors/carpet at Cullman City Primary School during summer 2021 (CCPS/Head Start funds).
• Gave permission to contract with Lois Bice to work up to 10 additional days during summer 2021 to prepare Head Start for upcoming school year (Head Start funds).
• Gave permission to contract with Marci Watts to work an additional 10 days during summer 2021 to prepare Head Start for upcoming school year (Head Start funds).
• Gave permission to contract with Erika Lee to work an additional five days during summer 2021 to prepare Head Start for upcoming school year (Head Start funds).
• Gave permission to contract with Kalysha Whittle to work an additional five days during summer 2021 to prepare Head Start for upcoming school year (Head Start funds).
• Gave permission to contract with Jenna Bates to coordinate Earth Day activities for CCPS and Head Start in the spring of 2021 (local school funds).
• Gave permission to contract with Briana Bauer to provide sixth grade virtual content creation and delivery to virtual students during second semester (COVID-19 funds).
• Gave permission to contract with Sashari Caretti to provide sixth grade virtual content creation and delivery to virtual students during second semester (COVID-19 funds).
• Gave permission to contract with Kylie Bates to provide virtual education services to virtual students during second semester (COVID-19 funds).
• Gave permission to contract with Kim Dockery to provide virtual education services to virtual students during second semester (COVID-19 funds).
• Approved the following personnel items:
• Leave of absence
• Amy Smith, itermittent Family and Medical Leave beginning Jan. 4.
• Employments
• Madison Wilhite, temporary kindergarten teacher at CCPS (to fill a leave of absence) tentatively from March 1 through May 28.
• Savanna Ball, Pre-K special education instructional assistant at CCPS beginning Jan. 19.
• Linda Purkey, temporary special education teacher at East Elementary School beginning Feb. 1 through May 28.
• Danielle Akridge, afternoon extended day program teacher at EES beginning Jan. 25.
• Valerie Parris, morning extended day program teacher at EES beginning Jan. 5.
• Unused vacation days
• Payment of unused vacation days to the estate of Jamie Sweatmon.
• Supplement
• Jaime Burgess and Josh Clemmons, ninth grade boys basketball supplement (split 50 percent to each).
• The Cullman City School Board will next meet on Feb. 16 at 5 p.m. in the Central Office Board Room.