District leadership cites personnel, legal review from Oct. 1
By DONNA THORNTON, Editor
The agenda for the Marshall County Board of Education’s Oct. 1 meeting was made public Oct. 13. According to district leadership, because of personnel-related circumstances, the agenda required legal review by the attorney representing the Board of Education before it was released.
Superintendent-elect Clay Webber raised issues about the delay in releasing the complete agenda, as well as some personnel-related proposals on the agenda. He said the timing of some measures was political, designed to give pay raises and “unprecedented multi-year extended contracts to central office supervisors” and to restructure the hierarchy in the central office before current Superintendent Cindy Wigley’s term in office ends.
Two measures failed to pass on a 2-2 vote (board member Bill Hancock was absent): the proposed organizational chart and certain contract service agreements.
Wigley responded to Webber’s claims saying the changes were proposed in relation to the fiscal calendar, not a political one, and raises were proposed to bring the pay of supervisors in line with principal salaries, after a state stipend gave principals an increase.
“Aligning these salaries was a necessary consideration in maintaining competitive compensation across district leadership positions,” Wigley said.
The contract service agreements that were not approved by the board were:
• Kim Morrow, homeless advocate, Marshall County Schools, effective Oct. 1, 2026, to Sept. 30, 2027.
• Keisha Pearl, part-time math intervention, Brindlee Mountain High, effective Oct. 1, 2026, to Sept. 30, 2027.
• Lisa Tarvin, long-term substitute, Sloman Primary, effective Oct. 2, 2026, to Jan. 26, 2027.
• Brett Thrower, Growing Purpose Project leader, Brindlee Mountain High, effective Aug. 1, 2026, to May 28, 2027.
• Loretta Brackett and Vicki Naugher, district math coaches, Marshall County Schools, effective Oct. 1, 2026, to Sept. 30, 2029.
• Annie Spike and Deeya Holland, deputy superintendents, Marshall County Schools, effective Oct. 1, 2026, to Sept. 30, 2029.
• Emily Waldrop Gullion, assistant superintendent of elementary education and school improvement, Marshall County Schools, effective Oct. 7, 2026, to Sept. 30, 2029.
• Mark Howard, assistant superintendent of facilities, operations and prevention, effective Oct. 1, 2026, to Sept. 30, 2029.
• Larry Bolin, assistant superintendent of career technical education and CTE director, effective Oct. 1, 2026, to Sept. 30, 2029.
• Lauren Haygood, contract principal, Sloman Primary, effective Oct. 1, 2026, to Sept. 30, 2028.
The board approved the following personnel actions:
Supplements/
Volunteers, 2026-27
• Jessica Crews, Brindlee Mountain Elementary, supplement for Special Olympics sponsor.
• Darla Day, DAR High, supplement for color guard sponsor.
• Casey Griep, Brindlee Mountain High, supplement for assistant baseball coach.
• Whitney Harris, Brindlee Mountain High, supplement for Special Olympics sponsor.
• Liz Kauffman, DAR Middle, supplement for robotics sponsor.
• Joe Manley, DAR High, supplement for softball coach.
• Anna Matthews, Asbury Middle, supplement for junior high girls basketball coach.
• Kenny Reliford, Brindlee Mountain High, supplement for baseball coach.
• David Ritschard, Douglas High, supplement for fishing team sponsor.
• Jessica Williams, DAR High, supplement for assistant band director.
Additional duties
• Andrew Dewberry, bus driver, Brindlee Mountain campus, additional duties as Child Nutrition Program stock clerk/custodian, Brindlee Mountain High, effective Sept. 6.
• Meredith Miller, Asbury Elementary, additional duties as a teacher mentor, effective 2026-27 school year.
• Carmen Phillips, Naketa Randolph, Leona Sanders, Kara Simmons and Wendy Thacker, Douglas Elementary, teaching during planning period, effective 2026-27 school year.
Contract service
agreement (part time)
• Keisha Pearl, part-time math intervention, Brindlee Mountain High, effective Oct. 1, 2026, to May 27, 2027.
Retirement and
resignation
• Reagen Lashlee, junior high girls basketball coach, Asbury High, resignation from coaching duties only, effective Sept. 24.
New employees
• Mikaela Bagley, CNP worker, Douglas Middle, effective Sept. 22.
• Clarissa Bowden, custodian, Douglas High, effective Oct. 2 (pending background check).
• Griep, Teacher, Brindlee Mountain High, effective Sept. 27 (pending certification paperwork).
• Masen Howard, systems software specialist, Marshall County Schools, effective Oct. 7.
• Brenda Moody, administrative assistant, Marshall Technical, effective Oct. 7.
• Rebekka Sanders, part-time math intervention, Asbury Elementary, effective Oct. 7.
In other action, the board approved the salary schedule for fiscal 2027, an amendment to the Schneider Electric Building America Inc. contract, a bid awarded to Wyatt General Contractor for the construction of the Sarah King Mitchell Gymnasium at Douglas High School, and the following travel requests:
• Jennifer Morrison, principal, and Michelle Clay, assistant principal, DAR Middle, to the Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence National Conference and Awards, Orlando, Florida, Nov. 29 to Dec. 3; registration paid for with recognition, travel paid with local funds.
• Casey Partain, CNP supervisor, Marshall County Schools, No Kid Hungry’s Summer Nutrition Summit, New Orleans, in January, paid by the Summit.
Wigley offered congratulations to DAR Middle School on being named a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence. DAR Middle is Marshall County’s third school to be named with this honor. Out of 7,547 schools in Alabama, only 135 are Blue Ribbon Certified.
The board’s next meeting is scheduled for 4 p.m. on Oct. 29 at the Board of Education.
