National Board-certified teacher earn recognition
By DONNA THORNTON, Editor
GUNTERSVILLE — The Marshall County Board of Education recognized National Board-Certified teachers, School Counselor Week celebrations, and Career Technical Education Month at its Feb. 16 meeting, but the biggest news discussed at the meeting was CTE-related.
Superintendent Cindy Wigley announced the awarding of a $4 million Career and Technical Education Facilities grant to the school system, from the Alabama State Department of Education. The superintendent said $4 million in state A&T funds will be used with the grant for an $8 million upgrade.
“It’s the first significant upgrade since 1967,” Wigley said.
Wigley said she and CTE Director/Marshall Technical School Principal Patrick Smith worked together to write a competitive grant, and receiving it will allow for major upgrades including classroom expansions, reroofing, paving, building renovations, new overhead doors and canopies to enhance safety and learning, Wigley said in a Facebook post.
At the meeting, Wigley said the school district has worked to keep its tech programs updated, and they were thrilled to have the grant to upgrade facilities. Some awnings at the end of the building are crumbling, she said. “It’s a safety concern, and the doors are a safety concern.”
“This funding also allows for the fifth department/program to be relocated from the MTS campus, returning the campus to the sole purpose of student academic and technical achievement and workforce development,” she said. “This funding represents a significant step forward in our mission to provide students with the skills and resources they need to succeed in today’s competitive workforce. We are grateful to Dr. Eric Mackey, the Alabama State Department of Education and our legislative delegation for their efforts and look forward to seeing the positive impact this project will have on our students and community.”
The Tech School had many letters of support and commitment from local businesses, postsecondary institutions and workforce development agencies that helped make the grant possible.
“Together, we are building a brighter future for our students and strengthening the workforce pipeline in northeast Alabama,” Wigley said.
A number of CTE’s Teacher Academy students attended the board of education meeting – a requirement for their studies.
District Technology Director Charlie Jimmerson said he’s excited that IT/Network Operations is moving to a home of its own on Drive-in Road. He said the department takes care of 21 locations across the county, with 6,200 students, each with email – a lot of information to handle each day. There are 8,000 Chromebooks the department manages, more than 2,000 desktops or laptops, more than 250 printers and copies that are online, and more than 700 phones, 551 cameras across the district, and 450 miles of cable that connects the schools, along with the fiber that connects it all.
He said it’s good to see “some futuristic goals” with departments having a home so they can do their jobs.
CNP Supervisor Casey Partain told the board that a CNP employee, Clara Michelle Rogers, died. She’d been employed for about two years but had been unable to work since last March.
The board approved the following contracts and bids:
• Cuddle Bugs and Co., Vision and Hearing Impairments Services and other recommended services for students with special needs.
• Transportation South, to purchase buses using Sourcewell Contract No. 102623-TBB, paid by Fleet Renewal and Advancement and Technology Funds.
• Blue Plains Technology, bid for eRate Application to purchase network equipment for new construction projects.
Travel request(s)
• Tony Bolton, collision instructor, and Brad Oliver, automotive instructor, Marshall Technical School, to attend 2026 ASE Instruction Training, Frisco, Texas, July 20-23, grant-funded.
Personnel actions
Supplement(s)/volunteer(s)
• Kevin Terrell, Asbury High School, supplement for JV boys basketball coach for the 2025-26 school year.
• Jay Jones, Asbury High School, supplement for the boys and girls golf coach for the 2025-26 school year.
Additional duties
• In accordance with the Memorandum of Agreement between the Marshall County Board of Education and the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office, Wigley recommends the school board approve School Resource Officer John W. Keller to work as requested, to be paid an hourly rate for extracurricular and after-school activities.
• Shanin Edwards, teacher, Asbury High School, supplement for teaching during planning period for first semester.
Temporary contract service/agreement
• Milinda Giddy, long-term substitute, Brindlee Mountain Primary School, Jan. 26 through May 22.
Retirement(s) and resignation(s)
• Pamela Bradley, Child Nutrition, Douglas Middle School, resignation, effective June 1.
• Delmus McLain, teacher, DAR Elementary School, resignation, effective March 19.
New employee(s)
• Katrina Maddox-Windsor, EL auxiliary teacher, Asbury Elementary, effective Feb. 2.
• Brock Johnston, bus driver, Brindlee Mountain, effective Feb. 17 (new route).
The next board meeting will begin at 4 p.m. March 12 at the Marshall County Board of Education.
The Marshall County School System received a $4 million Career and Technical Education grant from the Alabama State Department of Education this month. The grant will be combined with other state funds to give the Technical School its first substantial facilities upgrade since 1967, according to Superintendent Cindy Wigley, who told board members of the grant last week. Photo by Donna Thornton l The Leader
