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The Selma City School Board met for its first Board Meeting of 2020 on Tuesday night at Selma High School.
Selma City Schools (SCS) Superintendent Dr. Avis Williams was absent for the first board meeting of the year, but SCS Executive Director of Teaching and Learning Ozella Ford took he place during the meeting.
There were several Team Selma Celebrations at Tuesday’s meeting.
SCS’s Teacher of the Year Nominees and Winners were recognized before the Selma City School Board members were recognized in observance of School Board Appreciation Month.
Dr. Tonya Miles, Danielle Wooten, Phylis Houser, Brenda Obomanu and Board President Johnny Moss, III were all given certificates of appreciation as well as Mark’s Mart gift cards.
“We do recognize the hard work , dedication and commitment of our board members and we’re here to say thank you on behalf of our superintendent, our boys and girls and our educators,” said Ford. “We appreciate you and recognize your hard work.”
After the board members were recognized, The Selma High Air Force ROTC Program also received a shout out.
“We’re recognizing our Selma High [A]ROTC program for all of the work they are doing,” said Ford.
Ford commended the AROTC program for its use of social emotional learning, and not only meeting the needs of students academically but developing the “whole child” as well.
“We just want to say, on behalf of our superintendent, Dr. Avis Williams, the boys and girls in which you serve and the educators at Selma City Schools, thank you and we recognize your service to Selma City [Schools].”
Finally, The R.B. Hudson STEAM Academy Students who won the Congressional App Challenge were recognized.
During the public comment session of Tuesday’s meeting, Robert Stewart, on behalf of 100 Black Men Selma, Inc. and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, expressed gratitude for allowing the two groups to be a partner with Selma City Schools.
“Our outlook is that these youth in the community are our kids as well… We just wanted to express our gratitude and be thankful for your willingness to partner with us,” said Stewart.
During the superintendent’s report, delivered by Ford in Williams’ absence, the board’s attention turned to the ongoing issue of recruiting more bus drivers to transport SCS students.
“We just wanted to provide an update regarding the bus transportation,” said Ford. “We’ve been working since the first semester to work out a way to provide transportation for our scholars in grades 6-12. We’ve had a plan mapped out to roll out transportation in February but we’ve sort of hit a snag regarding bus drivers to provide that service.”
SCS Operations Director Joe Peterson said it was difficult to find certified and trained bus drivers willing to work for the bus driver’s salary that SCS is able to provide.
Wooten said that recruiting bus drivers has been an issue for as long as she has served on the board.
“What strategies are we using to get recruitment out,” she said.
Peterson said that recruitment flyers were being distributed within the community and jobs have been posted on the SCS website.
Peterson also mention an incentive3 to hire bus drivers.
‘We have made it known that we will reimburse [applicants] for any expense that occurs in them getting their CDL or school bus certification,” said Peterson.