From The Trussville Tribune staff reports
PINSON — During a meeting of the Pinson City Council on Monday night, the council heard from several speakers. Among them was Oscar Mann, who is running for re-election at the Jefferson County Board of Education. Some time after Mann spoke, the council heard from another speaker: Michael Turner, principal at Pinson Valley High School.
Turner spoke on the school. He discussed a rating that PVHS received when the Alabama Accountability Act was passed in which students in the tenth grade took tests on computers to see how they were faring in schools. A portion Alabama schools fell into the bottom in scores, labeling them as “failing schools”. PVHS was placed among the failing schools, something that Turner said distressed him.
He reported that since then, programs have been implemented to make improvements, including intervention programs in math and reading. Absenteeism is an issue that he said the school has tackled by directly addressing parents about bringing their children to school on time.
He reported that, as a result of their efforts, PVHS now has a graduation rate of 92 percent, increasing from 89 percent and that the graduating class this year will be above 90 percent. Turner also said that students now get indicators of where they struggling in areas of learning and the school works with them to improve.
Turner cited the report cards that were released in February this year where he said that PVHS reached a grade of 69.4, which is a “D” grade.
“I do not think that the numerical grade of a 69.4 really reflects what’s inside that school building,” he said. “As a matter of fact, I know it does not. However we had a change – and I’m not making excuses, although it may seem – at the counter and so therefore data that should have been entered was not entered. When I caught it, we entered it. However, the window had closed.”
Turner said that the data they tried to enter should have put the school at 70.
“We accepted it,” he said. “We owned it. And now we’re moving forward and we’re continuing the body of work. And it’s a gradual progress and the work is being done.”
Turner mentioned the upcoming AIRSS program that the school is undergoing in which contact will be made with astronauts on the International Space Station on April 10, after 1 p.m.
Later in the meeting, the council approved a $2,200 purchase of a refrigerator for the Pinson Youth Sports Complex. Sanders said that the previous unit has failed and was in need of replacement.
After this, the council heard from Eric Hendon from Hendon + Huckestein Architects on recommendations for bids regarding Rock School Center. He gave a report, saying that bids were opened on March 1 for other renovations to the building. The low bidder was Seay Construction in Trussville. Hendon said that the total amount of the draft contract is $1,422,345.
Hendon also reported that they are pursuing value engineering options to help reduce costs, saving an estimated $50,000. He said that his firm is not ready to make a formal recommendation as they are still vetting the options.
The council approved extending a contract with AT&T, originally set to expire on Dec. 31 this year. The contract was extended to an additional five years, now set to expire on Dec. 31 in 2023.
Sanders reported that Joe Knight from the Jefferson County Commission pledged $2,000 for repairs at Bradford Park and requested that the council authorize him to execute a grant agreement. The commission will provide the grant on the condition that the city agrees to not use it for anything other than the park. The request was approved unanimously.
Lastly among expenditures was $2,275 for a “Sentricon,” a pest control system to be installed by Stark Exterminators. This will be used at the Rock School to prevent termites. The yearly fees to operate the system will cost approximately half the price for installing the system.
The next Pinson City Council will take place on April 19, with pre-council at 6:30 p.m., followed by the regular meeting at 7 p.m.