By Vallean Jackson, For The Tribune
JEFFERSON COUNTY — The Jefferson County Board of Education held a board meeting on Thursday, May 26, to discuss the May 2022 superintendent evaluation, new assistant principal positions, re-elected board members, second-mile teacher banquet, and various listed recommendations.
As the meeting was called to order, Lipscomb Elementary School Principal Kirsten Logan-Marshall took the floor to reflect on another school year coming to an end. In Marshall’s piece titled “Crossing the finish line,” she acknowledged the ups and downs of an unexpected school year and the re-election of board president Carita Venable for District 5 and board member Donna Pike for District 3 for another term on the board.
A representative of the Alabama Association of School Boards (AASB), Dr. Jennifer Gray, presented the results for the superintendent evaluation. Gray stated that the target to achieve is a three on the rating scale when it comes to these evaluations, and Dr. Walter Gonsoulin exceeded expectations with an average of 4.3.
“I would like to say thank you, Dr. Gonsoulin, for your leadership. I know it has not been an easy two and half years for you, for us, or probably anybody sitting in this room. There was no blueprint provided on how to do what; in some instances, it is like we are building a plane as we’re flying. You have done a great job navigating us through,” Venable said.
Gonsoulin took the floor with a presentation from the Second Mile Teacher banquet that was recently held at the Botanical Gardens. The presentation exhibited the 57 teachers selected from each of the schools.
“I feel that this is what we are here for; we say that we are family, and that helps build morale,” Gonsoulin said. “Those teachers are on the frontline and the boots on the ground. So every chance we get, we want to recognize them and the positive things they do.”
In other business, U.W Clemon Elementary School received a $5,000 grant to increase book diversity. Several grants from the Jefferson County Commission were awarded to Minor High School, Minor Middle, and Burkett. The appointment of assistant principals was then announced and read as follows:
- Lauren Ellis as assistant principal at Irondale Community School and Grantswood Community School, effective July 11;
- Jennifer Higgins as assistant principal at Kermit Johnson Elementary effective July 11;
- Dorielle Dixon as assistant principal at Pleasant Grove Elementary effective July 11;
- Robert Brown as assistant principal at Erwin Middle School effective July 11;
- Darren James as assistant principal at Gardendale High School effective July 11;
- Yulanda O’Neal as assistant principal at Erwin Intermediate School effective July 11;
- Lawrence Blocker as assistant principal at McAdory Elementary effective July 11; and
- Jermaine Howard as assistant principal at Minor Middle School effective July 11.
In other matters, all listed recommendations from the superintendent’s report, finance, teaching and learning committee, and operations committee were all approved.
There will be a special board meeting on June 14, and the next board meeting will be Thursday, June 23, at 10 a.m.