Wheeler BOE Agrees to Delay Action on Historic School
After hearing from members of the Glenwood School Foundation, the Wheeler County Board of Education decided to delay action on the sale of the historic school. During the board’s October 19 session, DeLeon Rowland and Rodney Brooks asked for additional time because they and other former students of the school are still hoping to devise a way the building can be saved for community use. The board agreed not to pursue action to sell until April 30, 2021. Superintendent Suzanne Couey announced that over 80 participants attended a virtual, pre-bid conference on the new K-12 school earlier in the month. Bids on the new K-12 school are due on October 29. Bids will be opened at the office of JCI Contractors. Because it is a “construction management at risk” project, contractors will meet with school officials to review bids and discuss alternates to arrive at a greatest maximum price to present to the board for approval, possibly in November. Couey also introduced four new policies related to new Title IX regulations. The policies, drafted by school board attorneys, outline the steps required by federal regulations. The policies will “lie on the table” for a month before being adopted. Mrs. Couey reported that she and staff member Renee Garrett had already participated in related training whenall school principals were scheduled to participate in training last week. The superintendent reported a recent, three-day break had allowed time for quarantine cases to expire and that the schools had had a very good six days after returning. Couey voiced concern about remote learning students and their lack of progress as well as faceto- face students who were not completing assignments when quarantined. She discussed the possibility of a new high school schedule and praised all staff for their ongoing efforts in the face of so much uncertainty.
Couey recognized the success of fall sports programs in both middle and high school. “Our middle school softball team won the region championship and the high school softball team competed in a double header on Tuesday, October 20.” Couey commended middle school football on a good season. “The high school football team continues to work hard, especially in the face of playing three of our toughest opponents, all in the span of the previous two weeks.”
In other business, the board approved: An early release day for Thursday, October 29, due to the homecoming parade. Friday, October 30, will remain a full school day. A plan for their annual required training.
Drew Collins as a longterm substitute and Alaina Wood as a classroom substitute.
Cynthia Ford and Latricia Mackey as substitutes in the food service program. Posting a position for a maintenance technician for Wheeler County Schools. The purchase of a new bus. Funds were provided by the state for bus purchase. The district will assume costs for additional A/C and cameras.
Couey informed the board that bids on renovations on the warehouse to convert to a bus facility are due to be opened on Wednesday, October 28. She also recognized school bus driver appreciation week and expressed “appreciation for all our drivers.”
