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At the Sept. 26 Butler County Board of Education meeting, board members were recognized for their accomplishments, new educational partnerships were announced and safety measures were discussed.

Superintendent Joseph Eiland highlighted board members for their achievements in education governance. 

“Mr. Boswell has achieved level two [certification],” Eiland said. “Mr. Eric Gomillion, who is not with us tonight, also had that same achievement.”

Wayne Boswell, Michael Nimmer, Carolyn Crenshaw and Brandon Sellers also received the Alabama Association of School Board Members’ School Board Governance Act Required Training certificates along with Eric Gomillion who earned the same certification despite his absence.

In the superintendent’s report, Eiland shared a new partnership formed between the district and Reach University, a non-profit organization designed to help school employees complete their bachelor’s degrees. 

“This partnership allows our paraprofessionals — teacher aides, certified nutrition workers, bus drivers, anyone without a four-year degree — to join and complete their bachelor’s degree,” Eiland said.

He highlighted the program’s affordability, noting that employees can obtain a degree for only $75 per month, or $450 per semester. He emphasized that the practical, embedded learning approach makes the coursework immediately applicable to the employees’ daily work in the district. 

“We have 17 people now who have enrolled, and that’s exciting,” he said. “We all know that building from within is probably the best route to go in recruiting teachers. I’ve personally seen some great paras become great teachers.”

In a discussion about school safety, Eiland announced that the district is considering two companies to supply panic button systems. The panic buttons, worn as lanyards by teachers, will allow educators to alert principals if an emergency arises. 

“If anything occurs in the classroom where a teacher needs assistance, they can push that button three times,” Eiland explained. The system can also notify administrators to initiate a school-wide lockdown if necessary.

Eiland updated the board on the district’s participation in Lieutenant Governor Will Ainsworth’s Capital Grants program. Last year, the district applied for $2.6 million and received $639,000. This year, the district is focused on debt reduction and improving safety measures, such as installing window screens that will allow visibility from inside the building while preventing outsiders from seeing in.

Greenville High School Principal Bryant Marlow delivered an overview of his school’s progress, discussing his 30-, 60- and 90-day plans to improve student engagement and performance. 

Marlow outlined the school’s immediate actions, such as conducting team-building activities for staff, reviewing faculty surveys and performing transcript audits for juniors and seniors.

“Kids are graduating from Greenville High School, but they’re not graduating in four years,” Marlow said, explaining the school’s lower-than-expected graduation rate. Available scoring and graduation rates are based on the previous year however so they do not currently reflect Principal Marlow’s tenure at the school. 

Moving forward, Marlow plans to implement ACT prep courses and focus on career-readiness  for seniors. He emphasized the need to ensure that students are prepared for real-world challenges by incorporating rigorous classroom assessments and focusing on improving student performance on state tests.

In addition to academic efforts, Marlow discussed recent initiatives to curb vaping and cell phone use, which he identified as the two biggest behavioral issues at Greenville High. The school is planning to install vape sensors in bathrooms, a move made possible through a partnership with South Central Mental Health who will cover the initial cost and first year of monitoring. 

Eiland wrapped up the meeting by addressing the ongoing issue of student behavior on school buses, and recommended a motion for stricter disciplinary actions. 

“Students who fight on the bus are removed from being allowed to ride the bus for a calendar year,” Eiland said. He explained that this new rule is designed to protect all students, bus drivers and other drivers on the road.

The motion was made and the proposal fully supported by the board, with board Member Boswell voicing his agreement.

“When you’re driving a bus and you hear commotion, your automatic response is to look up in the mirror and take your eyes off the road, and that’s dangerous,” Boswell said.