Posted by Laboa (anonymous) on September 17, 2009 at 11:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Wow.....so a few say close it when they have no idea of what the public thinks and all of a sudden....its closed. What ever happened to this great democracy we live in? Sounds more like a dictatorship to me.

Posted by WAtidefan (anonymous) on September 17, 2009 at 11:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)

We do not live in a democracy. Our form of government is a Republic. A Republic is a form of government where the ultimate power is held by the citizens who have the right to vote for officials/representatives that represent/answer to the citizens.
Members of the CC BOE are elected. They are charged with making decisions that best benefit the entire school system. It is appropriate for citizens to express opinions, however, the BOE must be fiscally responsible. Unlike the federal government, the CC BOE is most likely not spending money they don't have.
It is sad that the building will no longer be used as a public school within the CC system. I am sure many people have fond memories of attending the school, or of their children attending the school. As was explained in a previous article, the closure has to do with finances.

Posted by hiflyin (anonymous) on September 17, 2009 at 2:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Well....here is another building for a flea market...oh! sorry i ment to say "Antique Building" that will just about fill the last empty building there.

Posted by andalusiainquirer (anonymous) on September 18, 2009 at 9:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)

This not a matter of not having enough money. The Covington County school Board has a surplus of of more that $18,000,000.00. That is 4 times the amount of reserves that they are require by state low to maintain.

This has a habit of appointing interim superintendents and allowing them to make major decisions that should be left until a new superintendent is hired and given ample to to study such a major change.

There are other ways to deal with low enrollment other than closing a school. One would be moving either the sixth or ninth grade to this school. Of course the interim has no experience above the principal level and would not think of such.

Someone should check and see if he has the proper credentials to be a superintendent, interim or permanent.

Posted by WAtidefan (anonymous) on September 19, 2009 at 1:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)

andalusiainquirer: Was Mr. Terry telling a lie? I'm not saying you are right or wrong. Just asking the question. I would think that most superintendents, if local, would not have the opportunity to work as assistant supers or in other district level directorships.

Posted by lifeisgood (anonymous) on September 19, 2009 at 10:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Andalusia Inquirer,
After personally knowing Terry for several years, I know he is very capable of making the major decisions that Covington County School Systems will benefit from. With over 33 years of experience as an educator, and being on several nationally accredited boards, he is the right man for the job. I rarely read the blogs, but when I do, it is always someone who is misinformed and judgemental towards the person who holds the position to make the decisions. If you were in a position such as him, which you are not, then I would hope that you would look at the betterment of the children within Covington County, and how this decision will help improve their quality of education. Have you been to Florala Middle School? Have you personally seen the monthly expenses that facility accrues for housing that number of students. I assume the answer is no. Stop making assumptions on who is right for what position, when you do not have the authority or credentials to make such a statement.

Posted by andalusiainquirer (anonymous) on September 19, 2009 at 11:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)

The educational requirements and experience require to a school principal are not the same. This gentleman may have served well as a teacher and a principal. But putting that many students in one school with such age spans can create more problems than solving the problem of a school with low enrollment.

My point of moving other grades to this school automatically change the cost of operating it.

If we were apart of a decision of hiring a superintendent I would be looking for someone with applicable experience such as an assistant superintendent with a least a masters in educational administration.

Given an $18,000,00.00 surplus, money was not the issue in the decision to close this school.

Posted by supprtVets (anonymous) on September 20, 2009 at 12:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Everyone seems to think, given what I've read, that the Florala Middle School enrollment has just became low, or 74 students. No, the enrollment is much the same has it has been for years. What is the underlying reason to close this school, it is a 'central' location, and the county school system has well enough money to substain it with ease. I think that 'interested' citizens should seek offices on the Covington County School Board, (an elected office) and replace the current school board members and revise the Covington County Schools current leaderships.

Posted by lifeisgood (anonymous) on September 20, 2009 at 8:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)

There has been talk of closing Florala Middle School for several years due to the money it takes to operate and sustain such an old building for that number of students. Possibly, Mr. Holley was put in there to do someone elses dirty work. Also, Andalusia Inquirer I believe Mr. Holley does have several degrees including his Masters in Administration. Covington County Schools does not have and has not had for quite some time an Assistant Superintendent; therefore, he could not have acquired that experience, but there is no need to explain the man's qualifications. Without being an educator yourself you could not comprehend the strict stipulations it requires. Let's move on from that point. The man is actually overqualified compared to what the system has had in the past. Yes, it is very obvious that money was the reason as the media has stated to close the Middle School. If Florala citizens are suddenly concerned then they need to utilize the building for city purposes and maintain it's historical value. (Such as Andalusia has done with the East Three Notch School Building) The CCS should be allowed to move forward with the incorporation of the students into the two remaining facilities. Also, look at the proration number, they do not have enough money to sustain it. If you are this concerned go to a CCS board meeting which is open to the public and you will see their operating costs and expendentures. Let's all work together and offer support to our leaders. It is not wrong to question a decision, but it was made for the betterment of our students.

Posted by vanrob64 (anonymous) on September 20, 2009 at 9:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Thank you "Lifeissogood" for putting into words what I wanted to say to Andalusiainquirer . I don't understand the thinking of some who want to put a person in a leadership position that doesn't have a clue as to how to run a school or school system. What better person to be Superintendent of Covington County Schools than one who has lived in Covington County all his life, attended school in Covington County and has the teaching, coaching and administrative experience on an elementary, middle and high school level and has the background in educational law? Terry Holley has all that and more.
Would you rather have someone in there from out of the county who has no educational experience? That's what it sounds like to me. Or is there someone in particular that you had in mind for this position? People in Florala have known that this was coming for sometime now and the majority is OK with it. Yes it's sad to have to close down an icon school but sometimes things have to be done. It's not because it was a mission that someone set out to complete. The fact of the matter is, we are fortunate to have had the Middle School as long as we have.
Please stop berating Mr. Holley and the job he is doing. I think he's doing great. When he was at WSH, FCMS & FHS everyone may not have agreed with some of his policies, but I think they can all agree he always had the betterment of the schools in mind in whatever decision he made.
If you will watch closely, you will see nothing but improvement.

Posted by supprtVets (anonymous) on September 20, 2009 at 10:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I'd like to commend Mr. Holley for his education which took many years to acheive, I'm just trying to help give the children and families of Florala Middle School the same chance. The 'real and only authority' lies in the Covington County School Board, the Superintendent serves at the 'pleasure' of the board, the board makes all decisions, down to each and every hire and holiday. I didn't want the good folks of Covington County to beleive that a person the school board hires can go around 'closing' schools. You could make 'the same argument with ALL the schools in the system, that's been made with Florala Middle School', if you wanted to, and if no one questioned, it would become 'rule'. That's why, my dear neighbors and friends, the School Board is an 'elected' job and we the citizens have a say and input, after all, its our children and grandchildren, and our tax dollars. Somehow they just keep forgetting that and its up to us to 'remind' them every once in a while.
By the way, on a lighter note, I've seen "graduating classes" in Covington County over the years a lot smaller than Florala Middle Schools student's enrollment, and those schools were not closed.

Posted by BigDog (anonymous) on September 20, 2009 at 3:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)

The middle school that is being discussed with ~74 students is grades 6, 7, and 8...correct? That would mean each grade level would have ~25 students.
supportVets, I have also been witness to 25 students per graduating class. However, the schools were K-12 schools housed on ONE campus with one principal.....class 1A schools. I've never seen nor heard of another 1A school that required 3 principals and operating staffs + all of the operating and maintenance expenses that go with each campus other than Florala.

Posted by supprtVets (anonymous) on September 20, 2009 at 5:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Good afternoon, Big Dog. I was waiting to hear from you. ...Your very first post back in February proposed closing the Florala School. You are obviously in management with the Covington County School system according to your authorship of previous post. Only one guy over there on the by-pass at the 'home office' could have a profile name of Big Dog. It seems you are concerned with consolidating and making 3 'major' schools, as you said earlier, "the money will follow the students".
Well, Sir, it isn't ALL about money, its about education for our children. Middle school students are in a transition between small children....and teenagers. They are in a very impressionable age and should be in a 'middle' school. It dosn't cost any more there, than it would at a consolidated school, and if it may, then thats just a small price to pay for our children, and our children is whats its all about, isn't it?
Also, our county leaders just applied for a 3 Million Dollar Bond just for situations like this one, and they WILL receive it. I assume YOU want to be the new Superintendant, only thing I can think of. The citizens have a 'say' or have you forgotten? The School Board is an (Elected Position) and many offices in our county are open for election this comming year of 2010, I hope we get some 'new blood', been same ol' ones too long.......just my opinion, other folks would have to feel the same way I do for a new board to take control and lead our leaders in the school system where the citizens, parents, grandparents had a voice of closing schools that had been in operation since before you were born.

Posted by supprtVets (anonymous) on September 20, 2009 at 6:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)

p.s. Mr. Big Dog, I know you, or maybe someone else familiar with the situation can answer one small question I do have, if not, I can find out Monday morning. Does Florala Middle School 'now' educate 7 & 8th graders to make up the 74-85 students, OR does it educate 6th, 7th, & 8th grades students. This does matter whether its 25 students per grade OR 37 students per grade? Its an easy question, and isn't those fiqures in the correct percentages with the 'population' level of the area?

Posted by WAtidefan (anonymous) on September 20, 2009 at 6:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)

As a teacher with experience teaching grades 6-12, I am not a fan of the middle school concept. Middle schools vary from place to place with the most common model being grades 6-8. In my experience grade 6 should remain in elementary school with 7-8 being middle or the traditional junior high. I have also taught in a school where grades 7/8 were housed in an annex building with grades 9-12 housed in the larger main building and there were few opportunities for the junior high kids to mingle with the high schoolers. Their learning experiences were not impeded by being on the same campus with high schoolers. On a previous thread, it was mentioned that many of these kids ride a school bus with older students already, so it isn't as if they never mix. My current teaching assignment is in a junior high with grades 7,8,9 with about 750 kids. We have mixed grade level lunch periods and there are no problems with the age differences. In fact, the administrators supervising prefer mixed ages.
The idea that these students will some how lose out on an education if they are not in a separate building is not supported by any educational research of which I am aware. If studies have been done, please link them to a post, I'd like to read them. Research does support small class size. The class sizes could remain the same if the students were move to a different building.
I suspect that if something happened and the CC school system had no reserves and was in the red some of the people posting here would start questioning why the BOE kept the middle school open and wasted money. Some times educational leaders can't win for losing.

Posted by rlb1940 (anonymous) on September 20, 2009 at 10:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I have fond memories of growing up in Florala, going to a small school where everybody knew your name, riding my bicycle down to the lake. Stopping by Zorn's Service station or Moody's Drugstore, an occasional Gene Autrey western at the movies, a good dog, and homemade apple tarts. 24th of June fireworks, parades, fiddle playing, tootsie rolls, boiled peanuts and cracklin bread. Homemade quilts, homemade ice cream, and Sunday fried chicken and dumplings. A place where the moon would shine on the Lake just right on a summer's night.
I seen them close the schools in Stanley-Libertyville, Sanford, Rose Hill, Dozier, Carolina, Rawls Community, Blue Springs, Bethune, and Fleeta, and the communities were just never the same anymore after that, when the life of the children's laughter and learning where gone, the empty basketball courts, and playgrounds when progress invaded and consolidation began.
I had always hoped when I retired I could return to Florala, a place still in this busy world that keeps it pace simple and pure, one of the last treasures on earth as far as a simple, good, small town life that still exists in this hurried up, busy world we're all living in. I know there's some people showing facts and fiqures and charts, research and proven methods from other big cities what Florala needs, and you'll beleive them they will make it look real good to you, then you'll never see'm again.
Money can't buy everything. The lifestyle in Florala cannot be bought with a dollar bill going in somebody else's pocket, Keep it simple, and keep it honest. Closing the school down is not honest, and not whats best for Florala.

Posted by swswilliam (anonymous) on September 21, 2009 at 8:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)

FCMS is 7th and 8th grade only at the present time. So you're talking more than 30 kids per grade.

Again, this is about boosting test scores at the high school...regardless of what top 100 list it's on.

Posted by BigDog (anonymous) on September 21, 2009 at 7:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)

supportVets, you know what they say about assumptions!

(swswilliam, you are correct about the school being only 7th and 8th grades.)

CC website is www.cov.k12.al.us.

Check it out for yourself and do the math....4 full-time teachers + 4 part-time teachers for ~74 students (2 grades ~37 per grade)........if you only counted the full-time teachers that's ~17....add the part-time teachers and that reduces the number of students per class further. (Not to mention the expenditures for other staff - part-time counselor, nurse, band, coach, and full-time secretary, principal, custodian, and 2 lunchroom workers - and expenses for operating costs and maintenance).
It's just basic economics. Not to mention that it would benefit FHS and thus the entire Florala area. It is not like they are planning to bus all Florala students to another community! Geez!

Posted by borninandalusia (anonymous) on September 22, 2009 at 11:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Well, it's over! The school is closing. CCS is headed up by the "good ole boy system" the board is a good ole boy board and they think they are above the rest. All this mess was preplanned. Ms Powell on the board helped put her nephew in as principal, so Terry could be supt. Sit back and just watch what happens in CCS under the good ole boy system and board! CCS will is in for a wild ride!

Posted by patwilliam (anonymous) on September 23, 2009 at 2:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)

rkb1940! Your post is absolutely HEAD ON! I loved reading it....it brought back so many vivid memories ofmy childhood being raised in the system of Florala's schools....I actually started school at what is now the MIddle School but what was in the 60s, Florala City School...I attended 1st through 3rd grade there, then subsequently my family moved to the country, so I had to be attending W.S. Harlen....things are changed so very much since I attended school, and I haven't actually kept up with this too much because I know there's nothing I can say that can change things...but as I sit here and reminisce (sp) it actally brings tears to my eyes knowing that this school that has housed so many student throughout the years will now become a tomb....it's so sad....it's such a beautiful old building, and what will become of it. I for one, do not agree that 7-8 graders should be comingled with highschoolers, but that's my opinion.
If yall think we have problems now without youth, just sit back and watch it now. I know of one teenager personally who will be relocated to another state immediately due to her overexposure to kids older than her, and her acting out and doing things that ordinarily she probably wouldn't do. Our kids just don't have the instilled values these days that we had in our day. That's the school systems fault as well as the parents.....but comingling these younger students with older ones is just gonna be a trainwreck! Riding the schoolbus twice a day with older students is totally different than them being involved daily with them...as always, kids will be kids, but good kids go bad much easier....nuff said....just needed to vent a bit! I'll miss this school...I'm so glad my children are grown now, and my grandchildren don't live in Florala, therefore, they won't be exposed to this mess!