The Andalusia City School Board took the first steps toward establishing an alternative school Monday night when it hired Ray Wilson to serve as administrator.

Superintendent Ted Watson said the school will be housed on the campus of the former Andalusia Middle School, which also will become home to the all central office personnel this summer. The City of Andalusia also runs an after-school program on the campus.

It will accommodate both behavioral placements, and be a place for students in grades 9-12 who are struggling academically, Watson said.

“We plan on having a contract with kids who school is not for them,” he said. “Sitting in a desk for six hours a day is not for everybody. We will be contracting with them and their parents, Dr. Shakespeare and myself, to participate in some type of virtual classroom, that will allow them to leave AHS with an Alabama high school diploma.”

Watson said the one of the school’s goals will be keeping students from dropping out.

“We felt like the opportunity arose with hiring of Mr. Wilson, who’s done an excellent job in an administrative capacity in another local school,” Watson said.

Wilson currently serves as assistant principal at Straughn High School, where he also has been the offensive coordinator of the football team.

Plans for the alternative school are still being developed, Watson said.

The board also hired:

• Bradley Goldman, AHS social science teacher. He currently teaches at Davidson High School in Mobile.

• Susan Bentley H. Chandler, AES, grade level pending. She currently teaches in Montgomery and is and Andalusia native.

• Kristan Allie Steele Etheridge, AES grade level pending. She currently teaches at a Leader in Me School in Mobile, a program AES is implementing.

The board granted tenure to:

• Carrie Browning, AES, 5th grade teacher.

• Erin Chavers, AES, 6th grade teacher.

• Christy Clanton, AES, 4th grade.

• Amber Clark, AES, 3rd grade.

• Courtney Crews, AES, special ed teacher.

• Allison Stroud, AES, special ed teacher.

• Nancy Wilson, AES, 6th grade English teacher.

• Sara Mixson, AHS, 9th grade English teacher.

In other personnel actions, the board:

• Accepted the resignations of:

–Matt Johnson, AHS 9th grade math teacher.

–Jeff Walker, AES 6th grade social studies teacher.

–Bert Rice, AHS history teacher

• Transferred Garrett Windham from AJHS physical education teacher to AJHS special ed paraprofessional.

• Non-renewed:

— Glen Grimes, route bus driver and mechanic’s helper

–Calvin Carpenter, AHS in-school suspension paraprofessional