Despite facing difficulties finding teachers because of a statewide teacher shortage, Covington County superintendent Shannon Driver said that all the county schools are doing well when it comes to personnel decisions.

“It has been a very busy time lately,” Driver said. “Our principals at all of our schools have been working hard and interviewing all of the best candidates for the open positions.”

Driver said that there are maybe half a dozen personnel decisions left that they will make at the next scheduled board meeting.

“We feel like we are doing very well making these decisions,” Driver said. “We still have about half a dozen more hires to make, but I think we have done well. The teacher shortage is definitely affecting us, but we are doing everything we can to secure good candidates.”

According to the Alabama State Department of Education, rural schools, which are the majority of schools in Alabama, are struggling and have the largest percentage of teachers using emergency or provisional certificates.

The board made the following personnel decisions:

Accepted the retirement resignations of:

• Melissa C. Ford, as counselor at Red Level Elementary School.

• Marsha Dian Fowler, as English teacher at Straughn High School.

Accepted the resignations of:

• Dustin Lee Hinson, as custodian at Florala High School.

• Megan Leigh Bowen, as instructional aide at Straughn Elementary School.

• Misty Woodham, as special education teacher at Straughn Elementary School.

• Dawn Marie Ward, as Pre-K teacher at Straughn Elementary School.

• James Kenneth Jennings, as a paraprofessional aide at W.S. Harlan Elementary School.

Non-renewed the contracts of:

• Threasa Louise Martin, paraprofessional at Pleasant Home School.

• Jackie Lynnette Near, instructional aide at Pleasant Home School.

• Todd Alan Lancaster, a general science teacher at Straughn High School.

Granted a medical leave of absence to:

• Kelly M. Goolsby, bus driver at Fleeta Junior High School.

Voted to hire:

• Angelina Cannito, elementary teacher at Fleeta Junior High School.

• Ashley Ann Richburg, elementary teacher at Fleeta Junior High School.

• Gary Ben Martin, general science teacher with possible coaching duties at Pleasant Home School.

• Amy Michele Norris, special education teacher at Pleasant Home School.

• Victoria Marie Adams, counselor at Red Level Elementary School.

• Allison Danielle Riddle, elementary  teacher at Red Level Elementary School.

• Rufus Jacob Hulse, instructional aide at Straughn Elementary School.

• Kerry Lea Strickland, elementary  teacher at Straughn Elementary School.

• Lori Beth Wallace, Pre-K lead teacher at Straughn Elementary School.

• Brandy Connor Lawson, instructional aide at Straughn High School.

• Elizabeth Dianna Giddens-Dunbar, English language arts teacher at Straughn High School.

• Elizabeth Jordan Wood, general science teacher at Straughn High School.

• Joseph Allen Adams, special education teacher at Straughn High School.