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The Covington County Board of Education recognized three of its school counselors and approved two additional personnel matters at a regularly scheduled meeting Monday, July 17.

Pleasant Home School’s Tony Wilson, Red Level School’s Melissa Nall, and Straughn High School’s Stephanie Bryan were recognized for achieving 100 percent senior class participation in the Alabama College Application Campaign.

Students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as FAFSA, prior to their high school graduation. The Alabama State Department of Education first enacted this new requirement prior to the pandemic.

“I am here with three wonderful counselors I get the privilege of working with every year. The College Application Campaign is a program, which helps students complete the FAFSA and has become a requirement for graduation. Even students who do not plan on going to a community college and are getting a job, they must complete the FAFSA to graduate from an Alabama high school. Our counselors jumped on the bandwagon early since they knew this requirement was coming. It’s very difficult to get 100 percent participation. We are pleased the state recognized them and are happy to recognize them today. We appreciate all of your hard work you put in for our students,” Covington County Schools Special Education Coordinator Kelly McCollough said.

Superintendent Shannon Driver also recognized Wilson, Nall, and Bryan for their contributions to the county’s students.

“These counselors work awfully hard and put in a lot of hours. It’s challenging because this is just one of the many components they are required to do. They do an outstanding job, and we appreciate their hard work in getting this completed,” Driver said.

During the meeting the board also approved:

Resignation

• Ashley Brunson as mental health coordinator for Covington County Schools effective July 25

Employment

• Tari McClung as counselor at W.S. Harlan Elementary School effective at the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year, pending verification of new or existing background reviews

In other business:

• The board adopted school handbooks for the 2023-2024 school year. Driver said paper copies would be available, but some schools will additionally provide a digital copy that is accessed through a QR code.
• The board adopted salary schedules for the 2023-2024 term, retroactive to July 1. Driver stated the new schedules reflect the 2 percent raise for the county’s teachers and support staff from the ALSDE. In addition, the new schedule also reflects adjustments for the system’s support staff.

The board set the next meeting date for Tuesday, August 1, 5:30 p.m., at the central office.