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Florala's 4x100 boys' relay team finished in sixth place. Pictured are, from left, Elijah McMeans, Rayshon Coleman, and board member James Prestwood. Not pictured are Greyson West, Bradley Norman, Noah Anderson, and Jayden Bradberry. (PHOTO BY ZACK MAIO)

Florala head baseball coach Tyler Zessin led the Wildcats to 20 wins and a state quarterfinal appearance. He is pictured with board member James Prestwood. (PHOTO BY ZACK MAIO)

Florala's Elijah McMeans finished in third place of the 110 hurdles, second place in the 300 hurdles, and fifth place in high jump. He is pictured with board member James Prestwood. (PHOTO BY ZACK MAIO)

Florala's Peers Actively Working to Serve program was recognized as a CLAS Banner School of Distinction. Pictured are, from left, Elijah McMeans, Rayshon Coleman, Jay Murray, and board member James Prestwood. Not pictured is sponsor Presley Zessin. (PHOTO BY ZACK MAIO)

Florala head softball coach Anna Harrelson led the Lady Wildcats to a 17-win season and their first South Regional appearance since 2018. She is pictured with board member James Prestwood. (PHOTO BY ZACK MAIO)

Pleasant Home's 4x400 boys' relay team finished in third place. Pictured are, from left, Nathan Hobbs, Alex Scott, Chris Scott, and board president Dr. James Barton. Not pictured is Jackson Hawkins. (PHOTO BY ZACK MAIO)

Pleasant Home's Alex Scott finished in tenth place in the boys' triple jump. He is pictured with board president Dr. James Barton. (PHOTO BY ZACK MAIO)

Pleasant Home's 4x800 boys' relay team won the state championship with a time of 8:46.90. Pictured are Nathan Hobbs and board president Dr. James Barton. Not pictured are John Isaac Hawkins, Hyram Josey, and Jackson Hawkins. (PHOTO BY ZACK MAIO)

Pleasant Home's Chloe Bush finished in tenth place in girls' javelin. She is pictured with board president Dr. James Barton. (PHOTO BY ZACK MAIO)

Pleasant Home's Chris Scott won the state championship in boys' pole vault with a distance of 11 feet, 2 inches. He is pictured with board president Dr. James Barton. (PHOTO BY ZACK MAIO)

Pleasant Home's Elgin McMeans finished in seventh place in the boys' 300 meter hurdles. He is pictured with board president Dr. James Barton. (PHOTO BY ZACK MAIO)

Pleasant Home's 4x800 girls' relay team finished in third place. Pictured are, from left, Presley Kelley, Kate Kelley, Emma Grace Anderson, Jenna Kate Clark, and board president Dr. James Barton. (PHOTO BY ZACK MAIO)

Pleasant Home's Jenna Kate Clark finished in third place in the girls' 800 meter. She is pictured with board president Dr. James Barton. (PHOTO BY ZACK MAIO)

Pleasant Home's Kate Kelley finished in fifith place in the girls' pole valut. She is pictured with board president Dr. James Barton. (PHOTO BY ZACK MAIO)

Pleasant Home's Presley Kelley won the state championship in girls' pole vault with a distance of 8 feet, 9 inches. She is pictured with board president Dr. James Barton. (PHOTO BY ZACK MAIO)

Red Level's Ben Carroll won the state championship in boys' javelin with a distance of 138 feet, 4 inches. He is pictured with board member Jed Blackwell. (PHOTO BY ZACK MAIO)

Red Level's Caston Black won the state championship in boys' long jump with a distance of 20 feet, 3.25 inches. He is pictured with board member Jed Blackwell. (PHOTO BY ZACK MAIO)

Red Level's Deion Walton finished in seventh place in the boys' 100 meter. He is pictured with board member Jed Blackwell. (PHOTO BY ZACK MAIO)

Red Level's Lamarion Crittenden finished in sixth place in the boys' triple jump and tenth place in the boys' long jump. He is pictured with board member Jed Blackwell. (PHOTO BY ZACK MAIO)

Red Level's Miracle Wright won the state championship in the girls' 100 meter with a time of 12.56 seconds and the state championship in the girls' 200 meter with a time of 26.61. She is pictured with board member Jed Blackwell. (PHOTO BY ZACK MAIO)

Red Level's Xavier Crain finished in eighth place in the boys' discus. He is pictured with board member Jed Blackwell. (PHOTO BY ZACK MAIO)

Straughn's 4x400 girls' relay team finished in fourth place. Pictured are, from left, Kaitlyn Bybee, Trinity Cator, Gabbi Poston, Hannah Poston, and board vice-president John "Sonny" Thomasson. (PHOTO BY ZACK MAIO)

Straughn's Avery Smith finished in third place in the boys' shot put and ninth place in the boys' discus. He is pictured with board vice-president John "Sonny" Thomasson. (PHOTO BY ZACK MAIO)

Straughn head softball coach Candace Tucker led the Lady Tigers to a 20-win season and a South Regional appearance. She is pictured with board vice-president John "Sonny" Thomasson. (PHOTO BY ZACK MAIO)

Straughn's Ean Robbins finished in ninth place in the boys' shot put. He is pictured with board vice-president John "Sonny" Thomasson. (PHOTO BY ZACK MAIO)

Straughn's Hannah Poston finished in fourth place in the girls' 300 meter hurdles. She is pictured with board vice-president John "Sonny" Thomasson. (PHOTO BY ZACK MAIO)

The Covington County Board of Education recognized several student-athletes and approved 10 personnel matters during a special called meeting on Tuesday, May 20.

The board approved the following personnel matters:

Resignations

• Kevin Dean Bond as social science teacher/head football coach at Pleasant Home School effective at the end of the 2024-2025 school year
• Sara Cleghorn Williams as bookkeeper at Straughn Elementary School effective June 30
• Michael Smith as bus driver at Straughn High School effective May 23
• Lori Craft Griffin as elementary teacher at Pleasant Home School effective May 23
• Michael Stanford Gooden as special education teacher at Straughn Middle School effective at the end of the 2024-2025 school year

Employment

• Callie Dauphin Wiggins as custodian at Straughn Elementary School effective July 1, pending verification of new or existing background reviews
• James R. Wyrosdick as science teacher at Straughn High School effective at the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year, pending verification of new or existing background reviews
• Ryan K. McNaughton as agriscience teacher at Straughn High School effective at the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year, pending verification of new or existing background reviews

Transfers

• Erin J. Watkins from elementary teacher at Pleasant Home School to elementary teacher at Straughn Elementary School effective at the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year
• Christy M. Carter from bookkeeper at Straughn High School to bookkeeper at Straughn Elementary School effective July 1

The board also recognized the following for outstanding achievements:

Florala High School:

• Elijah McMeans – AHSAA state track and field, third place 110 hurdles, second place 300 hurdles, and fifth place high jump
• Dalton Devenney, AHSAA state track and field, sixth place 3200 meter and seventh place 1600 meter
• Markieth Thrash, AHSAA state track and field, tenth place 400 meter and fifth place 800 meter
• Rayshon Coleman – AHSAA state track and field, second plce triple jump and tenth place high jump
• Markeith Thrash, Austin Barnhill, Cristian Zamora-Garcia, Dalton Devenney – AHSAA state track and field, fourth place 4×800 meter
• Greyson West, Rayshon Coleman, Bradley Norman, Elijah McMeans, Noah Anderson, Jayden Bradberry, AHSAA state track and field, fourth place 4×100 meter
• Peers Actively Working to Serve – CLAS Banner School of Distinction, sponsor Presley Zessin
• Baseball team – Elite 8 appearance, record of 20-10 under coach Tyler Zessin
• Softball team – Advanced to Regionals under coach Anna Harrelson

Pleasant Home School:

• Presley Kelley – AHSAA state track and field state champion, girls’ pole vault
• Chris Scott – AHSAA state track and field state champion, boys’ pole vault
• John Isaac Hawkins, Hyram Josey, Nathaniel Hobbs, Jackson Hawkins – AHSAA state track and field state champions, 4×800 meter
• Jenna Kate Clark – AHSAA state track and field, third place girls’ 800 meter
• Kate Kelley – AHSAA state track and field, fifth place girls’ pole vault
• Chloe Bush – AHSAA state track and field, tenth place girls’ javelin
• Jenna Kate Clark, Kate Kelley, Presley Kelley, Emma Grace Anderson – AHSAA state track and field, third place girls’ 4×800 meter relay
• Hyram Josey – AHSAA state track and field, seventh place boys’ 800 meter
• Alex Scott – AHSAA state track and field, tenth place boys’ triple jump
• Elgin McMeans – AHSAA state track and field, seventh place boys’ 300 meter hurdles
• Alex Scott, Chris Scott, Nathaniel Hobbs, Jackson Hawkins – AHSAA state track and field, third place 4×400 meter relay
• Rebecca Rose Guilford – golf, second place in sectionals; advanced to sub-regionals

Red Level School:

• Miracle Wright – AHSAA state track and field state champion, 100 meter and 200 meter
• Ben Carroll – AHSAA state track and field state champion, javelin
• Caston Black – AHSAA state track and field state champion, long jump
• Deion Walton – AHSAA state track and field, seventh place 100 meter
• Lamarion Crittenden – AHSAA state track and field, sixth place triple jump and tenth place long jump
• Xavier Crain – AHSAA state track and field, eighth place discus
• Softball team – Elite 8 appearance under coach Eric Schwartz

Straughn High School:

• Avery Smith – AHSAA state track and field, third place boys’ shot put and ninth place boys’ discus
• Ean Robbins – AHSAA state track and field, ninth place boys’ shot put
• Hannah Poston – AHSAA state track and field, fourth place girls’ 300 meter hurdles
• Trinity Cator, Gabbi Poston, Kaitlyn Bybee, Hannah Poston – AHSAA state track and field, fourth place 4×400 meter relay
• Softball team – Round of 16 under coach Candace Tucker

In other business:

• The board approved permission to bid ice cream and produce.
• The board accepted a bid from Covington Contracting Inc. for an addition to Pleasant Home School at a base bid of $2,587,412. Superintendent Shannon Driver announced construction would begin toward the end of June.

The board set the next meeting date for Tuesday, June 3, 5:30 p.m., at the central office.

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