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The Covington County Board of Education approved 29 personnel matters including the naming of an assistant principal and counselor during a special called meeting on Tuesday, June 24.

Lisa Lowe will move into the assistant principal role at Pleasant Home School at the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year, pending verification of new or existing background reviews. She will replace Tony Wilson, whose resignation was accepted retroactive to June 10.

Deidra Burleson will move into the counselor role at Straughn Middle School at the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year, pending verification of new or existing background reviews. She will replace Ellen Sikes, who took a position as the assistant principal at Straughn Elementary and Straughn Middle Schools.

The board approved the following additional personnel matters:

Resignations

• Sandra Vaughn as bookkeeper at Straughn High School, retroactive to June 4 (The board rescinded this hiring.)
• Mary D. Ward as science teacher at Fleeta Junior High School, retroactive to June 10
• Kellie Ann Powell as general science teacher at Pleasant Home School, retroactive to June 10
• Susan B. Chandler as elementary teacher at Red Level School, retroactive to June 14
• Joseph Allen Adams Jr. as special education teacher at Straughn High School, retroactive to June 6
• Melisan V. Sullivan as paraprofessional at W. S. Harlan Elementary School, retroactive to June 10
• Heather Deann Walden as elementary teacher at Red Level School, effective immediately.

Employment

• Lisa Marie Vaughn as K-6 paraprofessional at Fleeta Junior High School at the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year, pending verification of new or existing background reviews
• Casey Athearn as science teacher at Fleeta Junior High School at the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year, pending verification of new or existing background reviews
• Jenny Bush as paraprofessional at Pleasant Home School at the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year, pending verification of new or existing background reviews
• Benjamin Clark as general social science teacher at Pleasant Home School at the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year, pending verification of new or existing background reviews
• Vivian Simmons as elementary special education teacher at Pleasant Home School at the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year, pending verification of new or existing background reviews
• Lauren Guilford Greathouse as elementary teacher at Red Level School at the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year, pending verification of new or existing background reviews
• Jerrica Copeland as paraprofessional at Red Level School at the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year, pending verification of new or existing background reviews
• Melissa Hudson as cafeteria worker at Red Level School at the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year, pending verification of new or existing background reviews
• Jessica Boyett, as paraprofessional at Straughn Elementary School at the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year, pending verification of new or existing background reviews
• Selena Brown, as K-6 collaborative teacher at Straughn Elementary School at the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year, pending verification of new or existing background reviews
• Kimberly Bailey as paraprofessional at Straughn Middle School at the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year, pending verification of new or existing background reviews
• Erin C. Radford as paraprofessional at Straughn Middle School at the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year, pending verification of new or existing background reviews
• Stephanie Self as bookkeeper at Straughn High School effective July 1, 2025, pending verification of new or existing background reviews
• Greg Sport as bus driver at Straughn High School at the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year, pending verification of new or existing background reviews
• Courtney Boles as paraprofessional at W. S. Harlan Elementary School at the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year, pending verification of new or existing background reviews
• Carmen Martin as science teacher at Florala High School at the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year, pending verification of new or existing background reviews

Transfers

• Julie L. Hatcher from collaborative teacher at Pleasant Home School to collaborative teacher at Straughn High School effective at the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year, pending verification of new or existing background reviews
• Stephanie M. Jordan from paraprofessional at Fleeta Junior High School to paraprofessional at Covington County Schools Preschool Program effective at the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year, pending verification of new or existing background reviews
• Shirley A. Stone from paraprofessional at W. S. Harlan Elementary School to paraprofessional at Florala High School effective at the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year, pending verification of new or existing background reviews

In other business:

• The board accepted a bid from Ice Cream Warehouse for ice cream products at $0.45 item unit price.
• The board accepted a bid from Singer H & R for a walk-in freezer at a bid price of $39,975.00.
• The board adopted updates to the Code of Student Conduct pertaining to the FOCUS Act.
• The board heard a distribution of financial reports that have been reconciled to most current bank statements from Chief School Finance Officer Ressie Gray.
• A reception for Superintendent Shannon Driver was held immediately following the meeting. Driver was recently announced as the Region 3 Superintendent of the Year.

The board set the next meeting date for Monday, July 7, noon, at the central office.