This school year will begin with a new occupational therapist to serve the county’s three school systems, and possibly Elba’s.

Malissa Sowell Hester was hired Tuesday by the Covington County School Board. The hire will allow the CCS to contract out for OT services to students in Andalusia, Opp and Elba, Superintendent Shannon Driver said.

“I can’t tell you how excited we are to have (Hester) on staff,” Driver said. “This hire will mean a tremendous savings to the county since we won’t have to contract out for OT services, and it means that the students will see the same person at every session instead of a different occupational therapy assistant each session.”

An occupational therapist helps people of all ages to improve their ability to perform tasks in their daily living and working environments.

“It’s so hard to get an OT on staff,” Driver said. “We’re lucky that Ms. Hester is from Covington County and wanted to come home. We expect her to be a long-term employee.”