During the recent Scottsboro City Schools Board of Education work session and meeting, board members discussed a wide range of topics involving personnel, student programs, facility improvements, curriculum updates and future planning efforts across the district.
Among the action items approved was a volleyball fundamentals camp scheduled for July.
The camp will serve as a fundraiser for the volleyball program while also allowing elementary students the opportunity to participate and develop volleyball skills during the summer months.
School officials also reviewed numerous personnel vacancies currently posted throughout the district as Scottsboro City Schools prepares for the upcoming school year.
Administrators explained the district is entering the annual season of retirements, resignations and transfers, resulting in openings across multiple campuses.
During the work session, current openings discussed included an English Language Arts teacher at Scottsboro Junior High School, elementary teaching positions at Caldwell Elementary and Collins Intermediate School, counseling positions, physical education openings created through retirements and several classified positions.
Officials also noted Scottsboro City Schools has been selected to receive building-based math coaches at the elementary level, leading to new math coach postings at Nelson Elementary, Caldwell Elementary and Collins Intermediate School.
Additional postings include gifted education positions, TEAMS contract positions, Club Wildcat openings, Child Nutrition Program positions, paraprofessional positions and ongoing special education postings.
Summer positions tied to math camps and the summer feeding program were also discussed.
The board also reviewed an action item involving the Scottsboro track booster club, which plans to provide a coaching supplement for an individual who was not already receiving a supplement through the board.
Finance officials confirmed the necessary funds are available.
Board members approved out-of-state travel requests for the Scottsboro High School girls basketball team to attend summer camps at Lee University in June and in Fort Walton later that month.
Officials said the team will travel by school bus for both trips.
One of the larger discussion items centered on proposed revisions to the district’s student code of conduct.
Administrators explained the district has been working alongside juvenile probation officials to modernize and clean up outdated language within the policy manual.
Officials said some infractions had been duplicated over the years as state guidance changed, prompting efforts to consolidate language and align district policy more closely with updated state recommendations and juvenile court procedures.
Attendance language is also being reviewed, including changes reflecting Alabama’s truancy threshold of seven days rather than the previously listed 10 days.
Administrators emphasized the revised document remains a working draft and will continue to receive feedback from parents, teachers and board members before final approval later this year.
Board members also approved updated memorandums of understanding with the Jackson County Children’s Advocacy Center and Shepherd’s Cove.
Officials praised both organizations for providing valuable counseling, grief support and forensic interview services to students and families within the district.
Another significant discussion involved the district’s partnership with After School Labs to oversee required summer literacy and math camps.
Under the agreement, the company will recruit teachers, manage staffing and oversee day-to-day operations for the camps while still using state-approved intervention programs required by Alabama law.
District officials said the change will ease administrative burdens on principals while also allowing participating employees to receive weekly pay directly through the company.
Curriculum updates were also discussed during the meeting. Following recent approval by the Alabama State Board of Education, Scottsboro City Schools will move forward with new social studies textbook purchases.
Students in grades 6-12 will receive McGraw Hill materials in both print and digital formats, while grades K-5 will use Studies Weekly resources, including both digital content and pre-sorted print editions for teachers.
The board additionally approved continued use of Curriculum Associates’ i-Ready assessment platform for K-8 English Language Arts and math benchmark testing.
Administrators explained the district previously administered both STAR and i-Ready assessments but determined the two programs were providing similar data, leading officials to eliminate one testing platform and reduce student testing time.
Facility improvements also received attention during the meeting.
Officials announced the district plans to move forward with a long-discussed lighting upgrade for the Scottsboro High School softball field.
Administrators said the existing lighting system has experienced issues including dark spots and aging fixtures.
District maintenance staff plan to complete much of the installation work themselves to help reduce costs.
Superintendent Jennifer Williams also provided a lengthy update regarding her first several months leading the district.
Williams highlighted meetings with local government officials, community organizations, law enforcement agencies and educational partners, emphasizing the importance of collaboration throughout the community.
Among the partnerships, Williams praised the district’s growing collaboration with Jackson County Juvenile Court officials and youth advocacy organizations.
“I will say that is the best meeting I have ever had with juvenile probation in any place I have ever worked as far as the collaboration and the eagerness to work together as a team for our community and for our students,” Williams said.
Williams also discussed academic improvements, including significant ACT gains among Scottsboro High School juniors.
While specific scores remain under embargo, Williams said 58% of the 151 students who took the spring ACT improved their scores.
She credited initiatives including Varsity Tutors support sessions and a two-day ACT boot camp for contributing to the improvement.
Additional updates included ongoing roofing projects across the district, long-term capital planning discussions with architects, vertical alignment training for math teachers, instructional audits and expanded communication efforts through staff and parent newsletters.
The board also approved several personnel items, including multiple administrative changes involving school principals across the district.
Current Collins Intermediate School Principal Bryce West was transferred to serve as principal at Caldwell Elementary School, while current Scottsboro High School Principal Jeff Tubbs was transferred to Collins Intermediate School.
The board also approved the hiring of current Guntersville High School Principal Zac Holt as the new principal for Scottsboro High School.
During the board’s organizational meeting, Jason Williams was nominated and voted to serve as board president, while Gary Speers was nominated and voted to serve as board vice president.
Following the meeting, Scottsboro City Schools released a public statement addressing recent concerns and social media discussions regarding the district’s drama program.
“There has been some misinformation shared regarding elementary drama classes at Scottsboro City Schools — specifically Collins Intermediate School. Drama and arts opportunities are not being eliminated,” Superintendent Jennifer Williams said in the statement.
According to the statement, district discussions have centered around integrating STEM concepts into the drama program through hands-on learning experiences involving design, construction, lighting, sound and production planning.
Officials said one proposal involved incorporating the “We Build It Better” course into the overall experience.
“The purpose of these discussions is to expand student learning opportunities, not remove them,” the statement read.
“We believe students benefit from exposure to both arts and STEM experiences and want to continue providing well-rounded opportunities for students.”
The statement also noted that prior to recent social media discussions, district leaders had already been meeting with drama program leaders about ways to further support and grow the program, including additional funding opportunities and long-term planning for a new auditorium space.
“We appreciate parent feedback and wanted to provide clarification on what is being discussed,” Williams stated, “so families understand the full scope of the conversations that have been taking place regarding the future growth of the program.”
by Heather Dohring
