Survey launched for input in superintendent search

The Enterprise Board of Education has officially posted the opening for the superintendent position.

In addition to that, an online survey pertaining to the qualities suitable for the position was announced to the public during a July 30 meeting.

According to board member Bert Barr, the survey was launched July 20 and will remain online through Sunday, Aug. 11.

During that time period, a hard copy of the survey will also be available in the system’s central office.

The survey is available at surveymonkey.com/s/EnterpriseSearch2013 or on the system’s website enterpriseschools.net.

In other news, Superintendent Jimmy Baker announced the system would soon be initiating a financial assessment of itself led by Chief Financial Officer Brian Stewart.

Bakers said he and other members of the administrative staff have already been meeting to discuss the process.

“The motive is to make sure we’re functioning in a way that relieves classroom teachers and principals as much as we possibly can so they can focus on instruction,” Baker said. “At the last board meeting we approved a method that allows parents to pay fees over the Internet. We want to continue working on those kinds of things and get to a point where our teachers are focusing totally on instruction.”

In other business, board members were given a packet detailing some of the pricing changes to the Enterprise High School Performing Art Center’s contract, which was discussed at length during a May 28 meeting.

Board members will be reviewing the changes in the booklet and will likely approve the changes during the regular meeting in August.

In other news, Board Chairman Ross Cotter announced the board has received the Presidents Award from the Alabama Association of School Boards for the third consecutive year.

Cotter said the award is given based on the amount of board member participation at training sessions and conferences during the previous school year.

In other business, Transportation Supervisor Hilda Allen addressed the board concerning a new bus stop locating tool available to parents.

As of Aug. 1, parents of Enterprise City School students can log on to transportation.enterpriseschools.net/transportation/ to find information about their child’s transportation needs.

Allen said the link provides the name and number of each bus, and where the nearest bus stop for a specific address is located.

Allen said parents only have to enter their home address and child’s grade level to access the information.

The site also includes the school district any address is zoned for.

Allen did the say times for each bus pick up would not be displayed because they usually fluctuate.

Maintenance Supervision Tracy Sanders gave the board an update on several ongoing summer projects.

Sanders said restroom renovations, which have been made at Pinedale, Holly Hill and Rucker Boulevard elementary schools, are almost complete.

The other major project is a window replacement and air conditioning upgrade at Holly Hill, which is currently still in progress.

A new cafeteria with a covered walkway is also being constructed at Holly Hill and according to Sanders, it’s nearly 30 percent complete.

The cafeteria is expected to be completed during the fall, but the other renovations will be finished in time for school to start Aug. 19.

According to Sanders, the entire Holly Hill project is 39 percent complete.

After normal business was conducted, Dorothy Richardson addressed the board with concerns about Coppinville Junior High School.

Richardson is the head of the Coffee County Training Coppinville Alumni Association (CCTCA).

She and other members of the (CCTCA) were concerned earlier in the year about the potential closing of CJHS.

Richardson said at the time, she reached out to the board and Aaron Milner, who was the superintendent at the time.

“We had a presentation on the issue and were rudely interrupted by our superintendent of schools,” she said. “I was stunned at the behavior. We had visitors and alumni from out of town. It saddened me.”

Richardson also said she had met with a board member after the incident to discuss the issue.

She asked the board to notify the Coffee County Training Coppinville Alumni Association and seek its input in the future if any discussion was to be made that could result in the closing of CJHS.

Cotter said the board would be sure to contact the organization.

Richardson also voiced concerns over recent tensions in Enterprise.

“Our city will never be any better or worse than the citizens that make it up,” Richardson said. “I was shocked, disappointed and saddened when the citizens of enterprise turned against other citizens of Enterprise.

Richardson was referring to recent meetings of both the Enterprise City Council and the BOE, where many residents aired grievances about a financial agreement between both entities and the conditions that led to Milner’s voluntary resignation.

“If you have something against another citizen in this town, let it go tonight,” she said. “Love is the same as hate, in that it grows on you. Which one do you want to get rid of?”