When a Good Hope Elementary student experienced a recent medical emergency, first responder Jeremy Simmons with the Good Hope Community Fire and Rescue went above and beyond in his response. His actions were recognized Thursday, Oct. 17, by the Cullman County Board of Education who bestowed upon Simmons the district’s highest community honor, the ‘e5 Exceptional Award.’
Simmons was nominated for the award by Good Hope Elementary Principal Beverly Jenkins. In her recommendation letter Jenkins wrote that Simmons arrived at the school and provided care to the non-responsive student until a medical transport arrived to carry the student to a hospital in Birmingham, Alabama. Simmons then personally carried the student to the emergency vehicle.
“[Simmons] never hesitates to be the person to come and assist. He never complains and is always humble,” Jenkins wrote. “It is reassuring to know that one of our community members is so devoted to his calling.”
The board also recognized Vinemont High School teacher Jennifer James with the e5 award.
“Ms. James is a fabulous veteran teacher that is a joy to work with and embraces the changes of high school. Her classes are always full of engagement and rigor the students work hard for Ms. James. She goes above and beyond to offer our seniors and other students opportunities both inside and outside the classroom,” VHS Principal Robin Netherton wrote in his recommendation letter.
In other business the board:
Accepted the following resignations:
— Angelee Mathis: Cold Springs Elementary PreK auxiliary teacher.
— Sophie Slaten: Systemwide speech/language pathologist.
— Melanie Lee: Vinemont High School Child Nutrition Program worker.
— Magan Williams: Vinemont High School CNP worker.
Approved the conditional appointments for the following personnel:
— Amy Myers: Temporary, part-time intervention teacher at Cold Springs Elementary.
— Lauren Smith: PreK auxiliary teacher at Cold Springs Elementary.
— Rebecca McDonald: Temporary, part-time intervention teacher at Good Hope Primary.
— Carolee Sharp: Hanceville High School bus driver.
— Laura Dunkin: Temporary Holly Pond Elementary teacher.
— Teresa Kusz: Temporary, part-time intervention teacher at Holly Pond Elementary.
— Sherry Edmondson: Temporary, part-time intervention teacher at Parkside.
— April Smith: Temporary, part-time intervention teacher at Parkside.
— Anna Calvert: Temporary, part-time intervention teacher at West Point Elementary.
— Lisa Stevens: Temporary, part-time intervention teacher at West Point Elementary.
— Sheila Welborn: Temporary, part-time intervention teacher at West Point Elementary.
Approved the following substitute bus aides:
— Betty Grismore.
— Carolee Sharp.
Approved the following substitute bus drivers:
— Kenneth Griffin II.
— Angela Hughes.
— Phala Jacobs.
— Nathaniel Lynn.
— Dawson McRea.
— Steven Nash.
—Dallas Tillman.
— Ryan Whisenhunt.
Approved the following substitute CNP workers:
— Haley Briscoe.
— Tera Cofield.
— Bridgette McGuire.
— Abby Meyer.
— Kalika Owens.
— Amanda Pierce.
— Kristen Shedd.
— Jamie Sproles.
Approved Tera Cofield as a substitute custodian.
Approved Dona Allen and Melody Martin as substitute office workers.
Approved the following substitute teachers:
— Krystal Agee.
— Hannah Brannon.
— Tisa Green.
— Somer Harris.
— Joyce Ingram.
— Amy Latham.
— Melody Martin.
— Christopher Nichols.
Approved the following non-faculty coaches:
— Alexis Cantrell: Cold Springs High School girls volleyball.
— Brandon Brown: Good Hope High School varsity boys basketball assistant.
— Todd McEvoy: Good Hope Middle School boys basketball.
— Joshua Wright: Hanceville High School baseball assistant.
— Nathan Horton: Holly Pond Elementary archery.
— Derrek Nelson: Holly Pond High School baseball.
— Cameron Nunn: West Point High School boys basketball.
Approved the request from Cold Springs High School to pay Cantrice Voce $500 for football gate work.
Approved the request from Fairview High School to pay George Redding $2,500 for additional football duties.
Approved the request from Hanceville Middle School to pay Kimberly Kannaday $15 per volleyball and basketball game for bookkeeper duties.
Approved request from Vinemont Elementary to pay Preston Boyd, Lance Lay and Kerry Thompson $400 for refinishing the elementary gym floors.
Approved the request from Vinemont High School to Pay Preston Boyd $600, Lance Lay $725 and Kerry Thompson $400 for refinishing gym floors.
Approved the request from Vinemont Middle School to pay Preston Boyd, Lance Lay and Kerry Thompson $400 fro refinishing gym floors.
Approve the request from Vinemont High School to pay James Brown $1,500 for work on the Pixellot camera system for VHS sports facilities.
Approved the request from West Point Middle School to pay Nathan Appling $750, Paul Quattlebaum $750, William Tidwell $1,000 and Wesley Waters $1,00 for extra football coaching duties.
Approved the request from West Point Middle School to pay Joshua Davis $1,500 for athletic director duties.
Approved the $80,560 Maintenance Department Bid to demo Edmondson hall at Hanceville Middle School.
Approved the out-of-state field trip request to allow Vinemont Elementary third-graders to visit the aquarium in Chattanooga, Tennessee Nov. 13.
Approved the out-of-state field trip request to allow West Point High School FFA members attend the national convention in Indianapolis, Indiana October 22.
Approved the out-of-state field trip request to allow Holly Pond High School FFA members to attend the national convention in Indianapolis, Indiana from Oct. 22 — 26.
Appoint board member Mike Graves as a delegate for the 2024 Alabama Association of School Boards Delegate Assembly.