BY STEVEN STIEFEL
FOR THE OBSERVER
LEE COUNTY — The Lee County Schools Board of Education met in regular session on Dec. 10, where four board members were sworn in for new terms, including Board Vice President and District 6 Board Member Larry Patterson, District 4 Board Member Roger Keel, District 5 Board Member Mary Ensley and District 7 Board Member Napoleon Stringer. Each ran unopposed to remain for another termand all were elected by overwhelming majority of votes in the Nov. 5 election.
The board also welcomed two new employees: Shannon Tomlin was introduced as the Director of Middle School Instruction and Kelly Smith was introduced as the new Assistant Superintendent for Elementary Education. Both start Jan. 2.
The board recognized high achievers from the Beauregard High School FFA, the organization named the Premier Chapter in the category of Strengthening Agriculture during the sixth general session of the 97th National FFA Convention & Expo this year in Indianapolis. Recognized were students Tanya Martinez, Gracyn Lashley, Taylor Morgan, Ava Kendrick, Caelyn Lashley, Karlie Barnes, Alleria Dupree and FFA Advisor Jerad Dyess. Student Justin Beckwith was recognized for finishing second in the nation in the Agricultural Mechanical Repair and Maintenance category. The Beauregard FFA chapter received a three-star ranking in the National Chapter Award Program for the third consecutive year.
In other business, the board approved the 2025-26 and 2026-27 school calendars, approved recommended appointments to the Science Textbook Committee, approved a fuel bid of 20 cents from W.H. Thomas Oil Inc. and approved an out-of-state field trip for West Smiths Station Elementary to visit the National Infantry Museum in Columbus.
At a work session held prior to the meeting, the board reviewed the district’s performance on the Alabama State Department of Education Report Card. The document highlighted school performance, leadership strategies, academic structure and challenges across the district. Key focus areas included state report analysis, leadership coaching, data-driven decision-makingand addressing teacher burnout. Graduation pathways, trend analysisand plans for improvement were also discussed by Superintendent Mike Howard and shared by Jason Wright.
Three Lee County schools (South Smiths Station, Beauregard Elementary and West Smiths Station) earned an “A” grade, while seven schools achieved a “B,” matching the state average and placing the district among Alabama’s top 35 school systems. Eight schools reported year-over-year improvement, with Beulah High School and Loachapoka High showing the greatest gains, at 11 and 7 points respectively. Struggling the most were Beulah Elementary (74), Smiths Station High (73) and Sanford Middle (68).
Lee County, overall, had a score of 84. Parents may review the Report Card by visiting the website: reportcard.alsde.edu/selectschool.aspx.
Performance metrics include achievement, academic growthand absenteeism. Leadership teams, including counselors, were noted as critical to student success, particularly as new graduation pathways are implemented.
The board praised the steady improvement of West, South and East Smiths Station elementary schools over the past three years. Howard praised Beauregard High School for showing significant progress by re-framing ACT preparation as broader skill development rather than solely college prep.
Teachers are encouraged to post daily objectives to improve accountability. While standards are “non-negotiable,” some creative flexibility is allowed— permissible as long as the academic goals are met. The board discussed potentially incentivizing long-term commitments from teachers in challenging schools through stipends tied to specific contracts.
Howard said changes to graduation requirements are also expected next year. Alternative and virtual school options are under consideration to reduce dropout rates and improve graduation outcomes. Attendance policy revisions are ongoing.
Efforts to track students and maintain progress are critical to addressing this risk and ensuring students are prepared for post-secondary success. Efforts to change attendance requirements are ongoing.
At its previous meeting on Nov. 12, the board approved three overnight/out-of-state field trips, approved a Capital Planand approved recommended personnel matters. The next regular meeting will be held Jan. 14, 2025, at 6 p.m. the Central Office at 2410 Society Hill Road in Opelika.
