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Lee County School Board recognizes 2018-19 ‘Teachers of the Year’

by | Feb 13, 2019 | Community, Education, Featured

By Michelle Key
Publisher
The Lee County School Superintendent James McCoy and the Board of Education recognized the 2018-19 Teachers of the Year during their regular scheduled meeting last night. All 14 schools within the Lee County school system recognized their top educator. Each of these outstanding teachers were selected by their co-workers and peers. Elementary Schools

  • Robin Fraley was selected as the Beauregard Elementary School Teacher of the year and was also selected as the Elementary Teacher of the Year for the county. Fraley is a 4th grade teacher. 
  • Beulah Elementary School – Charlotte Smallwood.
  • Loachapoka Elementary  School – Sharon Owens. 
  • East Smiths Station Elementary School – Dakora Farrulla
  • South Smiths Station Elementary School – Jon McGowan
  • Wachoochee Elementary School – Barbara Lucas
  • West Smiths Station Elementary School – Heather Blain

Secondary Schools

  • Zulaica Konz-Gonzallez was named the Smiths Station High School Teacher of the Year and was also selected as the the Secondary Teacher of the Year of the Lee County School System. Konz-Gonzalez teachers Spanish at SSHS. 
  • Sanford Middle – Kammy Gilmer
  • Beauregard High School – Scott Fleming
  • Beulah High School – Lucinda McGinnis
  • Loachapoka High School – LaBrawnski Salter
  • Smiths Station Junior High – Amy Brown
  • Smiths Station Freshman Center – AliciaStonbraker

Board member, Larry Patterson offered thanks for these educators and the Lee County school system.

“Lee County is on the map. Everywhere you go, everybody asks you about Lee County. Thank you for what you do for our children, Lee County and the State of Alabama,” Patterson said. “We have some great teachers,” Board Member Brian Roberson stated. “They really have instilled some great things in my children but also throughout the whole county.”

Lee County Schools Superintendent Dr. James McCoy expressed his gratitude for the teachers and their daily sacrifice to better the lives and future of students.

“There were several common themes from Lee County Schools Teachers of the Year award ceremony: ‘she has a wonderful relationship with her students,’ ‘he goes the extra mile to engage all of his students,’ ‘her classroom is her family and they address each other as family members,’ “his students are actively engaged everyday,” McCoy said. “No matter who was introduced the message was similar. The men and women who were recognized have a calling to be teachers. I thank God daily that he has blessed me to be a part of such a wonderful system and has allowed me to work with great educators. I thank them from the bottom of my heart for all the hard work they put in every single day.”

In other business, the board:

  • approved the policy changes as presented for the 1st reading during the January meeting for Policy 5.10 – Admittance/Enrollment Requirements, Policy 5.28 – Jamari Terrell Williams Student Bullying Prevention Act and Policy 6.72 – Drug-Free Workplace. 
  • approved the purchase of seven new 72-passenger school buses and one special needs 72-passenger bus.  The bid was awarded the lowest bidder, Southland International in the amount of  $617,850.41. The funds for these buses comes from state provided funds according to Transportation Director, Lee Lindsay. 
  • approved out of state or overnight field trips for

– Beauregard High School’s track team for the State Indoor Track Championship
– Smiths Station Freshman Center’s BETA Club for the Alabama Senior BETA Club Convention – Smiths Stations Freshman Center’s History Club for a trip to the National Infantry Museum- Smiths Station Junior High BETA Club for the Alabama Senior BETA Club Convention- Smiths Station High School’s BETA Club for the Alabama Senior BETA Club Convention- Smiths Station High Schools Special Education Students for the Fort Benning Tri-Community Field Day- Smiths Station High School’s JROTC for the MCSD JROTC Cadet Summer Leadership Camp- Smiths Station High School’s Baseball team for a 9th grade baseball game in Harris County, Georgia- Loachapoka High School Band for a band competition in Atlanta, Georgia- East Smiths Station Elementary 3rd grade trip to the River Center Performing Arts for a presentation by Doktor Kaboom – Beulah High School FBLA for the FBLA State Leadership Conference in Birmingham- Beulah High School band for a trip to Atlanta- Sanford Middle School 7th grade for a trip to the National Infantry Museum 

  • approved the monthly financial reports and cash reconciliation for the month of December 2018 as presented by Chief School Financial Officer Ken Roberts. According to Roberts, the school system has completed 25 percent of the fiscal school year, the system has spent 24 percent of the budget demonstrating fiscal restraint and adherence to the accepted budget. 
  • approved several human resource recommendations The next scheduled school board meeting will be March 12 at 6 p.m. Meetings are held at the Board of Education office which is located at 2410 Society Hill Road in Opelika. All board meetings are open to the public and everyone is encouraged to attend. Meeting agendas and minutes can be found on the district’s website www.lee.k12.al.us.