By Donna
Williamson
Opelika Observer

The Opelika City Board of Education recognized Opelika High School’s Health Occupation Students of America (HOSA) at Tuesday’s meeting.
Chazden Blackmon, Adriane King, Abby Rowe, and Taylor Watson, members of the HOSA Bowl Team, took First Place in the state competition in February and qualified for the national competition this summer in Anaheim, CA. Brenna Burton won second place on the state level in the Human Growth and Development Division and Yumi Oh won third place in the Pharmacology Division. HOSA sponsors are Leigh Kemp and Natalie Downs. Dr. Mark Neighbors, superintendent, congratulated the students for doing well on the state level.
Dr. Tom Tippett with Envision Opelika presented a resolution recognizing and saluting Opelika High School for having the highest graduation rate in Lee County.
Dr. Pam Fourtenbary, principal at West Forest Intermediate School, gave an   overview of the school, along with a presentation on the Chrome Book, which the school is piloting. According to Fourtenbary, Chrome Books are easy to use because students use a QR code reader to scan the code for websites.
Alec Parker, a third grader at West Forest, helped demonstrate the Chrome Book technology. Parker told board members he likes the Chrome Book better than a computer because, “It is so fast.”
Fourtenbary also explained the importance of teaching character education. She said that all West Forest teachers emphasize character education in the classroom. Their goal is to encourage school unity and respect. “We are training children in good character education,” she said.
Board members approved numerous field trip requests, which include: OHS Mu Alpha Theta students to attend Math and Science Day at Six Flags over Georgia in May, OHS tennis teams to play a match at Columbus High School, OHS HOSA students to attend the HOSA National Leadership
Conference and Competition in Anaheim, CA in June, OHS AP history students to visit the Infantry Museum in Columbus, GA and OMS students to visit the Georgia Aquarium, World of Coke, and Varsity in Atlanta, GA in May as part of the Eighth Grade Behavior Incentive Program.
In other business the board:
-Heard a presentation of the FY’2014 audit report from Lynne Boucher of Brantley, Boucher & Farr LLP
-Approved fixed asset inventory guidelines for Opelika City Schools
-Approved retirements and resignations for Opelika City Schools
-Approved a bid of $153,015.35 from Mobile Fixture & Equipment Co. for walk-in-freezers for Southview Primary School and West Forest Intermediate School, along with freezer shelving for OMS
-Approved a bid of $6,002.00 from Bresco for an oven for Northside Intermediate School