The Escambia County Board of Education approved a batch of new academic contracts, technology purchases and personnel moves during its July 16 regular meeting at the Atmore Central Office.
Among the items approved was a purchase of Zaner-Bloser handwriting workbooks for kindergarten through third grade, totaling $13,299 and paid from state fund 1227. The board also approved a subscription to the ProjectRead AI Decodable Generator for literacy instruction, to be funded through Pre-K dollars.
Technology and staffing purchases made up much of the rest of the agenda. The board approved buying 16 laptops for students at W.S. Neal High School for $24,723.68 using Title I carryover funds, and approved Jumpstart Test Prep materials for Escambia County High School, Flomaton High School and W.S. Neal High School totaling $39,169.78 from CCR funds.
Several multi-year service contracts also won approval. TeachTown will continue providing software and programs supporting students with autism and other special needs under a five-year renewal that includes annual teacher training, billed at $23,785 per year through IDEA funding. Kids First was approved for three separate contracts: writing and teacher-effectiveness training at Escambia County Middle School funded through CSI federal dollars ($79,500 for the FY2026 budget plus $6,500 in FY2025 carryover), new-teacher support at Escambia County High School for $44,250 from FY2025 Title II carryover, and new-teacher support at Rachel Patterson Elementary School for $35,400, also from Title II carryover.
The board additionally approved a contract with HMH for Read 180 software and coaching support at a cost of $44,805.90, split between FY2025 and FY2026 CSI funds, along with an annual membership renewal with the Alabama Association of School Boards for $14,076.07. Board members also signed off on an amended summer salary schedule and a budget amendment for FY2026.
The board approved a lengthy list of personnel actions covering resignations, new hires, transfers, substitute employment, summer positions and rehires across the district’s schools.
Resignations included Toby Jenkins at Pollard McCall Junior High School, Danielle Brown at Flomaton Elementary, Ahmaud Taylor at Escambia County Middle School, and several part-time interventionists and special education staff, along with Megan Smith and Candace Hendricks in central office and high school roles.
New employees approved for the coming school year include teachers Nikolas Shivers at Huxford Elementary, Paula Blosser at Pollard McCall Junior High School, Charlie M. Henderson and Jessica Bright at Escambia County High School, and Dalton Lewis at W.S. Neal Middle School, along with several paraprofessionals and bookkeepers across multiple campuses. Henry Simmons was approved as a school improvement assistant principal at Escambia County High School.
The board also approved several staff transfers, including Nikita Pinney moving from a teaching post at Rachel Patterson Elementary to assistant principal at Flomaton Elementary/W.S. Neal Elementary, along with rehires such as Brandy Turner and Trevon Lambert returning as teachers, and part-time interventionists Virginia Parker and Gail Peace returning to their previous roles.