(The Pierce County Board of Education discussed and/or voted on the following during their monthly work session, Thursday, May 7 and at their regular monthly meeting Monday, May 11.)
Budget: The board approved the tentative budget for advertising. Finance director Melanie Helms reviewed the 2027 budget.
WeTip Anonymous Reporting Program: The board approved the purchase of the WeTip Anonymous Reporting program. (See related photo in the May 13 edition.)
Closed session and personnel: The board adjourned into an 11 minute closed session to discuss personnel. After the session, the board voted to hire as teachers Rebekah Long and Kylie Womack at Patterson, John Williford at Midway and Gina Walker at the high school and as paraprofessionals Taylor Owens at Blackshear, Angela Burney at Midway and Roderick Ringold at the high school.
The board also approved the retirement of Alicia Sweat, student services migrant coordinator and approved five additional days added to Kim Morgan at Midway Elementary.
The board approved the resignations of Kevin Stevenson, teacher at the middle school and paraprofessionals Summer Cardwell and Toni Preston, both at Blackshear and Taylor Aldridge at Midway Elementary and bus driver Rita White.
The board also approved coaching recommendations for both the middle school and high school.
School Nutrition Program (SNP) Contract Renewals: School nutrition director Becky Swain recommended and the board approved contracts for the coming school year. They include fresh bread contract with Flowers Baking Company of Waycross and fresh produce, milk and grocery, janitorial supply and paper and plastic contracts with Williams Foods of Douglas. The contracts are bid every four years and Swain announced the janitorial and paper and plastic contracts will be up for renewal next year.
BES Pre-K Playground Request: The board approved a request from Blackshear Elementary School for the Board of Education to partially fund the cost of a Pre-K playground at the school. The amount requested from the BOE is $12,000 and will come from the general fund. Blackshear Elementary will contribute funds from the Love Like Lanna program and the playground equipment will be purple in her honor. Denison was principal at the school until her sudden passing in 2023.
Walk in freezer/cooler at middle school: Owens Equipment of Hochston was the low bidder for the removal of the existing freezer/cooler and the set up and installation of a new one at the middle school. Owens bid $102,000. The only other bidder was Mobile of Columbus at $113,311.93.
Benchmark Literacy Program: The board approved the purchase of the Benchmark Advance Literacy to help support sixth grade students at the middle school. The program cost will not exceed $37,288.75 for the program and professional learning will be $11,000. There is no cost to the local system. Funding comes from state and federal sources.
Okefenokee RESA Agreement for FY27: The board approved renewing its annual contract with Okefenokee Regional Education Services Agency (RESA) in the amount of $32,248. RESA provides training and bulk buying services to area school systems.
Policy revisions: First readings were approved at the work session and final approval was approved at the regular meeting for board policy revisions to the absences and excuses and the bullying policies.
Surplus bids: The board voted to declare a 2001 Ford Econoline van as surplus. The surplus van will be advertised for bids.
Recognitions: The board recognized its 2025-2026 retirees. (See related coverage).
The board also recognized its 2025 Title 1 Distinguished Schools.
Consent agenda: Several items were approved under the consent agenda. They include: • approved 29 non-resident tuition applications. All but one are returning students for the 2026-2027 school year. They include two first graders and a second grader at Blackshear, two first graders and a second and fifth grader at Midway, a fourth and fifth grader at Patterson, two sixth, five seventh and three eighth graders at the middle school and four sophomores and two students each in the freshmen, junior and senior classes at the high school.
• approval of a pair of field trip requests including the middle school student council going to Dave and Busters in Jacksonville, FL May 11 and the middle school FFA going to Ichetucknee Springs State Park in Fort White, FL July 17. All out-of-state field trips must receive board approval.
Minutes for April were also approved.
Fourth district board member Wendy Puryear volunteered to serve at the board’s delegate to the Georgia School Board Association’s 2026 Assembly to be held in June in Savannah.
Reports: Finance Director Melanie Helms gave the system’s financial report. Revenue was at $36.54 million for March, while expenses were $33.76 million. The school system has a reserve of about $20.79 million, but Helms explained that number is inflated due to higher than normal local tax revenues and an advance payment on state pre-k funds. “We will begin to use those funds now that our local revenues have peaked,” she said. Helms reported the system’s sales tax revenue was $269,601 in March, up $6,000 from February. The board approved the financial report. The board also received a bank update. Helms said the school system will soon be changing banks due to a recent merger at First Southern Bank. Facilities director Harbin Farr announced the system should receive a guaranteed maximum price at their June meeting from contractor R.H. Tyson Construction on proposed additions to Patterson Elementary and Pierce County Middle School. Farr announced the installation is complete on new shade at the softball facility at the high school. (See related photo in the May 13 edition.) He also reported installation of new storage buildings at Blackshear and Midway Elementary Schools is now complete. Farr announced the air conditioning at the Patterson Elementary cafeteria has failed and since it is 21 years old, can no longer be repaired. The AC unit will be replaced during the summer. Portable units have been brought in for cooling for the last week of school.
Public participation: There was no public participation.
Next meetings: The next work session will be at 8 a.m. Thursday, June 4. The next regular meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. Monday, June 8. Both meetings will be held at the central office.
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