(The Pierce County Board of Education discussed and/or voted on the following during their monthly work session, Thursday, June 5 and their regular monthly meeting Monday, June 9.)
Budget: The board approved a $44.1 million budget for fiscal year 2026. Budget hearings were held at the work session and regular meeting. No public comments were received on the budget during hearings held Thursday and Monday.
Closed session and personnel: The board adjourned into closed session Thursday morning to discuss personnel. After the closed session, the board voted to hire Michelle Merck and Haley Studstill as teachers at Blackshear Elementary, Emily Carter as a teacher at Patterson Elementary, Trace Insalaco, Terry Lairsey and Glynda Lee, all as teachers at the middle school and Logan Hill as a teacher at the high school. Lairsey and Hill will also be assistant football coaches. The board also voted to hire Natalie Johnson as a paraprofessional and Sabrina Ranee Lynn as a custodian at Midway Elementary, Casey Burney as custodian at the middle school, Rebecka Insalaco as custodian at the high school, Brittney Higginbotham as system-wide early intervention paraprofessional and Bonnie Hardee as a bus driver. Insalaco will also be student worker supervisor for the summer. Cole Smith was approved as a football community coach for the middle school. A number of teachers were approved for extended day. They include Shannon Batten, Tina Cravey, Amy Day, Bridget Delaney, John Dupont, Andrew Evans, Ryan Herring, Rebecca King, Lori Marx, Robert McCoy, John Phillips, Tyler Rogers, Stephen Shoultz, Mysti Walker and Malayna Wetherington for the year, Jason Bradley, Leslie Crane and Heather Rios for the first semester only and Kiley Hodges for the second semester only. The board approved the resignations of Cassie Parker, teacher at Patterson Elementary, Anna Jones and Sherilyn Stafford as teachers at the middle school, Emily Carter as paraprofessional at Blackshear Elementary and Trace Insalaco as paraprofessional at the middle school and Xavier Wyatt as custodian at Blackshear Elementary. The board also accepted the resignation of Kevin Stevenson as boys head track coach at the high school. Stevenson will remain in his teaching position. The board also conducted the superintendent’s performance evaluation for 2025. By law, the results of the evaluation are not made public.
At Monday’s meeting the board approved the resignation of Constance Drew, paraprofessional at Patterson Elementary and Howard Jarrett, bus driver.
Bid openings: Ingenious Culinary Concepts was the low bidder for cafeteria seating at Patterson Elementary and Midway Elementary in the amount of $222,711.26. Two other bids were received including Nu Idea at $88,150 and KI at $163,645, but both were eliminated from consideration because they did not meet specifications. A fourth, received from School Specialty, declined to submit a bid. Williams Foods of Douglas was awarded the bid for groceries at $1,317,264.19 for the year. They were the lone bidder. Williams was also awarded the bid for paper and plastic products at $64,961.31. SunCoast of Brunswick was the only other viable bid at $77,718.08. Pineland Paper was disqualified for an incomplete bid package. Bids from SecureAxis Solutions and Power House Supply were disqualified because they were emailed and not mailed as required by the bid specs instructions. Williams was the lone bidder for milk at $171,316.60.
Middle School classroom to be divided: R.H. Tyson was awarded the bid for dividing a technology classroom at the middle school into two regular size classrooms. Tyson bid $91,888 for the project and was the lone bidder for the work. The board approved the project on a 4-1 vote. First district board member Kirby Malone voted no. He said he believed the cost was too high and wanted the item rebid. The bid was almost double the $50,000 estimated cost of the project. Tyson has said it can complete the work before school starts again in August. The two classrooms will be used to provide the special education department with additional room for students with special needs.
Classified and food service adjustments: In three separate items, the board approved a revision to board regulations for supplement pay for classified personnel, approved a classified salary schedule for the com ing school year and approved a contract amendment with ESS for pay rates for substi tute food service workers.
New special education positions: The board approved adding a special education teacher at Patterson Elementary and a special education paraprofessional at Blackshear Elementary.
Etowah Foundation Future Center Program:
The board approved a contract with Etowah Foundation, Inc. and South Georgia State College to promote a future center program at the high school. The center will help provide students with education and workforce opportunities after high school. Pierce County Schools will pay 40 percent of the cost, Etowah will cover 36 percent and South Georgia State College will cover 24 percent. The school system’s share is estimated to be about $30,000.
Consent agenda: Several items were approved under the consent agenda:
• review and approval of the exemplary board requirements through the Georgia School Board Association (GSBA) including reviewing the code of ethics, board norms and protocols, governance team assessment and action plan, self assessment and annual training strategic plan and balanced scorecard and resolution in support of the Georgia Vision Project.
• renewal of grants for the Career, Technical and Agricultural Education (CTAE) program. The grant amount is to be determined. Last year, the system received $50,000 in grant funds and paid a local match of about $28,000. The grant provides supplements and needed funds for equipment and supplies for the CTAE program.
• approval of sealing cracks in the PCHS tennis courts and adding pickleball courts there. First District Board Member Kirby Malone congratulated the boys state champion tennis team, noting it was the first time any Pierce County team has ever won a state championship while on campus in Bearville.
• renewal of contracts with Flowers Baking Company for fresh bread and with Williams Foods of Douglas for fresh produce and janitorial supplies.
• approval of a pair of memoranda of understanding. The first allows the Pierce County Board of Health to offer a influenza vaccine clinic. The second allows South Georgia State College to offer college level classes at Pierce County High School.
• approval of eight nonresident tuition applications including one fourth grader at Blackshear Elementary, a sixth and seventh grader at the middle school and two sophomores and one senior, junior and freshman at Pierce County High School.
• approval of a testing calendar for the coming school year.
• approval of fundraising requests for the coming school year.
• renewal of the NWEA MAP Growth Software subscription in the amount of $23,590. The software allows teachers to assess students’ math scores and offer assistance to those students needing extra help.
Reports: Finance Director Melanie Helms gave the system’s financial report. The school system reported revenue of $41 million and expenses of $36 million through April. The system had almost $20.1 million in reserves. Helms reported the system’s sales tax revenue was $278,465 in April up $24,000 from March. The board approved the financial reports as presented. Facilities director Harbin Farr gave an update on the new indoor sports complex at the high school. The contractor has turned the building over to the school system. Farr said a few safety enhancements recommended by the fire marshal will be added, but the buildings have been cleared for use. Farr also said installation of new flooring is now underway at Midway Elementary. Student handbooks:
The board approved student handbooks for all schools for the 2025-2026 school year.
Information: Superintendent Bennett reminded board members the central office and all school campuses will be closed June 19 for Juneteenth and June 30July 4 for the Independence Day holiday. Pre-planning for the 2025-2026 school year will be July 28-August 1. The first day of school for the new school term will be August 4.
Next meetings: The July work session will be held at 8 a.m. Thursday, July 10. July’s regular meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. Monday, July 14. The meetings are delayed due to the July 4 holiday. All meetings will be at the BOE central office on Main Street.
