MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Thirty-four central Alabama school board members will be among 317 board members statewide honored this month at AASB’s Dec. 5-7 Annual Convention for advancing to a new level in the Alabama Association of School Boards’ School Board Member Academy.
The education leaders were recognized for their efforts to improve their boardmanship skills, increase their understanding of education issues and heighten their leadership skills by participating in the academy.
“It is such a pleasure to see our members invest in their development as school board leaders,” said AASB President Steve Foster of Lowndes County. “With 21 years of experience as a Lowndes County school board member, I know how much of a commitment board service is.”
The 2013 Convention and Delegate Assembly will be at Hyatt Regency Birmingham-The Wynfrey Hotel. This year’s theme is The 3 R’s: Ready. Resilient. Responsible.
Attendees will hear from education expert Dr. Ruby Payne on A Framework for Understanding Poverty. Life coach and bestselling author Valorie Burton will discuss Resilient & Ready: How to Thrive Through Challenge & Change. The 2013 Alabama Teacher of the Year Dr. Alison Grizzle will explore Teacher Accountability: Ensuring We Reach All Children. In Alabama’s Fiscal Forecast, the state’s Legislative Fiscal Officer Norris Green will join Rep. Bill Poole and Sen. Jabo Waggoner to share their expectations for the Legislature’s work on the education budget.
The academy, an ongoing “school for school board members” founded in 1986, has four achievement levels based on the number of credit hours board members earn by attending conferences and workshops in eight key areas: roles and responsibilities; policy and planning; financial accountability; the optimal learning environment; academic achievement; staff development; effective boards and relationships; and community engagement. Board members who complete the academy’s four levels and continue their commitment to training can earn the distinction Master School Board Member. AASB’s academy year runs from July 1 to June 30.
The 34 board members are from AASB’s District 5, which comprises the Jefferson and Shelby county school boards, and the Alabaster, Bessemer, Birmingham, Fairfield, Homewood, Hoover, Leeds, Midfield, Mountain Brook, Tarrant, Trussville and Vestavia Hills city school boards and the Alabama School of Fine Arts.
Below are the members and the levels they achieved:
Level I (Requires 25 training hours)
• Wardine Alexander, Birmingham
• Jimmy Bice, Shelby County
• Carol Clarke, Birmingham*
• Tamara Graham, Leeds
• Deborah Huff, Alabama School of Fine Arts
• Oscar Mann, Jefferson County
• Dr. John Myrick, Alabaster
• Scott Sisk, Leeds
• Carolyn Turner, Midfield
Level II (Requires 50 training hours)
• Allen Bailey, Tarrant
• Emanuel Ford, Birmingham*
• Randal Smith, Fairfield
• John Ware, Midfield
Levels I & II
• Eddie J. Penny, Fairfield
• Stephen Presley, Hoover
Level III (Requires 75 training hours)
• Kathy Dutton, Leeds
• Jane Hampton, Shelby County
• Tommy Little, Jefferson County
• Aubrey Miller, Shelby County
Levels II & III
• Derrick Murphy, Hoover
• Paulette Pearson, Hoover
Level IV (Requires 100 training hours, including all eight core curriculum courses)
• Donna Frazier, Hoover
• Brian Giattina, Birmingham
• Seth Goldman, Fairfield
Master Level (Requires Level 4 plus 15 hours, including one additional core course)
• Hattie Aikerson, Bessemer, first year
• Peg Hill, Shelby County, second year
• Verranzno Davis, Midfield, third year
• Bruce Grant, Tarrant, third year
• Dr. W. J. Maye, Birmingham, third year*
• Nathaniel Hutton, Midfield, fourth year
• Renna Scott, Bessemer, fourth year
• Jacqueline Smith, Jefferson County, fourth year
Masters Honor Roll (Requires completion of all four levels plus five consecutive years of earning Master Level at any point during the members’ tenure on the board)
• Marion Easley, Fairfield
• April Williams, Birmingham
The year’s academy training courses covered such topics as fiscal accountability, good governance, student achievement, communication, community engagement, staff development, vision/planning, technology and decision-making.
The Alabama Association of School Boards represents all of the state’s public local school boards. Since 1949, AASB has served education leaders and the interests of local decision making in public education. The association’s mission is to develop excellent school board leaders through quality training, advocacy and services. Visit www.AlabamaSchoolBoards.org.
* Denotes Former School Board Member
