The process for selecting a school valedictorian and the use of school facilities were topics at Tuesday’s Chilton County Board of Education meeting.

As part of his report, Superintendent of Education Tommy Glasscock recommended the board approve a request from Verbena High School that the Verbena youth baseball and softball league be allowed to use the school’s softball field for practice and games.

Though schools have traditionally allowed such usages of facilities by other community members, some board members were concerned about the arrangement, given recent discussions to begin charging fees.

Board member Pam Price said many school facilities in the county are in poor condition, and the school system receives no maintenance support from the state or from those who use the facilities.

Board member Keith Moore said he would like to see those who use school facilities help maintain them.

“I just think there ought to be more help from the people who want to use our facilities,” Moore said.

The board approved a motion that the youth league would have to pay a fee to rent the facility before Verbena Principal Carla White and Isabella Principal Ricky Porter addressed the board about the importance of working with the youth leagues and others in the community.

Then, board members said they wouldn’t be able to charge a fee because there’s not an appropriate one included in system policies.

Eventually, board member Jim Shannon moved that schools continue to allow free use of facilities in some instances but that the board study the issue in hopes of setting regulations. The motion was approved.

Earlier in the meeting, Jenny Pitts addressed the board about the selection process for valedictorian at Chilton County High School.

Pitts said her son is ranked sixth in his class despite having taken “every AP course offered” and receiving only one B in his high school career.

“We’ve taken everything we can take,” Pitts said.

Pitts said she was concerned that a robotics and engineering course at LeCroy Career Technical Center is not being weighed as an honors course and asked for an audit to be performed to see if the class rankings are correct.

School officials offered to have an audit performed, but Pitts said she wanted someone outside the system to look into the matter, such as a state official.

In other business, the board:

•Approved for Verbena Principal Carla White to study the possible construction of a multi-purpose facility, including seeking architectural drawings and other work related to the project.

•Approved financial department requests, including financial statements and bank reconciliations, and payrolls and accounts payable.

•Approved school and shop requests, including approval for Signature Studio of Dance to rent the Jemison High School auditorium on May 20-21 for a dance recital, approval of Alex Campbell as a volunteer baseball coach at Jemison Middle School, approval of a field trip to Six Flags over Georgia for the Maplesville High School accelerated reader program, approval for Thorsby Principal Russ Bryan to execute the contract by and between the school and Coca-Cola Bottling Company United, approval of Cody Carroll as a volunteer coach at Thorsby School, approval of a request concerning the secondary interventionist position at Verbena High School and approval of a request to hold Verbena graduation at Jefferson State Community College along with related fees.

•Approved a long-term PASS Academy placement.

•Approved minutes from the previous meeting.