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By JOYANNA LOVE | Managing Editor

Clanton and Jemison elementary schools and Maplesville High School are one step closer to lighting improvements.

A grant to upgrade to LED lights at these schools has received preliminary approval.

“I am very excited about that,” Chilton County Schools Superintendent Corey Clements said during the Chilton County Board of Education meeting on March 21. “It is something we hope we can do every year and continue to address our energy need in our schools.”

A representative from Alabama Power is also scheduled to come discuss an energy saving program with the board at its next meeting.

“It’s called the Renew America Program … They do free audits of all your schools’ energy needs, and they present you with a way to bank your savings and to improve infrastructure in your schools,” Clements said.

Clements said hearing the presentation would not commit the board to anything.

One energy saving measure that has already been decided is setting abbreviated hours for employees working this summer. Twelve-month staff and faculty will work Monday to Thursday 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“Our plan is to shut our buildings down at 4 o’clock on Thursday, and nobody be back in those buildings for about 72 hours,” Clements said.

Staff will be off on June 19 for Juneteenth, which is now a federal holiday.

Also, during the board meeting, board members approved a policy change for the date children looking to start school for the 2024-2025 school year would have to be the required age.  Clements explained after the meeting that children would have to be age 4 by Sept. 1 to register for preschool and age 5 by Sept. 1 to register for kindergarten. This policy change was unanimously approved as a part of the consent agenda.

Also included on the consent agenda was approval for volunteers for Clanton Elementary and Thorsby High School, facility rental for Blast From the Past, having a topographical survey completed at the Thorsby softball site, state ELA textbook adoption, a credit recovery plan and getting a quote for flooring for the Central Office.

Under personnel, the board approved the resignations of Jemison Intermediate teacher Kim Collins, Verbena High teacher Jessica Bone, Maplesville preschool teacher Chandler LaFavor and Chilton County High teacher Houston Powell. Not renewing some employee contracts was also approved. The board approved hiring a secretary for Jemison High School.

Employees for the Summer Learning Camp were also approved with board members Chris Smith and Lori Patterson recusing themselves from the vote.

The next Board of Education meeting is scheduled for April 18 at 6 p.m.