[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6165665,"mediaKeyId","5418065-a796772e30d8467b94debbe81ab24d58","parentId",5418065,"title","Board approves SRO MOU with Madison County Sheriff's Office and routine contracts and personnel items","audioSeconds",350,"startMs",1751000,"endMs",2101000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5418065-a796772e30d8467b94debbe81ab24d58&start=1751&end=2101","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5418065-a796772e30d8467b94debbe81ab24d58/thumbnail_1751000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6165665/Alabama/Board-approves-SRO-MOU-with-Madison-County-Sheriffs-Office-and-routine-contracts-and-personnel-items","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6165665-5f3817c3d8ae5b18b982ebd7f1b2f7e1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771081927&Signature=elg8dThiqkIyb3ECIblUZUooW1nq6OXDNV6GxTeb5u6mORG0ZTdJMaGH4oTBONBIoN3iF-6SAvrZ5rODsGGxQKi854EfJyO4EQGnWWd1F0Y1VYR11Hp1IEzLO3p9gpL-3NdauYaaXIf5kvt05gG6ypvAOtChWYaTyRSKqLpx~3jeFsyv5jEWeNA7QiiRYgkt96gwBmRsDAluwlpXRFnUklbNzyNJVcTF9Kptx2HiehI33F9ror7G4J28WTJ7Wg7IQ277ScDj4qLb~rMmnVZ6IXkpXEitF6F7bK3iuPDnBNKFmzsqrG90q--4jdUvAaqegMYx4TYuyoNIkV-Jxp7llg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Madison County Schools, AL","date","2025-07-17T21:12:52Z","article","The Madison County Board of Education on July 17 approved a 2025-26 memorandum of understanding (MOU) for school resource officers with the Madison County Sheriff's Office and approved routine bid renewals, contracts for services and multiple personnel items, including probationary contracts for a newly appointed chief of staff and assistant principals.
Board members moved and seconded the SRO MOU recommendation and approved it by voice vote; the transcript records members saying \"Aye.\" Captain Locke of the Madison County Sheriff's Office was present for questions when the item was taken up.
Following the SRO MOU approval the board approved a slate of consent items by voice vote: bid renewals as submitted, contracts for services, personnel items and an addendum, supplemental contracts, and probationary contracts for assistant principals. The board also approved the chief of staff probationary contract; the new chief of staff spoke briefly, saying, \"Thank you for the opportunity.\"
Board members and staff exchanged appreciation for the Sheriff's Office partnership during the SRO discussion: a board member said, \"We appreciate everything that y'all do. And, y'all are a blessing to the school system.\" District staff characterized the district and Madison County Sheriff's Office relationship as \"fantastic.\"
All listed consent items in the transcript were approved by voice vote; individual roll-call votes were not recorded in the meeting transcript provided.
The approvals complete the board's formal agenda items for the evening and direct staff to implement the approved contracts and process the personnel actions.
","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","MCSS Board of Education Regular Session July 17, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The board approved the 2025-26 School Resource Officer memorandum of understanding with the Madison County Sheriff's Office and a series of routine renewals, contracts and personnel probationary contracts including approval of the new chief of staff's probationary contract.","taxTitle","Madison County Schools, School Districts, Alabama","taxId",13590,"location","Alabama","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6165669,"District previews B Chex volunteer screening plan; $19 fee, $99 setup, 3-year rescreening discussed",1013,850000,1863000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5418065-a796772e30d8467b94debbe81ab24d58&start=850&end=1863","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5418065-a796772e30d8467b94debbe81ab24d58/thumbnail_850000.jpg","/articles/6165669/Alabama/District-previews-B-Chex-volunteer-screening-plan-19-fee-99-setup-3-year-rescreening-discussed","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6165669-3748ce27aeab2aa9252d04df364dc739/orig.mp4?Expires=1771081927&Signature=A~-qriWlQqtX9u7NInN0yT4Pxp3QpPYTo3N5I9ktTEgazchQebM5oxb4xbLwkKY3gkdhCkGFiX-enpMlhtTl2ioxrtgbX9mR9QVQwJMwDSQSJo62OY-rEnf2ygc3GxkbTalg0qweCqGCFF6YKkcD2ShCcTRN8fFVTS6IJ8g5bp~E0eFC~EqsA4gqwnW~0eVt6PCCA8dH9l4rpiItk7Zug7PaibFRaUDZWkf24Tu2HGP~Eclb-Vk-Rqq5OUInEce0vBBcBaMc1IwJGR1v2MpL1shnxKu0bLPYiKQsNsM8fti3lLPoJ~9qI4Qjys0Q87QGCjaeKQJ25XnRMrgzngYwUg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","District staff presented an informational proposal on July 17 to require background screening for volunteers who will chaperone field trips, work alone with students or otherwise have unsupervised access to children, recommending use of the vendor B Chex.
Staff described the proposal as an informational item (not a board vote) and said similar background-screening protocols are used by nearby systems including Huntsville City, Madison City and Limestone County. Dr. Minsky, who introduced the topic, said the goal is student safety: \"for the safety of our students that we really need to go this route.\" He described scenarios such as overnight trips where parents may share dorm space with students and the district's responsibility to protect students.
Personnel manager Jennifer Brunsman walked the board through B Chex features and pricing. She said the vendor is nationally accredited, serves more than 800 districts, and provides a mobile ID-scan workflow. Brunsman outlined the standard package and timeline: a one-time district setup fee of $99; a $19-per-person volunteer cost paid at sign-up by credit card; an address-history trace and seven-year county criminal-record search (counties searched based on where the volunteer lived in the past seven years); and a real-time national sex-offender registry watch and security watch-list checks. Brunsman said the district can opt to pay for individual volunteers in hardship cases, if the board approves that approach.
On rescreening, staff proposed a three-year cycle and said B Chex issues 90-, 60- and 30-day reminders to applicants and provides live updates to flagged registries. Brunsman said volunteers can download a mobile app showing an approval card and principals or front-office staff can receive lists of approved volunteers for each school. She described the vendor's portal options and reporting tools and noted there is no annual district fee beyond the one-time $99 setup.
Board members asked questions about notification when screens expire, cost responsibility, and the live nature of watch-list updates. Staff said an expired screen shows a red X in the mobile app and on the district database and that the vendor maintains live information so a new adverse record would surface after initial approval.
The item was presented as informational; no formal vote or binding agreement was recorded at this meeting. Staff said they hoped to roll out the program soon and would discuss details with principals at the School Leadership Academy.
","District staff presented a proposal to use B Chex for volunteer background screening for chaperones, tutors and other volunteers who will be alone with students; staff described a $99 one-time district setup fee, a $19 per-volunteer charge and a three-year rescreening cycle, and said the item was informational.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6165674,"Board narrows grading scale changes; removes E rating, limits S/NS to selected subjects",200,649000,849000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5418065-a796772e30d8467b94debbe81ab24d58&start=649&end=849","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5418065-a796772e30d8467b94debbe81ab24d58/thumbnail_649000.jpg","/articles/6165674/Alabama/Board-narrows-grading-scale-changes-removes-E-rating-limits-SNS-to-selected-subjects","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6165674-efe832725e17b45cc102bfaa0d867efa/orig.mp4?Expires=1771081927&Signature=kkYN2UiZ4yP3bHXkXvYoB3pEI8sRCZo8FHi0l9JX3IV4cy5-i-4WDtriTWZgUeS81DLHTT8r-BH4yAwgDnWPotf~Wk3rKI76j357TrN7BwOiAYsjSDCp6q3c4~PspzsGofQshibri3KSwx6qN7TP0P2VGwcFYBvEa1LBp1g4pjTr8iH0QZZakIV-4xv4~i~P6ik0qLUg82WevWkLLbN3N8jAvbtZqkm5BdQLtXrddGnGFkanf2Ro2xXzko8xf-PfqF1eeasBwuPFySpXwX4ghy8bUleZtMZ0elwNe4KFXow3jXXUJTV8QFDlFTspb58Xln-PytpnbiFjULQWmxYhNw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Madison County Board of Education on July 17 approved revisions to district grading and promotion policies that remove the \"E\" (excellent) grade and narrow Satisfactory/Not Satisfactory entries to a handful of subjects, while aligning promotion language with state literacy and numeracy requirements.
Under the changes approved by the board, the district will use S (satisfactory) and U (unsatisfactory) — sometimes described in the discussion as \"S and U\" — only for handwriting, music, physical education and art. Social studies and science will retain traditional grades, the board heard.
Staff told the board that earlier drafts had included an \"E\" designation in certain subjects and had proposed S/NS for science and social studies. After review by staff and association representatives, the committee recommended dropping the \"E\" and limiting S/NS to the four arts/handwriting areas. Staff also said promotion criteria for grades 1'3 and grades 4'6 were revised to align with the state's literacy and numeracy act; the language was changed from separate references to \"reading and language\" to a single English-language-arts block, and science and social studies were removed from promotion language tied to those acts.
A staff speaker summarized the committee's rationale: \"The recommendations was is that they they were not at a point for social studies and science, so they've removed that piece.\" The speaker added that the committee received input from association presidents and staff before finalizing changes.
Board members moved and seconded the motion to adopt the grading and promotion updates; the transcript records a voice vote approving the policies.
The changes affect elementary grading and promotion frameworks and will be communicated to principals and teachers as the district prepares for the school year.
","The Madison County Board approved revisions to grading and promotion policies that remove the \"E\" grade and limit Satisfactory/Not Satisfactory (S/NS) designations to handwriting, music, PE and art; promotion criteria were adjusted to align with state literacy and numeracy law.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6165679,"Board adopts Focus Act model language, updates internet and wireless policies",249,469000,718000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5418065-a796772e30d8467b94debbe81ab24d58&start=469&end=718","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5418065-a796772e30d8467b94debbe81ab24d58/thumbnail_469000.jpg","/articles/6165679/Alabama/Board-adopts-Focus-Act-model-language-updates-internet-and-wireless-policies","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6165679-28da9599ef862bd5ccad15f4bfd8f3db/orig.mp4?Expires=1771081927&Signature=ZmWFEOuhj~zPOtLunTKX6tEVziReDYamRmvfxG-A7LSVR-KdBn2Y3ilXgPZCtZe40G5MAyi5dCPW4CiszJhMtIQn-zNTO0kfXOD0wKGtJMteDOSu2ou2RIpk1~BfSTwW3FjS13oQZ~z-VhunuzuKXlKRhudmnCNNn-d7u-ih23vrWUfh08LnmiwhcL92Urf365QzQ-0HSJgQ7Wm~FosuzSlHOk8Rth-bUDVM-Old6LKAqHKJH1y7EfLbgLdSc4twlf8bitJUIK3FtG6y-0hmjQBLEq~mtxglAPEbrdji8Uq89KtnERpzYyycvlyH2PXc61dnevGJ8cHSA3xn5ZXlTw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Madison County Board of Education on July 17 approved updated Internet-safety and wireless-communication policies that incorporate the Focus Act model language intended to restrict classroom cellphone use.
The board approved replacing the district's wireless-communication policy with the state model and folding the Focus Act requirements into the district's existing Internet and technology policy.
Board approval matters because the Focus Act (described at the meeting as \"Alabama's Freeing Our Classrooms of Unnecessary Screens for Safety Act\") imposes new requirements for how districts regulate student wireless devices. Board members and staff said associations representing support staff and teachers reviewed the drafts during policy review and that local association leaders were supportive.
At the meeting a staff presenter said, \"Miss Thompson sent you guys some information on that already\" and noted that Miss Neely, identified as a support association representative, and Miss Cardona, identified as president of the MCEA Association, provided feedback during review. The presenter said concerns raised by association leaders about bus use were addressed: \"there was a concern about whether or not students are gonna be able to use their cell phones on the bus, and I assured her that that was not part of our with we were gonna allow them to use the bus.\"
District staff told board members the recommendation was to replace the district's wireless-communication policy with the model policy and to incorporate the Focus Act language into the existing Internet-safety/technology policy rather than keep separate documents. A staff speaker summarized the local policy references as policy 4.09 (Internet and safety use of technology) and policy 6.08 (wireless communication). The staff speaker added that policy review participants urged administrators to follow the law and that the Focus Act requires an end-of-year teacher survey to check compliance.
Board members moved and seconded the motion to approve the updated policies and approved them by voice vote. The transcript records the motion, a second and the board responding \"Aye.\" The board did not record individual roll-call votes in the transcript.
No additional formal directions beyond approval were recorded; staff indicated the policies would be implemented and discussed at the School Leadership Academy for principals.
The board's action updates local policy language to align with the new state law and directs staff to proceed with implementation and communication to school principals and administrators.
","The Madison County Board of Education approved updated internet safety and wireless communication policies to incorporate Alabama's Focus Act model language that limits classroom cellphone use; the adoption followed staff presentations and association input and was approved by voice vote.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board approves SRO MOU with Madison County Sheriff's Office and routine contracts and personnel items

District previews B Chex volunteer screening plan; $19 fee, $99 setup, 3-year rescreening discussed

Board narrows grading scale changes; removes E rating, limits S/NS to selected subjects

Board adopts Focus Act model language, updates internet and wireless policies