Enterprise board previews tobacco policy revision and approves routine purchases, personnel actions

Enterprise City Board of Education members on Sept. 30 previewed a proposed revision to board policy 4.2.4, which addresses tobacco and electronic cigarettes, to align the district policy with Alabama Act 2025-403, and approved a package of routine procurement, transportation and personnel items.

The board agreed to take up a formal vote on the policy revision at its next meeting after hearing a recommendation from Dr. Thomas. “It is my recommendation that you preview the board policy revision and vote on it at the next board meeting,” Dr. Thomas said. Board members voted to preview the draft policy.

The preview came amid a largely procedural meeting in which members approved a set of consent and action items presented by Dr. Thomas. Those approvals included appointment of teachers to the 2025–26 history textbook adoption committee; authorization of quotes for an intercom system at Dolphin Junior High; purchase of two trucks from TruckWorks for the Enterprise High School band program; a maintenance fence contract from Tri State Fence for multiple campuses; an annual technology renewal from EdClub for the Keys to Digital Success curriculum for grades K–6; approval of multiple in- and out-of-state trips and activity requests as part of a single school-activity consent agenda; purchase of six new school buses; personnel actions (transfers, retirements, resignations, employment and supplements); and a student expulsion listed in the board packet.

Dr. Thomas presented each item as a recommendation and the board adopted them by voice vote or by members raising their hands as called. Discussion on most items was brief; board members asked a few clarifying questions about selection procedures for the textbook committee and about vehicle size and availability for the band program. On the textbook committee, Dr. Thomas said committee members were nominated by principals and would review state-approved textbook options using a provided rubric. “We use the state guidelines. The state gives us a list of textbooks that we choose from,” he said.

Board members also received updates on capital projects and school construction; Dr. Thomas invited members to visit recent work sites and noted that some work would delay schedules but that the district staff were striving to get projects right on the front end. He closed the meeting by reminding attendees the next regular meeting is scheduled for Oct. 28 at 5 p.m.

Votes at a glance (items presented as individual motions and approved during the Sept. 30 meeting): - Preview board policy revision 4.2.4 (tobacco and electronic cigarettes) to align with Alabama Act 2025-403 — motion to preview approved. - Approve recommended list of teachers for the 2025–26 history textbook adoption committee — approved. - Approve quote for Dolphin Junior High intercom system — approved. - Approve TruckWorks quote for two trucks for the Enterprise High School band program — approved. - Approve Tri State Fence maintenance quote for fencing at multiple school locations — approved. - Approve annual EdClub technology renewal for K–6 Keys to Digital Success curriculum — approved. - Approve school-activity consent agenda (multiple trip requests, athletic schedules, rental agreements) — approved. - Approve transportation quote for purchase of six school buses — approved. - Approve personnel action list (transfers, retirements, resignations, employment, supplements) — approved. - Approve recommended student expulsion listed in the board packet — approved.

What the board did not decide: The policy revision to board policy 4.2.4 was previewed only; the board did not adopt a final policy at this meeting. Several approvals (quotes, personnel actions, expulsion) were passed as presented; specific dollar amounts, vendor contract numbers and vote tallies were not read into the public record during the meeting and are listed as “not specified” in board materials.

A full agenda and the board packet contain the documentation the board referenced, including the proposed policy draft and the textbook adoption rubric. The board’s next regular meeting is Oct. 28 at 5 p.m.