Madison County Schools board approves series of routine items, updates student and personnel policies; schedules executive session on real estate

MADISON COUNTY, Ala. — The Madison County Schools Board of Education approved a set of routine agenda items and policy updates at its Nov. 7, 2025 meeting and voted to enter an executive session to discuss real estate and legal matters.

The board approved change orders for two construction projects — the New Hope High gym unit replacement and the Hazel Green High artificial turf field — and adopted an updated academic standards grading policy (identified in the meeting as policy 7.30.1), a revised parent opt‑in policy for school-based mental-health services (policy 6.29) and updates to the student code of conduct related to anti‑vaping measures (referenced as 2025‑4033). The superintendent said the anti‑vaping updates follow Alabama state law.

The actions also included routine approvals of contracts and services, supplemental and discontinued contracts, and multiple personnel actions. The board approved a probationary contract for an assistant principal and approved the termination of “employee number 1,” identified in the meeting as a bus driver at Monrovia Middle School, effective Nov. 24, 2025. The superintendent presented each item and the board chair called each vote; the meeting transcript records motions, seconds and a vocal “Aye” for those votes but does not show individual roll-call tallies.

Votes at a glance: • Approval of the agenda for Nov. 7, 2025, with item number 1 pulled — motion and second recorded and approved. • Change order: New Hope High gym unit replacement — motion and second recorded and approved. • Change order: Hazel Green High School artificial turf field — motion and second recorded and approved. • Adopted: Academic standards grading policy (spoken as 7.30.1) — motion and second recorded and approved. • Adopted: Parent opt‑in for mental‑health services policy (6.29) — motion and second recorded and approved. • Adopted: Student code of conduct anti‑vaping updates (2025‑4033) — motion and second recorded and approved; board noted alignment with Alabama state law. • Approval of contracts or services as submitted — motion and second recorded and approved. • Personnel items and supplemental/discontinued contracts — motion and second recorded and approved. • Probationary contract for an assistant principal — motion and second recorded and approved. • Termination of employee number 1, bus driver at Monrovia Middle School, effective Nov. 24, 2025 — motion and second recorded and approved. • Motion to enter executive session to discuss real estate and legal matters — motion and second recorded and approved; the chair stated nothing would be voted on in executive session.

What happened in the meeting The superintendent presented each item and asked the board to approve them “as submitted.” The board chair handled motions, called for discussion and asked for votes on each item. When asked about the anti‑vaping code updates, a board member asked whether those changes align with state law; the superintendent confirmed they follow Alabama state law. No public comment or extended deliberation on the listed items is recorded in the provided transcript excerpt.

Personnel and disciplinary action Among personnel matters the board approved a probationary assistant principal contract and voted to terminate a bus driver assigned to Monrovia Middle School, effective Nov. 24, 2025. The meeting record supplied does not include names beyond the district’s internal identifier “employee number 1” for the terminated staff member, nor does it show the text of the termination motion beyond the superintendent’s recommendation and the board’s affirmative vote.

Executive session and legal certification At the end of the meeting the chair said the board would go into an executive session to discuss real estate, noting that no votes would occur in that closed session and that a certification for legal matters had been provided. The superintendent and the chair discussed whether to bring Mr. Smith into the real‑estate portion of the executive session; the board then moved into executive session.

Why this matters The votes approve construction work and district policy changes that affect students and staff across the district, and the termination is a personnel action affecting a school bus route and related staffing. The executive session on real estate may relate to district property or transactions but the board stated no action would be taken during the closed session.

What the record does not show The supplied transcript excerpt records motions, seconds and vocal assent but does not include roll-call vote tallies or the names of the individual vote authors. Several items are described only by internal identifiers (for example, “employee number 1” for the terminated bus driver) and the transcript does not include supporting documents, contract amounts, or detailed policy language. Where a number or specific detail was not stated in the meeting, this article reports the value as not specified.