Board reviews policy updates, considers $75,000 bus replacement and approves personnel items
Summary
Board members reviewed ASBA policy updates (including a local change renaming 'parental leave' to 'maternity leave' and removing a desegregation paragraph from school choice policy), discussed authorizing up to $75,000 for a bus replacement, and read multiple personnel resignations and hires for approval.
HUNTSVILLE — At its Dec. 2 meeting, the Huntsville School District board reviewed several policy updates, discussed a bus replacement purchase of up to $75,000 and processed routine personnel items.
Policy updates presented by a board member referenced ASBA revisions. The local policy change replaces the term 'parental leave' with 'maternity leave' in licensed personnel policy; the presenter said the district opted to use 'maternity' to apply benefits to mothers under local policy. The board also discussed revisions addressing student use of personal electronic devices to allow limited phone access for two‑factor authentication when students take concurrent‑credit classes. Another speaker said the district removed the first paragraph of policy 4.51, which referenced desegregation and court approval, because that paragraph had not been included locally.
On transportation, staff reported a bus at Saint Paul was damaged by fire (described as caused by lightning) and that insurance proceeds would be used to replace it. Two replacement options were under consideration; the higher‑priced option was about $75,000. A board member suggested authorizing up to $75,000 so staff can purchase the bus that provides the best value; the motion and second were recorded in the transcript. The transcript does not include a full roll‑call tally in the provided segments.
During consent and personnel items, the board read resignations and hires into the record. The transcript lists the resignation of Abigail Johnson (WPS custodian, effective Nov. 7) and hires including Rachel Holt (Huntsville High School special‑education paraprofessional), Calvary Ackerman (WPS maintenance), Amber Hendricks (special‑education paraprofessional) and Rachel Roberts (intermediate school kitchen worker, effective Dec. 3). Board members discussed salary schedule negotiations and PPC committee work and indicated they may call a special meeting before the holiday break to finalize pay schedules.
Next steps: staff will pursue the selected bus purchase consistent with the authority the board provided and will complete personnel onboarding; salary schedules may return to the board for final approval after PPC committee recommendations.
