Julie Bone

The meeting commenced with the establishment of a quorum and the adoption of the agenda. Key action items included the recommendation to declare three buses as surplus property, the approval of a bid for a Walk-In Cooler/Freezer for Barkley Bridge Elementary School, and the approval of bid renewal awards for Child Nutrition services (Produce, Chemical, Fresh Baked Pizza Delivery, and Ice Cream). The Board also considered and recommended approval for the Hartselle Junior High School lighting project upgrade, the approval of job position and salary schedules for a Virtual Program Facilitator and a Maintenance Grounds Worker, and the first reading of policy updates concerning Public Participation and the Vacation Policy. Personnel items approved included various transfers, additional duties assignments, substitute appointments, and a retiree agreement for part-time lawn maintenance.

The meeting involved several discussion items, including a presentation on Teaching & Learning, which covered instructional programs, curriculum, and student performance initiatives, as well as findings from the recent COGNIA Accreditation review. A discussion on Grounds and Maintenance addressed a proposal for a new full-time grounds and maintenance worker position, comparing its cost to existing contract work and noting added winter month capabilities. Other maintenance topics included the BBE Plaque, BBE Kitchen, and HJHS Lighting Approval. No action was taken during this work session.

The meeting commenced with the establishment of a quorum, noting four out of five board members were present, with one member absent on work travel. Following an invocation, the pledge of allegiance was recited. The agenda and minutes from three previous sessions (two work sessions and one formal meeting) were approved. The financial report, as of January 31, 2026, indicated strong revenue streams, with local revenue at 49% of the budget (10-15% ahead of projections) and expenditures at 33.89%. Notable accounts payable included the funding agreement with the City of Hartsville, payment for AED purchases to ensure full coverage across sports teams, and significant payments for bridge construction and land clearing near Park Creek. The entity ended the month with an excess revenue of $1.2 million over expenditures in the general fund. The unreserved fund balance was $13.2 million (3.36 months operating). Two notable items included receiving robotics grants of $3,400 and $3,500 for respective schools. The Superintendent's report highlighted recent student achievements in theater, band, robotics, and drones, and recognized Officer Eubanks as the Hartsville City Police Department Officer of the Year. The primary focus of the meeting was a presentation by high school students on an Artificial Intelligence (AI) project developed for the Morgan County Emergency Management Agency (EMA). This project, which utilizes AI (Gemini) to create a storm shelter locator website with features like capacity information, pet-friendly filtering, and integrated weather radar, is set to go live on the Morgan County EMA website. Future plans for the project include integrating it into the Apple App Store and expanding coverage to all Alabama counties. The presentation also detailed the AI training process and submission to a Presidential AI challenge.

The meeting included discussions on several key operational and safety matters. A significant portion was dedicated to gathering feedback from various districts regarding the use and effectiveness of metal detection systems, such as Open Gate, as a deterrent for weapons at events and on campuses. Other discussion topics included the progress on the HCS Artificial Intelligence (AI) policy development, the establishment of a summer professional development 'AI Camp' for teachers, updates on Out-of-District (OOD) student tuition, plans for the Sherrill Street building use to provide additional student resources, information regarding the Barkley Bridge Kitchen Renovation/Freezer, and the development of a plan for implementing background checks for parents/chaperones on field trips.

The meeting included several discussion items. One key topic involved a presentation on adjusting policy related to agenda posting to encourage more meaningful stakeholder feedback. Updates were provided on the Barkley Bridge Gym and the Lighting Project at HHS under Buildings and Facilities. An analysis of the Out of District Fee was scheduled, contingent upon time availability, which included a comprehensive look at the cost of educating out-of-district students versus the current fee.