by Hunter Dawkins
After being pushed towards the end of the monthly board meeting, the Long Beach School District praised five women for providing the excellence in teaching for the 2018-19 school year. Long Beach Assistant Superintendent Dr. Lori Price delivered the awards to each teacher after the school principal gave remarks about the individual.
Following the presentation of the earned Teacher of the Year for the five ladies, Reeves Elementary recipient Brianna Barrows received an additional honor being awarded as the Long Beach School District Teacher of the Year. The four other awardees were Demetria Brown for the Long Beach High School, Brandi Holland for the Middle School, Sherilyn Oakes for the McCaughan Elementary, and Allyson Bryan for the Quarles Elementary School. Each honoree expressed thanks to the school district and their families.
Before the awards, Long Beach School District Superintendent Dr. Jay Smith asked the Athletic Director; Russ Badeaux, for an update on the improvements of the practice facility. Badeaux addressed the board acknowledging the booster club purchased an air-conditioned unit for the batting cage. Additionally, Badeaux presented numbers of the monthly numbers for the energy cost audits in both baseball and softball facilities.
Even though Long Beach School Board President Tim Pierce indicated a dislike of this action because of school district liability and lack of efficiency, the board voted 3-1 to move forward with the installation. Pierce voted no and fellow school board member; Shane Walker, was absent.
Once the board approved the consent agenda in its entirety, School Board Attorney Jim Simpson called an executive session on a personnel matter. After the board came back into the public, Pierce recognized the school board would accept the resignation letter from the teacher.
The next school board meeting is scheduled for December 11 at 6pm.