Trussville BOE approves employee assistance program, honors HTHS flag football team

By Hannah Caver, Staff Writer

TRUSSVILLE — The Trussville City Schools Board of Education recognized the Hewitt-Trussville High School flag football state championship team and passed an Employee Assistance Program during its regular meeting on December 13, 2021.

Trussville City Schools Board of Education honored the HTHS Flag Football Championship team at the meeting Monday, December 13. (Photo by Hannah Caver)

The EAP is a program presented in partnership with UAB, and it serves school system employees and families by providing a variety of support programs to address multiple challenges, including whether it be issues that are financial, job-related, yoga, stress, crisis management, life-change opportunity, or counseling.

An EAP counselor will be available to help employees can help brainstorm goals and then follows up with the user about a month later. Employees will be able to reach the support of EAP by using a website that is created specifically for TCS.

“It is cost per employee, and we pay for all our employees regardless,” Assistant Superintendent Dr. Rachel Poovey said.

TCS  who request an overnight field trip must have all sponsors know the guidelines (know the location of where they are going/ COVID-19 protocols/parents are aware/refund policy/etc.) that are presented to TCS so that if there is a question the sponsors have all the information needed to answer the question.

In other items, the board addressed the following items:

TCS administrators will be monitoring the COVID-19 numbers in the area of the field trip to determine if it is safe for the students to travel. In addition, masks are required on all forms of transportation by those who attend the field trip.

“We are going to start looking a month out at their numbers,” Poovey said. “Again at two weeks prior and then at 10 days if we see any concern or if we need to cancel that field trip.”

Poovey said that students and parents must understand the COVID-19 protocols for the venue or state they are visiting and are required to adhere to those guidelines regardless of the procedures practiced by TCS. Nurses or parents will be present if a covid-related incident were to occur.

TCS discussed the importance of regulating visitors for educational purposes. Teachers are asked to fill out an approval form and submit it to the principals that explain the purpose of the visit and how it meets the educational objective.

The Administrative mentor program was reinstated and should begin in early January. Each of the administrators will a part of the program for four days of the week during a six-week rotation

The HTHS flag football state championship team was honored at the meeting for their accomplishments and also being “forever first,” the inaugural championship team. Athletic Director Lance Walker said it was great to watch co-coaches Taylor Burt and Tonya Hunter coach together. Both coaches now have two state championship wins in two different sports, Walker said.

“I think it’s cool that 100 years from now someone will look at the flag-football state champions, and we will always be the first one,” Walker said.

Burt and Hunter said it was a privilege to coach together, and while they understood football they didn’t understand the technical side of it and that’s where Stephanie Lloyd. Hunter explained that Lloyd knew the rules and she would always run up to Lloyd and ask if the call was correct. Together with all three coaches implementing their drive to win they succeeded at being the first-ever flag football state champions.

In other matters, the Board approved:

• Accounts payable for: November 2021;
• Payroll for: November 2021;
• Financials: November 2021;
• Board work session record and Board meeting minutes for November 16, 2021;
• The following facility usage agreements:
  • Youth Lacrosse, soccer practices and flag football for middle school fields, football and lower field January 10, 2022 through May 27, 2022;
  • Youth flag football freshman and JV football fields February 5, 2022, through May 14, 2022;
  • Youth basketball for Magnolia Gym;
  • Highstepper Mini Clinic;
  • Auburn University band rehearsal at HTHS football stadium December 27, 2021 (before the bowl game);
• Tyler Technologies software service agreement;
• Purchase of a dishwasher for Hewitt-Trussville Middle School;
• Bus Bids:
  • School Buss bids 22-02 for 1 bus (72 passengers) from Southland;
  • Special Education School Bus Bid 22-01 for 4 exceptional education buses from Transportation South;
• The following change orders:
  • CO 19-27-19 Irrigation System;
  • CO 19-17-21 Plaque;
  • CO 19-27-22 Soundproofing at Board Table;
  • CO 19-27-23 Grass;
  • CO 7 – Construction Testing;
• Early high school graduation for student 12-13-21-01 WHO?;
• Renewal of Bid  19-03 to Mighty Green Lawn Care for TCS Athletic Turf Chemical Application Maintenance (final year of 4 year contract);
• Memorandum of Agreement with Montevallo School of Education for placements for observations and/or student teaching assignments;
• Troy University College of Education Undergraduate Intern Placement in long-term substitute position;
• Cabinets for Husky Stadium Room;
• EDF 12-13-21-1 through 12-13-21-18;
• The following contract/agreements for special education services:
  • Sign language interpreting services;
  • Psychometrist for evaluation services;
• Lease for band equipment; and
• Superintendent’s recommendations regarding changes in personnel, contracts, extra services, and supplements.

The January monthly board meeting will be Thursday, January 27, 2022, at 4:30 p.m. in the board room of the central office. There will be a work session held at 4 p.m. before the board meeting. The board meeting and the work session will be live-streamed. A link will be posted on the TCS website at 3:45 p.m. on January 27, 2022.