Baldwin County, Alabama News and Discussion
January 23rd, 2011 — Fairhope, Schools
Fairhope High School science teacher Megan F. O’Neill collected her national teaching award last month, along with a bonus: a handshake from the nation’s president.
“It was amazing,” O’Neill told school board members Thursday. “We stood in line in the snow to tour the White House, then went into a meeting room in the Eisenhower Building. Then the Secret Service swept the room and, right after, President Obama arrived.”
January 21st, 2011 — Fairhope, Schools
The group “Fairhope Schools, Good 2 Great,” which as recently as November held a public forum to discuss the possibility of creating a city school system, suspended operations today. In an e-mail sent to supporters, the group cited timing, a lack of support from city leaders and optimism in a new countywide education initiative for the decision.
Click through to read the text of the email
Group advocating Fairhope city school system suspends effort
January 20th, 2011 — Schools
Baldwin County “Yes We Can” leaders approached the school board at Tuesday’s work session asking for $17,418 to help pay for the ongoing work on a strategic plan for education.
The budget presented includes $5,000 for a project administrator and $15,000 for a project coordinator. Burkle will fill the role of administrator and D’Oliveira will serve as coordinator. Baldwin’s coalition is also pursuing 501(c)3 charitable 0rganization tax-exemption status.
Baldwin County Education Coalition asks for school board funding
January 13th, 2011 — Fairhope, Schools
In a mass email to parents today, Superintendent Lee responded to complaints from a Fairhope parent claiming the county school system spends $1,500 less per student in the Fairhope feeder pattern than for students in the rest of the county.
Here’s the full text of the letter:
January 9th, 2011 — Schools
The financial needs of a high school cheerleading squad are a simple reality.
“We have to fundraise or pay,” Spanish Fort coach Callie Quinlivan said. “We fundraise but we never raise enough.”
January 9th, 2011 — Fairhope, Robertsdale, Schools
Splitting time between two different schools may not be the easiest task but Mark Doherty, new Assistant Principal at Robertsdale Elementary School, has been making it happen for the past four weeks
Also Assistant Principal at Fairhope Elementary, Doherty spends Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday morning at Fairhope and Wednesday afternoon, Thursday and Friday at Robertsdale.
New Assistant Principal splits time between Fairhope and Robertsdale schools
January 9th, 2011 — Schools, Spanish Fort
Friday night, the Spanish Fort Sparklers started on the sidelines, cheering on the Toros as they pounded the court, waiting for their first big half time show. Ramsey Wilder, Emily Grant and six more Sparklers all have special needs, ranging from autism to Down Syndrome. They attend Spanish Fort Middle School and High School.
Special Needs Cheerleaders Get Standing Ovation at Their First Game
January 6th, 2011 — Schools
To put Macon County’s situation in perspective, Mobile County needs an additional $20 million, Baldwin County $15 million and Montgomery County $13 million to operate for the 2010-2011 school term.
Macon Board of Education year-end finances better than much of state
January 2nd, 2011 — Schools
Baldwin County teachers are preparing classes and classrooms as winter break comes to a close. Teachers get back to work officially Monday. Baldwin County students don’t start class until Wednesday.
September 30th, 2009 — Schools
Baldwin County Public School Spokesperson Terry Wilhite said, “We’re already bleeding. This takes it to just unimaginable levels.” As far as dealing with the cuts, Wilhite said, “Its too early to tell how the school board will tackle an additional $7.5 million in proration. Its just uncharted territory.”
Wilhite said the Baldwin County School Board will have to decide whether to ask county or state officials for more money, or make more cuts. But if more cuts are made, Wilhite said, “At this point, when you hear this devastating news, there’s only thing you can do, and that’s cut personnel.”
September 30th, 2009 — Schools, State News
Two days before the new fiscal year, Gov. Bob Riley on Tuesday declared a 7.5 percent cut to the pending education budget.
Riley announced that across-the-board cuts, also known as proration, will reduce to $5.3 billion from $5.7 billion the state funding budgeted for public schools in fiscal 2009-10.
“With less revenue coming in and the escalating costs of employee health insurance, there’s no way to avoid it,” Riley said in a statement
In Baldwin County, which is in the midst of dealing with a series of deep budget and staffing cuts, the governor’s announcement “only makes the situation worse,” said school system spokesman Terry Wilhite.
The proration means about $7.5 million less for Baldwin schools.
Riley declares 7.5 percent proration for coming year’s education budget
September 30th, 2009 — Schools
September 29- After the latest round of layoffs, more than 200 workers in the Baldwin County School System will go to work for the last time on Wednesday.
They’ve all had more than a month to prepare but emotions are running high.
Wednesday will be a half day for school children in Baldwin County this so they can attend the county fair which opened this week.
September 25th, 2009 — Schools
It’s a little like a bad science fiction movie. On Sept. 30, 2009, about 200 employees of the Baldwin County School System will vanish
These are all probationary, non-classified employees,” said John Hudson, the Alabama Education Association Uniserv Director for the district. The AEA represents about 2,500 numbers in the Baldwin County school district and at Faulkner State Community College. nurses, cafeteria workers, teacher aids, P.E. aids. computer aids, mechanics, mechanics, bookkeepers, secretaries, clerks, custodians, grounds workers, and bus drivers will be trimmed.
September 25th, 2009 — Foley, Schools
City and education officials, both facing tight budgets, are trying to find a way to preserve four historic buildings on the campus of Baldwin County’s newest school.
When Foley Middle School opened in August, educators and students no longer needed the old auditorium, office building and library. Education officials asked Foley to take over the buildings and a church on the campus, said Ken Mason, school system construction coordinator.
“The city of Foley was looking at leasing the old auditorium, old library and part of the old administration area,” Mason said. Mason said several other buildings on the campus, such as the newer wings of the old middle school, will be torn down
September 22nd, 2009 — Schools
AEA representatives distributed flyers to teachers on Monday with the following text:
Please join us at the Robertsdale Park Pavilion to pay tribute to our recently dismissed coworkers and the vital work they performed.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009 at 4:30 PM
All employees are encouraged to wear black to school on this day to show our sense of loss at their departure.
US Holocaust Memorial Museum inscription:
“First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out – because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out – because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out – because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me – and there was no one left to speak for me.”
Protestant Pastor Martin Niemoller
What does the current financial crisis have to do with the Holocaust? According to this comparison, who would be the Nazis in this case? Speak out or they’re coming for you next.
