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The Escambia County Board of Education approved curriculum services during its last regular board meeting July 29 before the start of the school year.

Students return to school on Tues., Aug. 6. The first day back with teachers is Aug. 1, and teacher workday is Aug. 5.

Superintendent Dr. Michele Collier said it was a good week for principals during their week at Escambia County High School.

In regular business, the board:

• reviewed the 2024 Strategic Plan for Escambia County Schools;
• reviewed the monthly financial statement ending June 30, 2024;
• adopted resolution ECBOE2024-2, declaring a state of emergency at Flomaton High School due to roof damage discovered on July 25. Collier said the declaration gives permission to get the process rolling for bidding for the project;
• approved the purchase of encore Curriculum physical goods classroom package for K-12 from Teachtown in the amount of $95,840.73, to be paid out of IDEA funds. The purchase is for those students receiving special education services, Collier said.
• approved a contract with LBP Interpreting Inc. for interpreting services for deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals for the 2024-25 school year. An interpreter works with a student only when the students are in class;
• approved a contract with Gulf Coast Therapy for physical and occupational therapy services for the 2024-25 school year. The school system has contracted with Gulf Coast Therapy for more than 28 years. The service provides occupational and physical therapy services to students as needed;
• approved to renew SchoolsPLP user licenses for three years in the amount of $254,700, to be paid out of ESSER 3 funds. Collier said this approval allows the system to pay for the service for the next three years, instead of having to pay $100,000 each year for the next three years;
• approved the revision of athletic medical services provider contract from $125 per varsity game to $200 per varsity game, and from $100 per middle school/junior varsity game to $125 per middle school/junior varsity game;
• approved to extend summer employment of summer maintenance/groundskeeper student workers through Aug. 5; and,
• tabled board policy revision Section VI. Students 6.15.1 for distribution of explicit images. The item will be tabled for 30 days.

Due to not having a quorum for the workshop, members of the board and school administrators toured the ECHS cafeteria, where new flooring has been completed.

Deputy of Operations Shaun Goolsby held an informational session to update stakeholders on system projects, including:

• classrooms at A.C. Moore Primary School;
• the cafeteria floor at ECHS;
• the HVAC final inspection at Escambia County Middle School coming in the next week;
• moving of new alternative programs for K-5 and sixth through 12^th grades;
• FHS classroom carpet being replaced;
• Flomaton Middle School teachers temporarily being relocated; and,
• WSNHS storm doors to be complete Aug. 6.

The ECBOE’s next meeting will be Aug. 22 at 4:30 p.m. at Atmore Central Office.