A report by the state education department shows the Andalusia City School System could save an estimated $446,000 in staff and utility costs by closing the middle school as an education facility.
However, superintendent Ted Watson said those savings would not be immediately seen and would probably “come closer to $300,000” by eliminating the duplication of staff and services.
On Monday, board members approved a capital plan that will close Andalusia Middle School as an education facility, sending sixth graders to the elementary school and seventh and eighth graders to the high school.
There is no exact date set on when the plan will go into effect, but the earliest would be the 2013-2014 school year.
Watson told board members that a new state department of education analysis report said that by reassigning the students onto two campuses, it will save between $300,000 to $400,000 a year.
However, Watson said that though the eventual savings would be $400,000 annually, the change will be “gradual.”
According to the analysis report, there are some $330,319 in duplicated staff costs.
Among those are locally funded certified staff, support staff, principal, assistant principal, secretaries, bookkeepers and other staff.
However, Watson said that those positions would not be immediately cut and would be eliminated through means of attrition once the changes are made.
Additionally, the state’s plan includes a savings of $116,039 in facility operating costs, such as $3,000 for telephones; $500 for postage; $65,602 for electricity; $10,000 for natural gas and $3,000 for sewerage and water.
However, as part of the capital plan, the AMS building would become a new home for the board’s central office, serve as a professional development facility for staff, provide additional storage and possibly a preschool or Head Start facility.
“You have to remember that in doing this, we won’t have the present central office open,” he said. “So that will alleviate some of the utility costs.”
Still, there will be construction costs for a new kindergarten early learning center at the elementary school and a seventh and eighth grade wing at the high school.
Watson said the cost would be significant to build the new facilities, but said he did not have an estimate at the present time.
Watson said that the system’s current long-term debt for the elementary school will be paid off in 2014, and that there are financing options for the new facilities.
“We can also sell bonds to help pay for the new facilities,” he said. “I think the time is right for this project.”
Watson said the greatest concern of the administration and the school board is the students.
“We want to afford them the best opportunities possible,” he said. “We think by doing this it will allow us some flexibility in doing that.”
Melanie Taryn Lloyd rehearses her talent for this weekend’s Distinguished Young Woman competition, formerly known as Junior Miss. She is performing a contemporary dance to “Bless the Lord” from the musical Godspell. The two-night event features talent peformances on Friday night and the conclusion of the competition on Saturday night at the Dixon Center on the campus of LBWCC.
Donations are currently being sought for the Andalusia Animal Shelter.
Items such as pet shampoo, bath towels, pet toys, collars and the like are needed for the local shelter, said city employee Brandy Smith.
“The Andalusia Animal Shelter runs off a very small budget that really only allows for things like food, water, and cleaning items for the facility,” Smith said. “The facility provides so much more, such as offering shots, worming and spay and/or neuter to adoptable pets with the assistance of a local veterinarian.”
Smith said employees strive to provide those wanting to adopt a loving animal after receiving hands-on training and learning the disposition of the animals.
“There is a stigma within the community that animals at the animal shelter are not adopted they are only euthanized,” she said. “This is untrue.”
Smith said providing the animals with all the necessities is “barely possible.”
So, with the help of the public stepping in to lend a hand, the shelter can continue to improve its appearance and services to the public and the animals with the items they so desperately need, she said.
Cash and check donations can also be made, she said. Checks should be made payable to the Andalusia Animal Shelter.
Donations can be dropped off at the Andalusia Police Department in the front lobby or at the Andalusia Animal Shelter located at 101 Coliseum Avenue in Andalusia.
For further questions or information, contact Christin Ball at (334) 222-8705.
Bethany Baptist Church is “supplying our students for success” by collecting school supplies and handing out backpacks, Bethany Pastor Josh Wilson said.
“(Members of the church) saw a need in our community to help families who could not afford the school supplies,” he said. “They wanted to do this by bringing businesses and the community in.”
They are aptly calling the project “Supplying Our Students for Success.”
Church members started with a goal of supplying 300 backpacks, but with the help of local businesses, that number has turned into 600 backpacks.
While the backpacks are supplied, there is still a need for school supplies, and the community help is needed to achieve that goal, Wilson said.
On Friday and Saturday, church and community members will gather at Harold’s Discount Furniture to collect school supplies and monetary donations to try and “pack the bus.”
“We want this to be a physical sharing of Jesus’ love,” Wilson said. “We can say we love Jesus all day long, but we need to show people.”
Church member Myra Maddox said that general school supplies are needed such as folders, paper, rulers, crayons, glue sticks, etc.
“If people would just pick up a few extras when they are buying their own children’s supplies, it would be a great help,” she said. “I believe that if children are sent to school with the correct supplies it helps involve self-esteem. I think it affects them throughout their life.”
Those who need help with school supplies should stop by the Christian Service Center between now and July 30 to pick up a voucher to bring to the farmer’s market on July 30 at 2 p.m.
Wilson said they hope to make this an annual project and hope to expand it to include even more children in the years to come.
Thirty Andalusia swimmers in both individual and relay categories qualified for the state meet July 29-30 in Cullman this past weekend at the district meet in Dothan, where the Stingrays finished in second place overall.
“I was proud of the way this team conducted themselves and competed in the meet,” 11-and-up coach Gavin Donaldson said. “This is a great group of young swimmers that do it with class.”
The Stingrays swam against teams from Troy, Eufaula, Dothan and Ft. Rucker.
The following is a list of the Stingrays that finished in the top three in their respective swimming category:
• Boys 8-and-under 100-yard individual medley (IM): Alex Browning — 2 minutes, 11.05 seconds;
• Boys 9-10 100-yard IM: Stuart Baker — 1:43.32, West Parker — 2:00.72;
• Girls 11-12 100-yard IM: Cali Fillmer — 1:19.57;
• Boys 15-18 100-yard IM: Michael Hudson — 1:09.06;
• Boys 9-10 50-yard breaststroke: West Parker — 50.33;
• Boys and girls 11-12 50-yard breaststroke: Ben Parker — 43.24, Mary Beth Baker — 44.96;
• Boys and girls 13-14 50-yard breaststroke: Noah Rider — 34.47, Elisabeth Chrstensen — 44.21;
• Boys 15-18 50-yard breaststroke: B.J. Donaldson — 33.04;
• Boys and girls 8-and-under 25-yard freestyle: Alex Browning — 20.65, Aidan Vines — 21.61, Addison Mount — 22.72, Ava Bailey — 20.08;
• Girls 9-10 50-yard freestyle: Emma Younce — 39.25;
• Boys 11-12 50-yard freestyle: Brandon Hudson — 33.58, Ben Parker — 35.99;
• Boys 15-18 50-yard freestyle: B.J. Donaldson — 25.26;
• Boys 8-and-under 100-yard medley relay: Noah Whiddon, Alex Browning, Aidan Vines and Addison Mount — 2:01.17;
• Boys and girls 9-10 200-yard medley relay: Stuart Baker, West Parker, Cameron Woodard and Ellis Mount — 2:23.50, Ashlyn Nall, Emma Younce, Sheridan Wright and Laura Lea Blatz — 3:31.02;
• Boys 11-12 200-yard medley relay: Luke Johnson, Ben Parker, Brandon Hudson and Josh Hudson — 2:48.25;
• Girls 13-14 200-yard medley relay: Mary Johnson, Elisabeth Christensen, Judy Johnson and Kaden Arnold — 2:46.25;
• Boys 8-and-under 25-yard butterfly: Aidan Vines — 31.09;
• Girls 9-10 50-yard butterfly: Sheridan Wright — 1:01.68;
• Girls 11-12 50-yard butterfly: Cali Fillmer — 33.86;
• Girls 13-14 50-yard butterfly: Judy Johnson — 38.30, Kaden Arnold — 41.12;
• Boys 8-and-under 25-yard backstroke: Addison Mount — 29.20;
• Girls 9-10 50-yard backstroke: Emma Younce — 42.31;
• Girls 11-12 50-yard backstroke: Cali Fillmer — 37.49, Mary Beth Baker — 39.77;
• Boys 13-14 50-yard backstroke: Noah Rider — 32.84;
• Boys 15-18 50-yard backstroke: B.J. Donaldson — 29.78;
• Boys and girls 8-and-under 50-yard freestyle: Alex Browning — 50.28, Addison Mount — 53.42, Ava Bailey — 49.46;
• Girls 9-10 100-yard freestyle: Emma Younce — 1:30.22, Sheridan Wright — 1:51.85;
• Boys and girls 11-12 100-yard freestyle: Brandon Hudson — 1:15.92, Mary Beth Baker — 1:13.73;
• Boys 8-and-under 100-yard freestyle relay: Alex Browning, Noah Whiddon, Addison Mount and Aidan Vines — 1:42.47;
• Boys and girls 9-10 200-yard freestyle relay: Cameron Woodard, Trevey Stoudemire, Ellis Mount and Stuart Baker — 2:57.05, Ashlyn Nall, Sheridan Wright, Laura Blatz and Emma Younce — 3:00.02;
• Boys and girls 11-12 200-yard freestyle relay: Ben Parker, Ethan Gobea, Josh Hudson and Brandon Hudson — 2:27.97, Loni Blatz, Bella Whisonant, Mary Beth Baker and Cali Fillmer — 2:31.73;
Girls 13-14 200-yard freestyle relay: Elisabeth Christensen, Kaden Arnold, Mary Johnson and Judy Johnson — 2:27.05.