HAMILTON — The Marion County Board of Education recently achieved system-wide accreditation from Cognia, with MCBOE Curriculum Director Dr. Tracy Handley helping to lead the process and making a report at the board’s June 27 meeting.
Superintendent Dr. Patrick Sutton noted Cognia is a company that has taken the place of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools in conducting accreditation reviews for schools and systems.
“Our system was approved for accreditation for the next five years,” he said. “And in
the process, we learned a lot about the strengths of our system, as well as areas for growth.
“This process requires the collection of a great deal of data and analyzation to get a true picture of our schools’ performance. It takes a lot of work, and I appreciate Dr. Tracy Handley for leading this process for us. I am proud of the results. Our system is on a very positive trajectory.”
Personnel actions
Personnel actions taken during the meeting included one resignation:
• Calvin Aldridge, part-time teacher at Marion County High School, resigned effective June 30.
Employments approved for the 2025-2026 school year included:
• Patsy Fikes as part-time ELA teacher at Hamilton High School;
• Angela Wilds as part-time Title I parent/homeless liaison;
• Sandra Loden as part-time elementary K4 teacher at Hamilton Elementary School;
• Lisa Wiginton as part-time elementary K4 teacher at Hamilton Elementary School;
• Gabriella Gaby McLin as teacher at Hamilton Elementary School;
• Julie Credille Black as teacher at Hamilton Elementary School;
• Kevin Bass as 9-12 teacher and head baseball coach at Hamilton High School;
• Britney Stidham as 9-12 teacher at Hamilton High School;
• Alma Rose Barbour as elementary teacher at Phillips Elementary School;
• Brently Wells as special education teacher at Phillips Elementary School;
• Grace Crowe as elementary teacher at Guin Elementary School (pending certification);
• Linda Pollard as part-time secretary at Guin Elementary School;
• Whitney Robison as health science teacher at Brilliant High School;
• Erica Warren as RN at Guin Elementary School; and
• Brittany McLemore as LPN at Brilliant Schools.
Voluntary transfers for the 2025-2026 school year included:
• Josh Weatherly from principal at Guin Elementary School to central office supervisor and career tech coordinator, effective July 1;
• Valarie Bailey from teacher at Hamilton Elementary to teacher at Hamilton Middle School;
• Mitzi Hyde from teacher at Phillips Elementary School to teacher at Hackleburg Elementary School; and
• Bailey Stidham from full-time special education teacher at Hackleburg Elementary to half-time special education teacher at Hackleburg Elementary and half-time special education teacher at Hackleburg High School.
The board also approved Scott Curd as a volunteer football coach for Hackleburg High School
Job postings included principal for Guin Elementary School, associate director of career tech and district arts coordinator, and part-time teacher at MCHS.
In supplemental issues, Jason Bourland was approved for the role of assistant superintendent.
More on central office hires
Asked to comment on the two central office hires, Weatherly and Bourland, Sutton noted, “The board approved the transfer of Josh Weatherly from the principal position at Guin Elementary to the role of career tech supervisor. Josh has a record of strong leadership. After 12 years at GES, Mr. Weatherly is ready for a new challenge, and I am excited to see him join the central office team.
“Our board also approved the naming of Jason Bourland as our assistant superintendent. He has been our career tech supervisor since 2018. This new title will be in addition to his role as our prevention and support services supervisor.
“Mr. Bourland brings a wealth of experience as a former principal, and career tech supervisor. Jason will be a great resource for parents and staff to reach out to for problem-solving and support.”
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