DCSS hires teachers, principals at meeting

ALBANY — Following the advice of system attorney Tommy Coleman, the Dougherty County School Board on Tuesday voted 5-1 to re-issue contracts to five elementary teachers who were non-renewed during fallout from the CRCT investigation.

Rehired were Deborah Flood at Sylvester Road; Vanessa Dubose and Tia Ford at Northside; Lily Zachary at Jackson Heights and Deborah Warren at Alice Coachman.

At the end of the special called meeting to consider personnel prior to school starting on Aug. 6, Coleman told the board there wasn’t enough evidence to move forward with the teachers cases.

“We believe there is insufficient evidence to present the cases of these five people to the tribunal in order to terminate or discipline them,” said Coleman.

Darrel Ealum was the lone dissenting vote.

The system also filled three elementary principal positions.

Carrie Kirkland was named assistant principal at Westtown; Jaque Walker takes over as an AP Turner and Dave Walker was named interim principal at Morningside.

“We want to make sure we have all of our people in place when school opens, so I’m proposing new hires, temporary positions and return work positions tonight,” said Superintendent Joshua Murfree.

In other action the board approved Ken Dyer as chief financial officer, replacing the demoted Robert Lloyd. The board also approved Blaine Allen as the temporary Child Nutrition Services director, replacing the departed Vanessa Hayes.

Murfree said that interviews for the Human Resources director’s position would be completed by Aug. 2, and interviews to replace Dianne Daniels as curriculum director would begin on Aug. 7.