New turf softball fields will soon become a reality at Belgreen, Tharptown and Vina High Schools after the Franklin County Board of Education approved a bid for the project at the board's March 18th meeting.
The lowest responsible bidder was Warner Athletics, in Smyrna, Tenn., whose bid was $947,722. The Red Bay High School softball field already has an athletic turf surface, and Phil Campbell's softball and baseball teams play on fields not owned by Franklin County Schools, so once this project is completed, all county high school softball fields will have new turf.
Franklin County Schools Superintendent of Education Greg Hamilton said the baseball fields at all county high schools except Phil Campbell will also have athletic turf installed.
The board also approved the school calendar for the 2025-2026 school year. There was an unusual challenge to planning the calendar for 25-26 due to Memorial Day 2026 falling on May 25th, so the school year will begin earlier than some years in order to reach the requisite number of instructional hours and days.
As a result, teachers will report for professional days starting Thursday, July 31, 2026, and student days will begin Friday, August 8, 2026. Hamilton also said starting with the 2026-2027 school year, graduation ceremonies at the five Franklin County high schools will no longer be on the same night. Instead, two will be held on a Thursday in May and three the following evening.
“This will allow people to attend multiple graduations and is something the calendar committee wants to do,” Hamilton said. “But we will wait until the following year because we're pressed to get the number of hours and days the state requires us to have in because of the early Memorial Day.”
The 2025-2026 calendar includes 177 student days, with 87 in the first semester and 90 in the spring semester. Teachers will have 187 days, split 93 and 94, and bus drivers 183 days, with 91 and 92 each semester.
Other agenda items approved by the board included:
--approved a contract with The Learning Tree, Inc., for Board Certified Behavior Analyst, March 1, 2025 through February 28, 2026.
--approved an out-of-state trip for Tharptown Elementary School 6th grade class to visit Vietnam Veterans Replica Wall Memorial, Bulldog Burger Company and Elvis Presley's birthplace, in Tupelo, Miss., April 18, 2025.
--approved the following personnel moves:
--Resignation: Jason Cooper, girls' varsity basketball coach at Tharptown High School, Jessica Guzman, English Language Learners Aide, Tharptown High School.
--Employment: Lori Huffaker, varsity volleyball coach, Tharptown High School.
--FMLA Request: Sarah Motes, Special Education Aide, PCHS, January 28, 2025 through March 12, 2025, Tonya Emerson, RBES bus driver, March 13, 2025 through May 30, 2025.
--Teacher Substitutes: Stacey Hendrix, Kori Johnson, Jessica Tharp, Cameron Vandiver, Billy Jacob Hargett, Pamela Valdez, Alaina Vinson, Ashley Belue, Ashleigh Berry, Chloe Carpenter, Courttne Gray, Angelene Palmer, Hannah Denton and Jennifer Atkins McDowell.
--Substitute Bus Driver: Laura McKinney.
--Volunteers: Mackenzie Scott, assistant softball coach, PCHS, Jeremy Sibley, assistant football coach, PCHS, Brittany Fox, cheerleading coach, THS, Juan Carlos Peres and Jesus Betancourt, soccer coaches, THS.
The next regular meeting of the Franklin County Board of Education is set for April 15, 2025, with work session at 5 p.m., and meeting to follow.
