By KATIE MCDOWELL/Lifestyles Editor

Aubrey Miller was elected president of the Shelby County Board of Education during its regular meeting Nov. 15.

Miller said the board would try to maintain the “trust and respect and integrity” the previous board had developed with the community.

“Thank you for your vote of confidence,” he said.

Peg Hill was elected vice president during the meeting, and Steve Martin and Jimmy Bice were sworn into office by Judge Hub Harrington. Bice defeated former board president Dr. Lee Doebler in the March 13 election.

The board also approved a resolution opposing sequestration.

“Sequestration is Washington speak for across-the-board cuts,” Superintendent Randy Fuller said.

According to the resolution, the “Budget Control Act of 2011 includes a provision to impose $1.2 trillion in across-the-board budget cuts to almost all federal programs including education that would become effective January 2, 2013.”

Fuller said if the act is passed, the school system would lose $82,000 for every $1 million allocated for Title 1 and special education programs.

Fuller said all school boards across the country are being encouraged to pass the resolution to encourage legislators not to approve the 8.2 percent cuts.

The board also approved a proposal to add a financial literacy graduation requirement. The course requirement will begin with the freshman class of 2013, who will graduate in May 2017.

Dr. Lynn Cook, assistant superintendent of instruction, said the school system decided to create a financial literacy course after receiving feedback from parents, students and college educators.

The financial literacy course will not add additional credits for graduation. Instead, the school system restructured a computer applications course to include the financial literacy components.

Cook said the state is also in the process of creating a financial literacy course requirement for students across the state.

In other business, the school board also approved Dr. Jenni Goolsby as the middle school coordinator.