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By DAVE DOMESCIK | Staff Writer

PELHAM – The Pelham City Schools Board of Education highlighted student and staff accomplishments and approved several personnel changes during a regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, April 28.

The meeting began with the Pelham City Schools Foundation awarding $3,000 to all four schools in the Pelham City Schools system to support initiatives that enhance student preparedness. The funds will help support CTE competitions, leadership development, an innovative STEM project and a mental health initiative focused on student wellness.

“Our foundation is comprised of three pillars: community pride, student preparedness and teacher excellence,” said PCSF president Amy Bradley. “Tonight, we are so proud to donate $3,000 to each of the schools this year.”

Nicole Knight, the communications director for PCS, then presented Panther Pride, a segment of the Pelham BOE meetings that honors student achievements within the school system. Knight noted PCS’s Character in Action Award winners, who were selected from each school in the system based on the consistent demonstration of exceptional character.

Forster Hamby, Emmy Robinson, Zachary Orr and Kyle O’Neil were the respective winners of the award, which is a collaboration between the Shelby County Juvenile Court Services and the Shelby County Children’s Policy Council.

Amongst many other accolades throughout the school system, four students from Pelham High School represented Pelham in the Youth Leadership Shelby County program. Also at PHS, the Technology Student Association attended the state conference in Montgomery.

“They received top recognition in many categories of the competition,” Knight said. “There are a record number of students that will be attending the national conference in Nashville this summer. 27 students qualified to attend the national conference.”

The board then made a motion to approve various personnel recommendations throughout the school districts, which passed unanimously.

The board unanimously approved the recommended resignations/retirements of:

 

• Lorene McNeal—Child nutrition program personnel at Pelham High School
• Paul Hamilton—Custodian at Pelham High School
• Lauren Barksdale—Pelham Oaks teacher
• Tiffany Little—Pelham Oaks teacher
• Katherine Grimes—Pelham Park Middle School teacher
• Jeremy Satcher—Pelham Park Middle School P.E. teacher
• Jordan Salter—Pelham Ridge school counselor
• Andrea Fordham—Pelham Park Middle School assistant principal

The board unanimously approved the recommendations for the employment of:

 

• Jimmy Powell—2025-2026 math teacher at Pelham High School
• Kenya Meza—2025-2026 math teacher at Pelham High School pending Alabama State Department of Education certification.
• Lisa Ruff—Pelham High School athletic secretary effective May 1, 2025.
• Meredith Collins—Pelham High School assistant principal (hire/transfer)
• Jonathan Johnson—Pelham High School assistant principal
• Robert Harrison—Sub bus driver for Pelham City Schools
• Regina Dickins—Pelham Park Middle School assistant principal

The board unanimously approved the recommendations for the hiring and/or transfer of:

 

• Alicia Melton—Transfer from a 12-month assistant principal tto a 12-month instructional coach at Pelham Park Middle School
• Josef Lauderdale—Transfer from Pelham High School teacher to Pelham Park Middle School assistant principal

Dr. Chuck Ledbetter, PCS’s superintendent, recommended the unpaid leave of two different PCS teachers for disciplinary reasons. Ledbetter then announced his retirement from his role as PCS superintendent, further adding to the emotions of the evening.

The board then unanimously approved the following items under new business:

 

• Recommendation to approve an out of state field trip for the Pelham High School Wrestling Team to White Water Rafting, in Chattanooga (Ocoee), Tennessee on Friday, June 27
• Recommendation to approve an agreement between Easterseals of Birmingham, and the Pelham City Schools Board of Education for speech therapy services provided to students in accordance with an Individualized Education Program or other educational developed by the board. Effective March 5—Aug. 5
• Recommendation to approve the Pelham City Schools Data Governance Policy changes
• Recommendation to approve the Pelham City Schools Admissions to School Policy changes
• Recommendation to approve the low bid awarded to Struthers Recreation of Pelham for the removal of the existing playground surfacing and the installation of a poured-in-place safety surface at Pelham Ridge Elementary School in the amount of $152,350
• Recommendation to approve an agreement between the Bailey Group and Pelham City Schools to provide service for the Leadership Academy in the amount of $21,000
• Recommendation to approve the agreement between Pelham City Schools and Alabama Healthcare Holdings, LLC for the athletics training program beginning Aug. 1, 2025—Aug. 1, 2026
• Recommendation to amend the 2024-2025 Academic Supplements, which were approved on Dec. 12, 2024, to include additional supplements at Pelham Oaks, and Pelham Ridge
• Recommendation to approve the job posting for 2025 Summer Learning Literacy Teachers at Pelham Oaks and Pelham Ridge Elementary School
• Recommendation to approve the job posting for 2025 Summer Learning Numeracy Teachers for Pelham Oaks and Pelham Ridge Elementary School
• Recommendation to approve the job posting for 2025 21st Century Learning Teachers for Pelham Park Middle School
• Recommendation to approve three Science textbook quotes for the Pelham City Schools textbook adoption: McGraw Hill Inspire Science K-5-Pelham Ridge-$114,233.31. McGraw Hill Inspire Science K-5-Pelham Oaks-$117,088.56. Savvas Elevate Science 6-8-Pelham park-$140,392.28
• Recommendation to approve an out-of-state field trip for the Pelham High School Dance Team to participate in the Universal Dance Association Summer Camp on May 31 at Mississippi State University, in Starkville, Mississippi
• Recommendation to approve an out-of-state field trip for the Pelham High School Culinary Arts Students to attend the National ProStart Invitational, in Baltimore, Maryland from May 1 to May 5

The meeting concluded with the board announcing that they will convene for a board-only training meeting on Monday, May 5 and a regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, May 19 at the PCS central office.

For more information on the Pelham BOE, visit Pelhamcityschools.org/about_us/board_of_education.