CCS approves four-way teacher transfer

Patrick Camp, The Cullman Times, Ala.
Updated ·6 min read

Jun. 22—The Cullman City Board of Education approved a 4-way transfer Thursday, June 13, despite objections from one of the reassigned educators.

The set of reassignments includes:

— Bradley Pounds: from Turning Point — the district's school based, in school suspension program — to Career Technical Education teacher at Cullman High School.

— Branch Whitlock: from East Elementary Physical Education teacher to Turning Point teacher.

— Jonathan Hayes: Cullman High School Physical Education teacher to East Elementary Physical Education teacher.

— Jessica McBrayer: Cullman High School Career Technical Education teacher to Cullman High School Physical Education teacher.

When reached by phone Monday, June 16, Whitlock told The Times he was not consulted about the transfer and objected to the decision on Monday before it was approved. Whitlock said that apart from a brief stint as the Fairview High School varsity boys basketball coach, he has held his current position for more than a decade and has led the East Elementary archery team to multiple state, national and world titles during his tenure.

"They pretty much ripped me away from the kids that I've been teaching for the last 12 years," Whitlock said.

Emails sent to McBrayer's, Pounds' and Hayes' employee email addresses were not responded to as of press time.

Whitlock also questioned the validity of the transfer due to the fact that McBrayer is not currently certified as a physical education instructor.

"I just don't see how putting someone in a position without the right qualifications is the right decision," Whitlock said.

McBrayer was hired in May 2023 as the district's school-based, in-school-suspension teacher to replace Hayes as the CHS varsity girls basketball coach after six seasons of leading the Wallace State Lady Lions basketball team. The board approved her transfer to her current position as a CTE instructor the following month on June 29.

According to documents provided by Cullman City Schools, McBrayer was issued a Emergency Teaching Certificate in business/marketing education from the Alabama State Department of Education on August 28, 2023, postdated to have become effective as of July 1, 2023.

The ASDE allows anyone holding at least a two-year degree to become certified to teach at the request of the local superintendent or headmaster when no certified teachers are available to fill an open position. These certifications are only issued in one subject area and are only valid for a maximum of four years.

Schools across the state have been utilizing this alternate pathway more heavily in the years following the COVID-19 Pandemic. Emergency certified teachers made up more than 7.5% of the roughly 50,000 teachers in the state during the 2022-2023 school year according to data from ASDE. That is up 1.5% — equal to 600 teachers — from the previous year.

Locally, Cullman City Schools went from employing three emergency certified teachers during the 2021-2022 school year to seven in 2022-2023.

While the three other educators have obtained valid certifications with the state, in an emailed response to The Times, Kallhoff said McBrayer will be obtaining an Interim Employment Certificate for the 2024-2025 school year. Unlike her current certifications, the interim certificate creates a pathway to receive an advanced degree.

"This certification is for individuals unconditionally admitted to a master's or education specialist's level State-approved educator preparation program at an Alabama college or university. This path leads to certification and an advanced degree. In Coach McBrayer's case, she will earn a master's degree in Physical Education," Kallhoff said.

The board also approved the following additional transfers:

— Donna Avery: Child Nutrition Program manager at Cullman City Primary School to CNP manager at East Elementary.

— Amy Emmert: CNP Manager at East Elementary to CNP Manager at Cullman City Primary School.

— Julie Murphree: CNP worker at Cullman City Primary School to CNP Worker at Cullman Middle School.

— Dana Lindley: CNP worker at Cullman City Primary School to CNP worker at Cullman High School.

— Kim Zavadil: CNP Worker at East Elementary to CNP Worker at Cullman City Primary School.

— Mallory Armstrong: CNP Worker at Cullman High School to CNP worker at Cullman City Primary School.

— Tonja Kay: CNO worker at Cullman Middle School to CNP floater.

— Vickie Buckelew: CNP floater to CNP worker at East Elementary.

— Sonya Marinakis: Secretary/bookkeeper at Cullman City Primary School to secretary/bookkeeper at the central office.

— Katie Jackson: Secretary/bookkeeper at the central office to secretary/bookkeeper at Cullman City Primary school.

— Jenna Bates: Head Start family services manager to Head Start PreK teacher.

— Hannah Giambrone: Special education preK teacher at Cullman City Primary School to Head Start teacher at Cullman City Primary School.

— Tyler Skinner: Music teacher at Cullman City Primary School to Assistant principal at Cullman City Primary School.

— Carol Harbison: Bus aide at West Elementary to bus driver at Cullman City Schools.

— Alice Lindsey: Special education instructional assistant to special education teacher at Cullman High School.

— Debbie Lowery: Instructional assistant at Cullman Middle School to instructional assistant at Cullman City Primary School.

— Vickie Stewart: Special education instructional assistant at Cullman Middle School to special education instructional assistant at Cullman City Primary School.

In other business the board:

— Approved a stipend for mentoring services for the following teachers: Marci Watts, Ashley Hulsey, Judy McBrayer, Theresea Bryant, April Jochum, Hannah Hunt, Leeanna Smith, Leslie Pouliot, Lindsay Harris, Regan Caldwell, Kim Dial, Danielle Taylor, Robyn Nance, Tracie McPhillips, Carin Rains, Caroline Lunsford, Jason Johnsey, David Benefield, Kenny Gleaton and Luke Hackbarth.

— Approved the job description for the Student Affairs Cordinator.

— Revised the 2024-2025 Code of Conduct.

— Approved a CTE Summer Conference with Zachary Searels.

— Approved a contract for visual impaired and speech language with Tammie Dunkling.

— Approved a contract for SPED aide with Carla Denning, Alisha Eaton, Hannah Giambrone and Katrina Godsey.

— Amended the contract for special education testing with Lori Andrews.

— Approved a stipend for a grade level planning meeting for Pattie Britton and Meaghan Britton.

— Approved an advanced one-year TEAMS contract for the following teachers: Brett Hazelrigs, Lauren Shelton, Madison Crenshaw, Mary Pylant, Kelsey Williams, Aaron Avery, Zacharey Searels, Donna Brunetti, Tiffani Schwaiger and Claudia Graves.

— Approved an advanced five-year TEAMS contract with Michael Crocker.

— Approved for the Cullman High School Football seniors to travel to Ducktown, Tennessee for a rafting trip July 26-27.

— Surplussed 34 Alabama: The History, Geography, Economics and Civics of an American State textbooks, 158 folding chairs and a John Deere LX277 from West Elementary.

— Surplussed forensic science, anatomy and organic and biochemistry textbooks from Cullman High School.

— Approved West Elementary School secretary LaQuita Dixon's retirement.

Accepted the following resignations:

— SaraBeth Harbison: Extended day program aide at Cullman City Primary School.

— Natalie Smith: Extended day program aide at Cullman City Primary School.

— Shayley Vogelaar: Extended day program aide at Cullman City Primary School.

— Brandace Sims: Assistant Principal at Cullman City Primary School.

Approved the conditional employment of the following:

— Kimberly McNutt: Cullman City Primary School teacher.

— Logan Smith: Cullman City Primary School teacher.

— Kyndall Ragland: Cullman City Primary School teacher.

— Baileigh Fite: Cullman City Primary School teacher.

— Shae Harrell: Cullman City Primary School teacher.

— Renata Puckett: Special Education teacher-itinerant at Cullman Middle School.

— Melinda Morrow: East Elementary School teacher.

— Hannah Shaddix: Special education teacher-itinerant at Cullman City Primary School.

— Mary Samplaski: Head Start instructional assistant at Cullman City Primary School.

— Rebecca Hall: Speech Language pathologist-itinerant at Cullman City Schools.

— Molly Buttram: Speech Language pathologist-itinerant at Cullman City Schools.