Board of Education reviews financial statements, new teacher orientation

With one day to go before school starts back up, the Mountain Brook Board of Education met on Aug. 14 to review financial statements and bank reconciliations, new teacher orientation week and the previously discussed C-9 Data Governance policy. 

According to Karen Lusk Smith, chief finance director for Mountain Brook City Schools, the school system as reached 91 percent of its total revenue and 96 percent of its ad valorem while in the tenth month of the cycle. The system is also four percent ahead of where it was this time last year and has a fund balance of $16.6 million

Board members then welcomed Lauren Kiser, Crestline Elementary’s newest third grade teacher and interventionist, to discuss new teacher orientation week. 

“New teacher orientation week was phenomenal. It was very informative, very entertaining, it was exhausting mentally and physically, and of course, naturally, it was effective, challenging and engaging,” she said. 

New teachers were were introduced to board members, district administrators and their peers. “That was the most important thing to me, was forming those relationships that week,” she said. Kiser said they learned more about the Mountain Brook Schools’ values, such as taking care of everyone in the school, creating and caring for relationships and striving to have knowledgeable and charismatic educators.

Kiser said on the first day, Superintendent Dicky Barlow told the teachers they were now a part of the Mountain Brook family, regardless of how long they had been there. 

“As I reflected throughout the week, I thought back to the day that [Crestline Principal Laurie] King called and hired me for my position at Crestline until … I’m sure the last day that I set foot in a Mountain Brook school, someone will always ask ‘Are you ok? How can I help you?’ and they will tell you that they are here for you,” she said. “And as a new teacher coming in, that was  the most precious thing ever and it was so reassuring.”

Board members continued by reviewing the C-9 Data Governance, to which Barlow said there were no comments from residents, and board members approved the revisions. New personnel and the disposal of surplus items was also approved, as were the minutes of the previous meeting.

The next board meeting will take place on Sept. 11 at 3:30 p.m. at Mountain Brook High School.