Photo by Lexi Coon
Superintendent Dr. Richard Barlow, left, recognizes the work that Mayor Terry Oden has done for Mountain Brook and its schools.
The Mountain Brook Board of Education met on Sept. 12 at Mountain Brook High School and provided recognition to their school community members as well as Mayor Terry Oden. Dr. Richard Barlow, Mountain Brook superintendent, created a special resolution for Oden, acknowledging “all he has done for Mountain Brook and the Mountain Brook school system.”
The theme of recognition continued throughout the night, with the board taking time to honor the accomplishments of many within the school system, including:
- This year’s PTO Council
- CLAS Leadership and American Association of School Personnel Administration awards recipient Sylvia Harper
- The Institute Day 2016 team and all of their hardwork
- Mountain Brook Elementary special education teachers Jennifer Jones and Allyson Martin, who spoke at the ninth annual Social Thinking Global Provider’s Conference in California
- The Brookwood Forest Elementary porch project, which was awarded the Birmingham Chapter of the American Institute of Architects Merit Award
- Christopher Alexander, who placed first in the 800 meter run and first in the javelin throw, and Drew Lewis, who placed first in the 100 meter and 200 meter run in this year’s Alabama Special Olympics State Games
- The Mountain Brook Junior High Debate Team, which earned the School of Excellence Award at the National Speech and Debate Tournament
- Adam Thomas, a senior trombonist from Mountain Brook High School who was selected as a member of the orchestra to perform at the National Association for Music Education Conference
The board also commended the work of the Lead 2016 program, which works with teachers and administrators to provide professional development in leadership areas and to foster a sense of community.
Through this program, the Mountain Brook school system was able to bring together education professionals of all grades and curriculums to collaborate on ideas and stimulate discussion. This was the third year for the program, which contributed nearly 2,000 hours of professional development for the district’s teachers and administrators.
Additionally, the board reviewed the district-wide renovations that were performed throughout the summer on various facilities. While some of the renovations were relatively standard, such as new lighting or flooring in school buildings, a few were more extensive.
The Mountain Brook High School installed partitions in the Fieldhouse to create up to four separate classroom spaces and renovated it’s existing library and Mountain Brook Elementary’s PTO Board funded a received a new playground over the summer.
While the class size may have declined by about 200 students from last year, programs such as Lead 2016 and facility enhancements are aiming to provide students with the best education possible.
Toward the end of the agenda the board held the second budget hearing, during which it adopted the budget for the 2017 fiscal year. The board also approved of personnel recommendations and the disposal of damaged surplus items.
The next Board of Education meeting is on Monday, Oct. 17 at 3:30 p.m. at the Mountain Brook Junior High, and members of the community are encouraged to attend this year’s fall play Boeing Boeing at Mountain Brook High School.
