The Daily Siftings

Well it would be pretty hard to not have heard by now that the Birmingham Board of Education is under investigation by the state and is essentially being taken over by a state team. The board has been told not to take any action on items that are not routine.

According to the Birmingham News, the school board is not allowed to “initiate or approve any non-routine items at its meetings without the state’s OK.” Birmingham’s ban on taking action will be in effect until the state’s investigation of the board is complete, the paper writes. Some Birmingham area legislators are questioning whether such a move is legal.

State Superintendent Tommy Bice

The school board antics just an hour or so north of here have been in the limelight since last week when State Superintendent Tommy Bice attended a Birmingham board meeting and the state board made its decision to investigate. The Birmingham board’s shenanigans make Montgomery’s previous inter-board feuding look tame.

The state intervention comes after months of infighting by the board, as well as questionable meeting practices, and at the request of some board members that the state step in. At the recent meeting where Bice attended, the board attempted to fire its superintendent twice and ended up squabbling among each other.

All this to say, could something like that have happened or happen in Montgomery? It’s been awhile since bickering stalled a meeting in Montgomery, but it has certainly happened. Though in recent months Montgomery officials have taken steps to stamp out infighting. Remember the Alabama Association of School Boards training from earlier this year?

At that time the AASB had hoped the Birmingham board could be next to take advantage of the communications training.

Would they benefit from such training? Or is the Birmingham School Board too far gone? Do you see similarities to Montgomery or are they completely different?

Montgomery’s new east side high school is one more step closer to reality with its proposed identity hammered out, but what school names and mascots didn’t make the cut?

Well, we’ll catch you up on all the names that weren’t, in Sunday’s paper — some are pretty interesting.

A U.S. Air Force Thunderbird banks over the airfield Thursday as they arrive at Maxwell Air Force Base for the Wings of Victory Airshow in June 2004. (Montgomery Advertiser file photo, Julie Bennett)

But in the meantime here are some of the contenders that got cut from the list at last night’s committee meeting (and cut from my story that was a bit too long). And in case you missed what the committee settled on see that here — Go P.C. Thunderbirds go!

The committee narrowed the field to Renaissance High School, East Montgomery High School, Taylor Field High School and Horizon High School. As you saw in the paper the previously discussed Taylor Field High was ruled out because its meaning might not be obvious to those outside Montgomery.

East Montgomery High was deemed easily outdated since what is east Montgomery now might not be 10 years later and Renaissance High proved tricky to spell and had an arts school connotation. Horizon High was ruled out since while meant as a military reference, it might not be obvious.

The group also considered the redtails, cadets and cardinals as potential mascots trying to keep with the military theme but finally settled on thunderbirds. And while the idea of a thunderbird is majestic and powerful and certainly intriguing, am I the only one thinking of the car? I also keep wanting to say thundercats for some reason (don’t ask me why). That is apparently some sort of cartoon series.

Former MPS teacher Carolyn Hicks stands by her restored 1957 Ford Thunderbird. She drove the car to her first job with MPS and 30 years later in 2006 drove it to work on her last day as she retired from the system. (Montgomery Advertiser file photo, Lloyd Gallman)

Also interesting to note, the committee tossed around the idea of possibly getting a retired aircraft of some kind to place on the school’s campus.

So, what do you think of the potential name?

Remember nothing is set in stone. The name recommendation could be accepted by Superintendent Barbara Thompson or tossed out for something new and after that a name, mascot and colors must still be approved by the board.

So you may have noticed there’s been sparseness in this space of ours and that’s because a) my dear counterpart a one Ms. Jillian Nolin has left for greener pastures (tear) and b) I’ve been on a furlough-vaycay emphasis on the furlough.

"Ice fishing" on Round Lake. Note: there was no real fishing going on. It was strictly a hilarious (and cold) photo opp.

So after that brief hiatus let’s get down to business. In my in absence (where I took in some ice fishing, sort of, and other various hijinks in the Deep White North a.k.a. Minnesota) I missed quite a lot. So let’s recap what happened last week and look at some things coming up.

– Montgomery Public Schools were recognized for some serious energy savings. The Environmental Protection Agency awarded 17 schools the Energy Star designation, where schools achieved a 6 to 38 percent reduction in energy costs.  The school system reports it saved more than $2 million.

“Each school used a variety of methods to reduce consumption of electricity and natural gas. New more efficient lighting and automated control of environmental systems accounted for some savings, but the human factor was the most important,” a press release from the system stated.

The schools honored were: Brewbaker Technology High, Blount Elementary, Bear Exploration Center, Booker T. Washington High, Flowers Elementary, Forest Avenue Elementary, Garrett Elementary, Halcyon Elementary, Highland Avenue Elementary, Highland Gardens Elementary, Johnson Elementary, Lanier High, Lee High, Loveless Academic Magnet High, Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary, Morningview Elementary and Morris Elementary.

Ed Richardson

– Pike Road also had some notable news last week. The town established the Pike Road Education Leadership Council and hired on Ed Richardson to head it up. Does that name sound familiar?

Well, it should Richardson comes to this role with an impressive resume, including eight years as state superintendent and three and half years as president of Auburn University where many credited him with cleaning up the at-that-time ailing university.

Pike Road Mayor Gordon Stone told me this week he’s thrilled to have Richardson on board. Richardson is expected to take the helm in negotiations with Montgomery Public Schools about separation from the system and other various logistics.

Pike Road is paying him $15,000 for his work this year. Expect more details on Pike Road and its work to create its own school system in next weekend’s paper where I’m planning to write a follow up story.

Presidential Scholars candidates

– Also while I was out LAMP students were at it again. This time three of the magnet school’s students were recognized as candidates for the prestigious U.S. Presidential Scholars Program.

Students Lindy Elrod, Min Suh and Kevin Zhai were among 54 Alabama students and more than 3,000 nationwide invited to apply for the 2012 competition.

The United States Presidential Scholars Program was established in 1964 to recognize and honor some of the country’s most distinguished graduating high school seniors.

– The Montgomery County Board of Education meeting last week also appeared fairly eventful judging by the agenda. I’m told there was more IB discussion. Remember board members are set to vote on bringing the prestigious (and not exactly cheap) program to Montgomery at Tuesday’s meeting.

Superintendent Barbara Thompson

– Also look for decisions Tuesday on a potential feasibility study for a new career tech center Superintendent Barbara Thompson outlined yesterday and possibly a vote on Thompson’s contract. She has asked for only two minor changes, including an additional week of vacation.

– Besides what will likely be an epic board meeting Tuesday, next week also holds a financial aid workshop that will probably be helpful for college bound MPS students. And the deadline to apply for any of the school system’s career academies is Thursday.

So besides cursing coping with the cold weather up north, I also kept up with the latest education news in Minneapolis via the Star Tribune, to which my in-laws subscribe. See here and here for a couple edu stories that peaked my interest and also see here for a great piece written by my brother-in-law. Not education related, but still really awesome.

So, what else did I miss?