*Brittany Rains, Elementary Teacher of the Year

**Katrina Powers, Secondary Teacher of the Year

Carlisle Elementary School - Mallorie Belyeu

Duck Springs Elementary School - Samantha Turk

Gaston Elementary School - Rachel Pruitt

Gaston High School - Rebekah Hammock

Glencoe Elementary School - Autumn Hamm

Glencoe Middle School - Marcus Blake Champion

Glencoe High School - Anna Chambless

*Highland Elementary School - Brittany Rains

Hokes Bluff Elementary School - Sonya Teague

Hokes Bluff Middle School - Nicki Busch

Hokes Bluff High School - Jill Boatwright

Ivalee Elementary School - Katie Ortiz

John S. Jones Elementary School - Darcy Kate Bishop

Rainbow Middle School - Amy T. Barron

Sardis Middle School - Lindsey Spivey

Sardis High School - Zach Wallace

Southside Elementary School - Kim Lankford

**Southside High School - Katrina Powers

West End Elementary School - Angela Huff

West End High School - Allison Feazell

Whitesboro Elementary School - Hannah Bolding

Etowah County Career Technical Center - Karen Patterson Cothran

Etowah County Itinerant Teacher - Lynette Riggan

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*Jeff Lacks, ECBOE Support Personnel of the Year

*Carlisle Elementary School - Jeff Lacks-Custodian

Duck Springs Elementary School - Tana Williams-Secretary/Bookkeeper

Gaston Elementary School - Melissa Christopher-SW Paraprofessional

Gaston High School - Tanya Huffstutler-CNP Manager

Glencoe Elementary School - Diana Mintz-Paraprofessional

Glencoe Middle School - Laura Langdale-Special Education Paraprofessional

Glencoe High School - Shea Shaneyfelt-CNP Manager

Highland Elementary School - Shakira Leonard-School Nurse

Hokes Bluff Elementary School - Alma “Buddy” Robertson-PreSchool Paraprofessional

Hokes Bluff Middle School - Heather Stephens-School Nurse

Hokes Bluff High School - Wendy Stidham-CNP Worker

Ivalee Elementary School - Crystal Campbell-Secretary/Bookkeeper

John S. Jones Elementary School - Judy Shirley-Instructional Aide

Rainbow Middle School - Joy Blankenship-Secretary

Sardis Middle School - Misty Jerry-Office Secretary

Sardis High School - Ashley Meinzen-Derr-School Nurse

Southside Elementary School - David Clough-Bus Driver

Southside High School - Tina Coffey-Bookkeeper

West End Elementary School - Tammy Blakely-PreK Auxiliary Teacher

West End High School - Jalen Byers-Special Education Paraprofessional

Whitesboro Elementary School - Melinda Cornelius-PreK Auxiliary Teacher

ECBOE Central Office/Special Education Department - Lauri Dixon-CNP Accountant

Transportation - Will Mintz-Bus Mechanic

ETOWAH COUNTY, Ala. — November 13, 2025 — Etowah County Schools is celebrating major academic success after earning a 90/A on the Alabama State Department of Education’s annual report card — a four-point jump from last year’s score and the highest score the district has received since the inception of the state’s letter grade accountability system.

Superintendent Dr. Alan Cosby praised students, teachers, and staff across the district for their hard work and dedication.

“We’re incredibly proud of our schools, our educators, and our students,” said Superintendent Cosby. “This ‘A’ reflects the teamwork, commitment, and passion that drive Etowah County Schools every day.”

Four schools across the district earned individual A ratings, leading the way in academic excellence:

•    John Jones Elementary – 97

•    Southside Elementary – 92

•    Whitesboro Elementary – 92

•    Ivalee Elementary – 90

The Alabama State Report Card measures student achievement, academic growth, and other key indicators of school performance. Etowah County Schools’ upward trend highlights the district’s daily and continued focus on empowering students for success and exceptional community support.

“We’re thrilled to see this progress,” added Dr. Cosby. “It shows what can happen when everyone — students, families, and educators — works together toward a shared goal. We’re proud of this progress and excited to keep moving forward.”

For more information about Etowah County Schools and its ongoing commitment to excellence, visit ecboe.org.

Please see the information flyer Feeding Alabama has developed to assist families during this uncertain time. This outlines the suspension of November SNAP benefits and provides key resources for accessing food assistance. All Etowah County Schools continue to provide both breakfast and lunch meals to ALL students at no cost through the Community Eligibility Program.

We’re excited to share that we’ve adopted a new communication platform called ParentSquare to help us keep you better informed and more connected with your school community.

With ParentSquare, you’ll receive all school and classroom messages in one place and translated into your preferred language—whether by email, text, app, or web. You’ll also be able to:

• Stay up to date on news and events
• Send and receive messages with teachers and staff
• Fill out forms and permission slips
• Sign up for conferences and volunteer opportunities
• View calendar items and photos from your school

All school, grade-level, and classroom communications will now come through ParentSquare.

To get the most out of ParentSquare, we encourage you to download the free mobile app, available for iOS and Android. You can also access ParentSquare from your web browser at www.parentsquare.com. For more information, please visit the ParentSquare webpage on the ECBOE website.

Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, the use of cell phones and other wireless devices will be banned during the instructional day in all Alabama's public schools.

We’re proud to share that 94.3% of our 3rd grade and 89.7% of our 2nd grade students scored at or above the state cut score in reading! This incredible achievement reflects the hard work and dedication of our teachers, students, parents, and communities who continue to make education a top priority.

A huge congratulations to Southside Elementary and Ivalee Elementary, where 100% of 3rd grade students scored at or above the cut score in reading — an outstanding accomplishment!

In Etowah County Schools, our focus on academic success starts the moment students walk through our doors and continues all the way through graduation. We are committed to preparing our students for a bright future.

What is Child Find?

Child Find is a statewide effort by the Alabama State Department of Education and the Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services to locate, identify, and evaluate children with disabilities from birth to age 21.

How Does Child Find Work?

Early Intervention and Special Education Services work closely with community service agencies, parents, and local school systems to locate children with disabilities. For parents or other persons interested in information about referring a child from birth to age 21, the toll-free telephone number is 1-800-543-3098.

Why is Child Find Important?

Child Find helps the child, the family, and the provider to plan appropriate services and link families to services for students who may meet special education eligibility requirements.

For more information about Child Find, contact Etowah County Schools at 256-442-1050.