(Photo cutline: Donnie Fendley from the Thomasville Sports Hall of Fame ceremony.)
The Thomasville City Board of Education approved Feb. 27 the naming of the Thomasville High School baseball field as Coach Donnie Fendley Field.
Fendley served 25 years in the Thomasville City Schools District. From 1981-1998, he was the head baseball coach at THS. His Tiger teams twice claimed state championships (1988 and 1989), were runner-up once and won 15 area titles.
A graduate of THS, Fendley was MVP in baseball, played football, and also participated in basketball and track.
He played college baseball at Patrick Henry Jr. College, played in the Gulf Coast League, and coached baseball and football at the University of Arkansas-Monticello, before coming back home to Thomasville in 1981. He is a member of the Thomasville Sports Hall of Fame.
Fendley also served as athletic director and transportation director for the school system.
A ceremony will be held at approximately 6 p.m. on March 14 at the ball field between the Junior Varsity and Varsity games with Leroy.
In other action from the Feb. 27 meeting, Anjelica Gibson, Chief School Financial Officer, gave the Financial Report for January 2024.
Payroll totaled $925,994.54, and accounts payable totaled $355,709.01.
• The board approved the school system calendar for the 2024-2025 school year.
• The board approved an out-of-state field trip for first graders April 19 to the Mississippi Aquarium in Gulfport.
• The board approved the adopted state textbook list.
• The following personnel actions were approved Feb. 27 by the Thomasville City Board of Education:
(Employment in Positions)
Urdris Boykin, Child Nutrition Program Assistant at Thomasville Elementary School, effective for the 2023-2024 school year;
Willie Milton, CNP Assistant, at TES, effective for the 2023-2024 school year;
(Leave Requests)
Darla Lyles, teacher at TES, on the job injury;
(Resignations)
Tracy McDonald, Special Education Teacher at TES, resignation;
Dakota Lipscomb, teacher at TES;
(Volunteers)
James Blair, THS.