By Barry H. Hendrix
The Thomasville City Board of Education approved Dec. 10 a $113,928.43 bid from Interior Elements Corporation of Homewood, Ala. to redesign the Thomasville High School cafeteria dining area. The project is entitled “Healthy Move Towards Fine Dining - Dining with A Touch of Class.”
The redesign will include all new tables (circle, rectangle, and tall bistro style) with graphic art, and new graphic art will be installed on the walls of the cafeteria.
In recent meetings between THS students and superintendent Vickie Morris, the modernization of the cafeteria had been a top subject. The redesigning of the cafeteria has also been a goal of Emily Thornton, Child Nutrition Program (CNP) Director. The program lacked the disposable funds to complete a major redesign without community support, Thornton said.
The funding for the redesign came from a $7,500 grant from the Community Foundation of South Alabama; $3,500 from the International Paper Mill in Pine Hill; $3,000 from state Representative Thomas Jackson; and $100,000.00 from Advancement in Technology funds.
Thornton was very grateful to the organizations that allocated funds to THS to help the redesign dream become a reality.
“The grant funds will be used to enhance the high school’s institutional style cafeteria setting to a modern environment,” Thornton said. “It is our belief that the addition of bistro tables, bistro chairs, and school logos designs will help increase the traffic into the cafeteria. The increase of student presence will lead to an increase in student meal participation.”
The redesign project is expected to be completed before Spring Break of 2025.
In other action from the Dec. 10 meeting, Anjelica Gibson, Chief School Financial Officer, gave the Financial Report for November 2024. Accounts payable totaled $521,532.33, and payroll totaled $896,685.70.
The following personnel actions were approved:
(Resignations)
Brad Elam, Assistant Wrestling Coach;
(Transfers)
Shambria Holt, transfer from Child Nutrition Assistant at Thomasville High School, to Child Nutrition Manager at Thomasville Elementary School;
(Employment in Positions)
Logan Pitts, Athletic Trainer at Thomasville High School;
Christi Agee, Pre-K Auxiliary Teacher at TES;
(Employment in Supplemental Positions)
Ryan Anderson, JV Basketball Head Coach;
Orlando Gildersleeve, Assistant Wrestling Coach;
Brian Allen, Assistant Girls Basketball Coach;
(Contract Services)
Katherine Dumas, contract services, providing technical assistant to the new CNP Manager at TES;
Donnie Fendley, contract services, providing supervision to the school system transportation department;
(Volunteers)
Rhett Pilkington
Tim Robinson
• The next meeting of the Thomasville City Board of Education will be held at 5 p.m. on Jan. 28 in the THS library. There will also be a 4 p.m. work session. The public is invited.