Rounding out 2023, members of the Baldwin County Board of Education gathered on Dec. 5 for the last school board meeting before the new year, discussing several topics including art lessons, authentication services, interpreters for special education students and upgrades to heating and cooling, boiler and chiller replacements at several schools across the county.

Art lessons
The board approved of a contract with Coastal Makers LLC to provide art lessons to students at Silverhill Elementary School as a part of the school's afterschool program.

Previously, at the October and November meetings, the board approved a contract with the Mobile-based art studio to provide art lessons to students enrolled in the county's afterschool care program at Florence B. Mathis, Loxley, Stapleton and Stonebridge elementary schools and Elsanor School in Robertsdale.

According to presented documents, the contract includes two lessons per month from January to May 2024. The sessions will cost the board $300 each, totaling approximately $3,000.

According to the school system's website, the afterschool child care program is offered at all elementary and some intermediate schools in the county, serving students beginning at the pre-K level.

Authentication services
The board also approved a new user authentication and account provisioning program to be implemented throughout the district.

Per the presented documents, the previous system was approved in 2012 but presented several difficulties throughout the past 10 years.

According to the official contract, the new system, ClassLink Inc, is an up-and-coming leader in the market of K-12 user authentication.
The program will include an initial service fee for migration, setup and training, costing the board approximately $8,995. The annual fee for the service to begin will cost the board approximately $100,235 and will begin in July 2024.

Per presented documents, services included with the program include a parent portal, public portal, web-based password reset, IOS and Android apps, data from digital resources, ability to view reports by building, application and the individual, identify underutilized apps to inform decisions, see ROI (return on investment) on all rostered apps, set district goal usage, SMS texting, hardware fob, mobile authentication app and an automated delivery of class rosters to instructional resource providers.

Special education interpreters
The board also approved a motion to hire an interpreting service to serve special education students within the county.

Per the presented documents, the board collaborates with an interpreting service each year to assist students and parents who are hearing impaired, and the contracts are funded through federal special education funds.

This year, the board will collaborate with the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind (AIDB) and will cost the approximately $35,000. The services were scheduled to begin in November, carrying through until September 2024.

HVAC, boiler and chiller upgrades
The board rounded out the meeting with their approval for several upgrades to schools throughout the county.

Per the presented documents, the school board will be implementing heating and cooling (HVAC) upgrades to the Bay Minette Elementary School, Daphne Middle School and Perdido Elementary School gyms.

The board will also provide boiler replacements for Daphne Middle School and Fairhope West Elementary School and chiller replacements for Daphne Middle School, Fairhope Middle School and Spanish Fort Middle School.

According to the contract, the board will partner with Mobile-based engineering firm H.M. Yonge and Associates with the projects costing the board approximately $157,100.

The next board meeting is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 18 and is open to the public.