By Staff
Kim West
The Russellville City Schools Board of Education was awarded the President's Award by the Alabama Association of School Boards District 8 regional meeting in Decatur Tuesday.
Only seven school boards in northwest Alabama received the award, which recognizes boards with 60 percent of their members who have attended three or more AASB School Board Member Academy courses during the 2007-08 year.
The RCS board, which also won the President's Award last year, includes Steve DeFoor, Jerry Groce, Wanda Bain, president-elect Greg Batchelor and president Greg Trapp.
"The courses are voluntary, and they can be held during the week or weekends," said Batchelor, who attended all five courses. "Our board attendance was in the mid-to-high 80s, and I'm just proud that our school board members take it on themselves to stay up to date and focused and do what's best for the students."
School boards are not required to attend the academy courses, which are held at different locations throughout the state and help members stay up today on education topics and teach them boardmanship skills.
"They try to improve our knowledge of how to be a good school member and what's going on with funding," Batchelor said. "We also learn how to help achieve higher education and what we can do bring things together for the students."
"They've informed us a lot about proration at these courses so we can start planning on that, and our board has already been working and planning on how to handle it."
The Lauderdale County, Lawrence County, Limestone County, Morgan County, Winston County and Muscle Shoals boards were also President's Award recipients.
"We're proud of this year's winners of the AASB President's Award," said Sue Helms, president of the AASB. "They take seriously their roles as education leaders, community representatives and advocates of student achievement. They strive to strengthen their leadership and boardmanship skills through meaningful training and educational opportunities."