The Chilton County Board of Education reviewed information Bill Pinson of the Chilton County Mentoring Program presented Tuesday about the program’s development.

Verbena is currently the only school where the pilot program has been implemented, but Pinson told board members his and organizers’ goal is to expand it to other local schools.

Pinson said Judge Rhonda Hardesty was an advocate of creating the program, which pairs volunteers from the county Department of Human Resources with students for mentoring during the school day.

Pinson added that students’ safety is the main concern, and the program would never call for mentors and students to “be outside the school setting.”

“We are trying to find mentors of good character,” Pinson said.

Along with screened volunteers who have clean records and good character, the program also must have a board of directors.

The Board of Education will vote on whether to approve the program for expansion at its next meeting on Nov. 20.

At Tuesday’s meeting, the board voted in favor of taking bids on a greenhouse to be built at Chilton County High School for $40,000 with funds from the city of Clanton and LeCroy Career Tech Center.

Also approved was a recommendation for newly elected board members to complete required training via the new chapter of Local School Board Governance, and a recommendation for all of the schools’ continuous improvement plans as presented by Pam Harris.

Chilton County Schools Superintendent Dave Hayden recognized: Joe Mims, board president, and member Curtis Smith for their reaching the next level of involvement with the Alabama Association of School Boards by attending conferences and other related programs; Ann Glasscock, board vice president, for 18 years of service to the board; member George Walker for six years of service to the board; and member Chris Davis for six years of service to the board.

Glasscock, Walker and Davis will not run for re-election to the board in November.

In other business, the board:

•Awarded a pest control bid and a Maplesville Metal Building and Foundation bid.

•Approved transportation and leave requests for employees.

•Accepted resignations and approved employees on an emergency basis.

•Entered into executive session to discuss legal issues.

•Accepted a recommendation for coach Billy Jackson of Thorsby High School to be suspended for three days without pay.