The Chilton County Board of Education recognized long-time member Curtis Smith on Tuesday for having reached the fourth of five levels of training with the Alabama Association of School Boards.

Smith is serving his third term on the board and has completed 152 hours of training through the AASB School Board Member Academy since 2001.

Chilton County sends two board members, or delegates, to training every year, and Smith has been one of the delegates since his first term on the board began in 2001.

“The more you learn, the better board member you can be,” Smith said. “I’ve enjoyed it. I want to thank the superintendent and board for allowing me to be a delegate.”

Superintendent Dave Hayden also recognized visitor Charles Owens, a former parts manager at the school system’s transportation department, for lending model buses he built to display in the central office.

Owens recently retired after 17 years of service in the transportation department.

Hayden informed board members that he sent a letter to all school principals in the county emphasizing the importance of being diligent in following safety procedures as mapped out by school and law enforcement officials, such as keeping interior and exterior doors locked as much as possible and confirming that all visitors sign in at the front offices and wear visitor’s badges.

After noting the increased presence of local and state law enforcement officers at school campuses in Chilton, Hayden recommended the board approve sending a resolution thanking the agencies.

“I think the board owes Jemison Police Department, Thorsby Police, Clanton Police, Maplesville Police, sheriff’s department and Alabama State Troopers all a thank you for helping us out,” Hayden said. “They’re all offering to do what they can. They’re much more of a presence in our schools.”

Hayden added that he has spoken with state Rep. Kurt Wallace and Sen. Cam Ward leading up to the legislative session beginning Feb. 5, and both assured him they would “do all they can for education,” he said.

The board approved a class size reduction unit at Maplesville on an emergency basis to balance the number of students in certain classes and alleviate recent overcrowding.

Hayden said more schools could request a class size reduction unit in the coming weeks as the second semester has begun and enrollment could increase in some schools.

The board also voted in favor of increasing the mileage reimbursement rate to the state level of $0.565 cents per mile that took effect Jan. 1.

In other business, the board:

•Approved December 2012 financial statements and bank reconciliations of the central office as presented by Chief Financial Officer Steve Yeargan.

•Approved one leave request and one resignation, substitute employees and posting vacancies.

•Approved a textbook committee for English/language arts textbook adoption at all county schools.

•Approved hiring an hourly contract interventionist for Verbena High School with Title I funds for the remainder of the current school year.

•Approved posting three intervention units at Thorsby High School pending budget approval and availability of funds.

•Approved a request from Chilton County High School for the booster club to pay amended supplements to Donnie Hand ($6,500), Matt Maddox ($2,450) and Clark Watley ($1,250); for Ray Sosa as 6:45 a.m. detention teacher beginning second term; for the band to travel to Mobile on Feb. 8 and 9 to march in a Mardi Gras parade; and for Jeffrey Green, George Ramsey, Mark Thornton, Jeffrey Price and Mark McGhar as volunteer baseball coaches for the 2013 season.

•Approved a request from Thorsby for the athletic booster club to pay a $1,500 supplement to Ken Copen; for Mike Corley to work with the band after school on an hourly basis; and for David Sneed as the boys and girls track coach.

•Approved a request from the bus shop for permission to pay the following bus drivers effective Jan. 3-May 23: Donna Davis ($15 per trip, Isabella to and from LeCroy Center, two trips); Regina Pierce ($25 per day, Jemison High to LeCroy Center); and Cindy Robinson ($15 per day, Chilton County High to LeCroy Center).