The Covington County School Board during a special called meeting on Wednesday approved the employment of eight new faculty and staff members, as well as the non-renewal of three contracts.

The board agreed not to renew the contracts of Emily Nicolina Norris, special education teacher at Fleeta Junior High School; Whitney Lynne Wooten, elementary teacher at Fleeta Junior High School; and Sally Louanne Gafford, special education teacher at W.S. Harlan Elementary, with all non-renewals effective at the end of the 2013-14 school year.

The board also approved the hiring of Jessica Lynn McCarty as collaborative special education K-6 teacher at Fleeta Junior High School; Kathy LaNell Schofield as a math teacher at Pleasant Home School; Tammy Morgan Capps as LPN at Pleasant Home School; Paula Smith Gomillion as a lunchroom worker at Red Level High School; Gabriel Cheanell Shine as assistant lunchroom manager at Red Level High School; Karen E. Ziglar as general social science teacher at Straughn Middle School; Deborah J. Biggs as bookkeeper at Straughn High School; and Curtis Brandon Davis as collaborative special education K-6 teacher at W.S. Harlan Elementary School. All hires are pending verification of new or existing background reviews and are effective at the beginning of the 2014-15 school year, with the exception of Biggs, who will begin July 1. Superintendent Shannon Driver noted that Biggs, Ziglar and Davis are all entering their second years with the Covington County School Board of Education, after being classified as “emergency hires” during the 2013-14 school year.

The board also accepted the resignations of Joseph Allen Watson, custodian at Pleasant Home School and substitute bus driver, effective at the end of the 2013-14 school year; and Garrett Evan Windham, instructional aide at Straughn High School and substitute bus driver, effective Fri., May 23.

The Covington County School Board will hold their next regular meeting Tues., June 3 at 5:30 p.m., although Driver said another special meeting may be necessary Thurs., June 12 in order to approve “three or four” additional new hires.