ATHENS — Limestone County school board members approved several new personnel and transfers this week as county school officials gear up for the start of school Aug. 20.

Here is a synopsis of action:

• Approved a contract with Amy Lewis as special education speech therapist for the 2012-13 school year;

• Agreed to create a new position for a CNP worker/assistant at West Limestone High School;

• Agreed to hire the following new personnel: Tracy Pettie as teacher at Creekside Elementary School, Wendy Fulmer as Spanish teacher at East Limestone High School, Vembra Fierro as custodian at Owens Elementary School, Tammy Griffin as bookkeeper at Owens, Keonna Burgess as special education collaborative teacher at Piney Chapel

Elementary School, Lynda Cooper as elementary teacher at Piney Chapel, Kerri Douthit as bookkeeper at Tanner High School, Bridgette Fitzpatrick as CNP worker/assistant at Tanner, Elvira Thrasher as CNP worker/assistant at Tanner, Stanley Hand as general science teacher at West Limestone, and Celeste Coffman as behavioral counselor at Central Office;

• Agreed to transfers the following employees for the 2012-13 school year: Tracy Tucker to sixth grade teacher at Tanner, Carla Daws to full-time librarian at West Limestone, and Ericka Zirbel, Patricia Stallworth, Michele Selfridge, Erika Hall, Kristina Young, Meredith Waggoner, Carrie Gervais and Heather Jarmon to itinerant speech pathologists;

• Accepted the following request to retire: Jason Braly as art teacher at Creekside, William White as assistant principal at East Limestone and Mary Beth Smith as elementary teacher at Tanner;

• Accepted the resignation of Leigh Ann Brown as guidance counselor at Ardmore High School; 

• Approved leaves of absence for the following: Bonnie Jacques as mathematics teacher at East Limestone, Sally Stanford as special education inclusion assistant at East Limestone and Anita Bates as elementary teacher at Elkmont High School.

• Approved the following as substitutes: Louise Campbell for teacher at Creekside, Lindsey McConnell for teacher at Creekside, Valerie Wender as teacher at Creekside, and Tabitha Fulks for special education inclusion assistant at West Limestone.

Approved the following temporary help for either teacher, instructional assistant or nurse at Creekside Kindergarten Camp: Terri Black, Denise Persell, LeighAnn Carter, Latricia Smith, Kelley Hayes, Emily Brody Sue White Tracy Wilson Cherie Kim, Amy Phillips and Melissa Nix.

• Approved supplemental pay for the 2012-13 school year for Allison Usery as designated assistant principal at Johnson Elementary School and Angela Barnes as designated assistant principal at Piney Chapel.