In the Athens City School Board meeting Thursday night, Superintendent Dr. Orman L. Bridges Jr. said they still do not know what the stimulus package means for the school system. Meetings held in March will give more explanation, he said.

Board members unanimously approved an amendment to the budget at the meeting “due to the State of Alabama,” the main reason being the removal of state allotment earmarked for textbooks. These funds will be flexed and used towards salaries and benefits. This pushes back the purchase of textbooks, which would have gone towards language arts books that run in a six to seven year cycle, Dr. Bridges said.

This reduces the effects of proration on the school systems’ funds by $171,556, Barry Hamilton said.

Other reasons for the amendment are as follows:

• Foundation Programs and State Allocation Adjustment due to 9 percent proration

• Audit adjustment to beginning fund balances

• Federal matching adjustments

• CNP matching adjustments

• Adjustment to local expenditures for special education to meet required maintenance of effort

• Grants and awards obtained during current year

In other business board members approved:

• The use of Brookhill Elementary School auditorium on May 14 by Little Tots Preschool

•The use of Athens Middle School Auditorium April 23-26, by Southside Church of Christ

• Athens Wrestling Club to use the Athens High School gymnasiums March 6 and 7, for the purpose of hosting a SYWO Youth Wrestling tournament

• The use of Athens High School by the Learn-to-Read Council on March 28 to host the annual corporate spelling bee

• A field trip by Brookhill Elementary School fourth-grade students to attend the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra on Feb. 27 in Huntsville at the VBC

• A field trip by Brookhill Elementary School fourth-grade students to attend the Ground Water Festival on March 27 in Athens

• An overnight field trip for 80 sixth-grade students March 4-6, to Nature’s Classroom, located in Mentone

• Athens High School Softball team to participate in a softball lock-in today at the school’s gymnasium

• AHS concert band to participate in the Alabama All-State Band Assessment March 4 at Gadsden City High School

• AHS Beta Club to attend the Alabama State Beta Club Convention March 19-20 in Birmingham

• The AHS FBLA members to sponsor Adult Community Computer classes Feb. 24 at the school computer lab

• AHS FBLA members to attend and participate in the FBLA state Leadership conference April 16-17 in Birmingham

• The AHS concert band to participate in the Alabama All-State State Band Festival April 16-18 at Auburn University

• The AHS JROTC to attend the Johnson Drill/PT competition Feb. 21 in Huntsville

• The AHS JROTC to attend the University of North Alabama PT competition March 7 in Florence

• The AHS 2009 Boys’ and Girls’ track schedule

• The AHS 2009 Boys’ and Girls’ tennis schedule

• The Athens Middle School softball team to participate in an overnight tournament March 27-28 in Hoover

• The AMS softball team to participate in an overnight tournament April 3-4 in Oxford

• The AMS Beta Club to participate in the State Convention March 2-3 in Montgomery

• The AMS robotics class to participate in the Northwest Region Technology Fair March 27 at the VBC in Huntsville

• The AMS FBLA students to participate in the FBLA State Conference April 16-17 in Birmingham

• The AMS cheerleader to sponsor the Jessica Elkins Memorial Pageant in the Athens Middle School Auditorium March 6 -7; March 6 to decorate and March 7 for the actual pageant

Personnel items approved by board members were:

• Resignation of Robert Norman, bus driver effective Jan. 31, 2009

• Transfer of Johnny Stephens, special education teacher at Athens Middle School to special education teacher at Athens Intermediate School for the remainder of the 2008-2009 school year

• Employment of Michelle Smith, sixth-grade teacher at Athens Intermediate School for the remainder of the 2008-2009 school year

• Maternity and Family and Medical Leave for Amy Vinson, Brookhill Elementary School

• Volunteers for Athens Elementary School, Athens High School, and RSVP Volunteers

Board members went into executive session in regards to buying or selling real property. The members were still in session at press time.