At its meeting July 28, the Franklin County Board of Education approved its Virtual School Plan.

Virtual education is an option, Superintendent Gary Williams said, that now must be offered in accordance with state mandate. This option is open to students in ninth through twelfth grades who meet eligibility requirements, including grade point average minimums, proficiency with computers and exceptional attendance record and disciplinary record.

“They can actually go to school at home and take their courses online,” Williams said. He said he expects that there will be Franklin County students who will opt to take advantage of the new program. Courses will be offered through ACCESS (Alabama Connecting Classrooms, Educators, and Students Statewide).

“You have to be a pretty good student,” Williams said. “The ACCESS classes are pretty hard.”

Williams said students who meet requirements and choose the virtual education option remain enrolled at whatever county school they were previously attending and must make satisfactory academic progress and meet virtual course attendance requirements to remain in the program, as the policy explains.

The FCBOE also:

–       Received a good audit report.

–       Acknowledged school nurses, who received state-level recognition.

–       Approved the speech-language pathology service agreement with Elizabeth King for $60 per hour for services rendered.

–       Approved certified and support personnel salary schedules and supplement schedules.

–       Approved a number of personnel changes: resignation, Ashley Isbell, special education, TES; leave of absence, Alicia Cooper and Lori Shook; transfer, Tina King, Brittne Prince, Andrea Mayberry and Traci Britton; employment, Meegan Scott, Autumn Miller, Traci Nolen, Walker Kennerly, Elizabeth Wilson, Nicole Henderson, Bailey Rice, Elisha Coons, Holly Borden, Suzanne Pickett and Mitchell Dalrymple; change in contract, Sandra Guinn; resignation in supplement, Elisha Coons; and new teacher substitutes, John Curran, Christy Henson, Christina Tyra and Caleb Turberville.