YOUR SOURCE OF NEWS IN SELMA AND DALLAS COUNTY, ALABAMA May 9, 2019 | Volume 4, Issue 15
www.selmasun.com
50 ¢
Selma City Schools to unveil Parent University Bus next week Bus will serve as mobile classroom to get parents more engaged
Cynthia Perkins has been involved with parent engagement for more than 20 years and said Parent University was something the community and city needed. BY FRED GUARINO Selma Sun Staff
Selma City Schools want to get parents more involved in their students’ schooling, and what better way to do that than to bring the school to the parent? The district’s new Parent University Bus will serve as a
mobile classroom to give parents information about education and "become empowered to be the best parents they can be," said Cynthia Perkins, parent engagement coordinator for Selma City Schools. The bus, which was donated by Tuscaloosa City Schools, is being transformed by Selma
High School’s Career Technical Education program into the Parent University vehicle and should be ready for its big reveal at 10 a.m. May 15 in the Selma City Schools parking lot. The bus will on display in communities and areas where the parents are available and at events throughout the city.
"Parental Involvement Classes" will teach parents the importance of reading, math, the importance of attendance, as well as how to have conferences with teachers... "basic parenting skills," Perkins said. The community will also be invited to do adult education training, computer training, to learn about fitness and health, college preparation, especially for the parents of the high school students, and how to fill out financial aid forms. Perkins said there will be 20 to 30 tablets available to help children with academic skill training with access to "Edgenuity." She explained that parents and students will also be allowed to work together to build those skills. Perkins said the school system is currently looking for donors for flooring, electrical outlets, an air conditioner and a generator.
While the bus won't be put into service until the start of the next school year, Perkins said Career Technical Education program students are currently doing the carpentry, the electrical work and welding on the bus. Courtney Washington, community engagement specialist, noted the entire CTE program is involved. The Parent University Bus comes under the school system's five-year strategic plan to "Develop processes and procedures to offer wraparound services in connection with community agencies,” Washington said. Perkins has been involved with parent engagement for more than 20 years and said Parent University was something the community and city needed. When Selma City Schools Superintendent Dr. Avis Williams said she had a bus she wanted to get retooled,
Perkins said, "Wow, that is what I've been waiting for. So, I just hopped right on it and started working toward making it happen." Perkins said the bus was donated to the school system and the outside painting was done by David's (David Holmes) Paint and Body in Selma. Perkins said CTE instructor Darryl Davis's drafting team did the floor plans, and welding instructor Timothy Talton's welding students are doing all the welding on the bus. Also, the Parent University Bus committee included Raefel Simmons, director of federal program; Lydia Chatmon, parent; Sheila Savage, parent; Lorainne Capers, truancy; Joe Peterson, operations director; Irene Patterson, homeless coordinator; and Linda Johnson, parent specialist.
One way in, one way out Courthouse security top-of-mind for Dallas County Sheriff Mike Granthum By Fred Guarino Selma Sun Staff
Dallas County Sheriff Mike Granthum has public safety on his mind when it comes to the Dallas County Courthouse and the courthouse annex. Granthum wants one way in and one way out for both buildings through metal detectors and a way to allow handicapped citizens to enter the old courthouse with a buzzer and a camera from the ramp at the back. But Grantham said a goal to have the metal detector entrances manned by July or August is up to the Dallas County Commission. And, he said, the security is in a threestep phase to get the funding. Granthum said for the past year and half to two years, metal detectors have been in use for high-profile court such as murders to make the courtrooms safe. But, he said, there have been some “small incidents such as intimidation of witnesses or "two family members get into it from opposite sides." As a result, he said, "We're taking it a step further. We want to secure both courthouses, the courthouse annex
and the old courthouse... We felt like it's time to secure our courthouse... make it a safe working environment for our people, make it safe for our community when they come in and out to get a tag. They should be able to feel safe coming in and out." However, Granthum said, the security effort began in the middle of a budget when there wasn't any funding for it. Still, he said, the Dallas County Commission and the judges got together, and the judges allocated some money to purchase metal detectors, which he said was the first step. The second step was to purchase the metal detectors along with some mobile devices called "metal detection wands," which have been installed. But Granthum said, "The third step is to figure out how we're going to man them." "The devices are in place, the wands have already been purchased. But, you know, they're kind of useless if you don't have somebody in there manning them," he said. The County Commission is currently looking at the insurance part of it to see if it would be more economically feasible to man the equipment on a contract
basis, to hire a private security company to come in and do it, or if the commission is going to hire their own employees. He said the commission is currently holding work sessions to determine how to man the metal detector security. The sheriff pointed out they’ve had a camera system installed for several years. But he said, "A camera system doesn't prevent crime. It only helps you solve crime once it has been committed." He said, "We want to take it one step forward and prevent it (crime) before it happens." And Granthum said that is what is going to be done. "We are going to have a pretty tight security system. We are going to have one way in each courthouse and one way out." But for the handicap ramp at the back of the old courthouse, Granthum said the plan is to have a security camera on that and a buzzer. And at the station where the metal detectors are, he said, the plan is to have a monitor and an audio device to let them know someone is buzzing in "and we will be able to buzz in our handicapped people."
See ONE WAY IN, Page 2 A new metal detector is set up at the Dallas County Courthouse in preparations of being used in the next few weeks.
Late on your property taxes in the city of Selma? Find out inside SELMA SUN STAFF REPORT Inside this week's edition of the Selma Sun is a list of delinquent property taxes from the city of Selma. How did these folks end up on these pages? They failed to pay their city property taxes by Dec. 31, when
they are determined delinquent. Each year, property taxes are due by Oct. 1. Landowners are sent a reminder notice before the due date and then notice that the bill is delinquent. Late charges also kick in. After Dec. 31, the bill gets a late charge of $5 and 12 percent interest per year – or 1 per-
cent a month – is assessed on the bill. If there is still no response from the landowner, they are sent a certified court notice from the probate court to give a reason why their taxes are delinquent, and court is set for 10 days after the notices are sent.
Tax bills not resolved in the court proceedings are then advertised for three consecutive weeks in the local newspaper, in this case the Selma Sun. If no payment is made on delinquent taxes after this, the property is placed up for auction on the courthouse steps at noon 30 days after the first
advertising date, which falls on June 1, 2019, this year. The property is then sold to the highest bidder. The tax office’s goal is to get the back taxes, interest, late fee, advertising cost and court cost. Check for delinquencies on Pages 4-6 inside. Find print copies of the
Selma Sun at Carter Drug, Swift Drug, Holly True Value, the Coffee Shoppe, the Selma and Dallas County Library, Vasser's and the Selma & Dallas County Centre for Commerce. Copies also available at the Selma Sun’s office at 711 Alabama Avenue during regular business hours.
Subscribe today at
www.selmasun.com