City school board member resigns after 15 years

For Margaret Johnson, the time has come to move on after 15 years of service to the Dothan City School Board.

But that doesn’t mean her service to area schools is over.

Johnson, the district 2 representative on the board, announced her resignation at Monday’s school board meeting, citing her role in the Faine/Grandview project as the cause of her decision.

“My decision is based on the fact that I have the opportunity to become a part of the team for the Faine/Grandview project, which I believe is one of the most important and far-reaching initiatives the system has undertaken,” Johnson said. “The project has generated levels of enthusiasm, commitment and expectancy from administrators, community leaders and parents that I have not before witnessed. I believe that the board must always be able to perform its duties without any hint of compromise, undue influence or unneccessary scrutiny, and I would not want my being a part of the team for the Faine/Grandview project to be either a distraction for the board or an inhibitor for the project.”

The Faine/Grandview project is an effort to aid the learning of students at Faine and Grandview elementary schools, 95 percent of whom live in poverty.

Johnson said her sadness for leaving the board is matched by her excitement for the project.

“Over the years, there have been challenges that have been met and some that have not been met, but every day has been an experience in trying to help children become better. Even though there may have been some obstacles along the way, they were nothing compared to the outcomes we have seen,” she said. “I am absolutely uncontained in my excitement when it comes to that (project), because I know children can perform at high levels. Some of them need more help, which is the case with Faine and Grandview, so if we can get the necessary help in there, they’re going to be able to do those things we say they can’t do.”

The board immediately voted on Johnson’s replacement, unanimously supporting Franklin Jones, who Johnson advocated.

“My mind wandered over the district, looking for someone who has the respect of the district, enjoys a good reputation, a person of wise thinking, who has the interests of children at heart, and I would suggest that person is Franklin Jones,” Johnson said.

Johnson’s announcement caught board member Jimmy Addison by surprise.

“There is no one in the city of Dothan more respected than her,” he said. “I really hate to see her go. Franklin Jones will be a great replacement, but I’m not sure you can replace her.”

City school superintendent Sam Nichols agreed with Addison’s assessment.

“For over 15 years, she has been a mainstay of this school board,” Nichols said. “She has been a solid block. She was the person you’d go to when you needed a good opinion. I can’t say enough about how i appreciate working with her over all these years. She is an asset that will be very, very tough to replace.”

In other business, the board announced preliminary attendance numbers for city schools.

Elementary enrollment is up 4 percent, middle school enrollment is unchanged and high school enrollment is down 2 percent. Overall enrollment is up 1 percent.