The top two spots on the Henry County Board of Education are unchanged from 2019 to 2020. The board voted January 13 at the first regular meeting of the year for Josh Hinton to remain the chair and for Holly Cobb to once again serve as the vice-chair.

  After superintendent Mary Elizabeth Davis called for nominations, Pam Nutt nominated Hinton and Annette Edwards nominated herself. Since Hinton’s nomination was first, it was voted on first and Hinton got the nod with a majority vote.

  Hinton then resumed presiding over the meeting and called for vice-chair nominations. Edwards nominated herself and Sophe Pope nominated Cobb. Edwards’ nomination did not receive a majority vote but Cobb’s did.

  The board voted to approve a contract for the replacement of aging equipment in school data closets that support school-wide network connectivity. The school district is responsible for 20 percent of the total $2,017,363 cost, or $429,854.37. That money will come from the school SPLOST.

  District chief information officer Dr. Brian Blanton informed the board that this kind of equipment is typically reviewed and replaced about every five years, and failure to update the equipment would put the district’s network at risk. Implementation of the new equipment should take place over the course of the next several months.

  Also approved was a $149,425 contract with CT3 “which will provide technical assistance to support the ongoing work of developing school-based and district leaders to create and implement a coaching cycle for continuous improvement centered on improving instruction, leadership, and culture in schools,” according to officials.

  The contract will run through the end of the current school year and be funded by the district’s leadership services budget. Board members speculated about how much time administrators would have for the process, but one board member called it an exciting opportunity to support the district’s principals.