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HUNTSVILLE — “I want to express my appreciation for all the support and understanding that Scott County and the state gave us through the tragedy in losing Aleisha, Jamie, Nikki and Ashley . . . .”

So began Director of Schools Sharon Wilson’s comments during Thursday night’s meeting of the Scott County Board of Education — the first formal meeting of the board since the tragic auto accident near Robbins on Oct. 24 which came six lives, including four Scott High School cheerleaders (Sisters Aleisha and Jamie Hill, Nikki Hughett and Ashley Mason).

Wilson spoke of the outpouring of support for the fund-raising efforts to pay for the funerals of the four girls, and explained that any excess funds would go directly to the families and not into the separate scholarship fund which has been established in their memory.

She also expressed her appreciation for the understanding of why schools were closed on the day of the protest staged near the Scott High entrance by representatives of the Kansas-based church.

Now, she said, “we’re moving forward . . .” and finally “getting some routine back in our schools.”

Thursday night’s meeting at the Central Office in Huntsville saw the board vote to award bids for the Scott High senior class trip and Jr. Beta Club trip for middle school students.

Knoxville Tours was awarded a $17,250 bid for the senior trip to New York, while Tour Coordinators of Scott County was the successful bidder ($28,375) for the annual Jr. Beta Club trip to Washington, D.C. and the Gettysburg Civil War battleground. The senior trip was bid at $575 per student and the Jr. Beta Club trip was bid at $337 per student, it was pointed out.

In other action on Thursday, the board:

• After a month’s delay for further review, voted unanimously to accept a $96,618 Lottery for Education: After School Programs (LEAP) three-year grant to be administered through the Douglas-Cherokee Economic Authority to provide after school and summer activities for the students of Scott High;

• Authorized out-of-state/overnight trips for Scott High students to the Mill Springs, Ky., Civil War battlefield site, and for Fairview Elementary students to visit Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro Dec. 6-7;

• Awarded a $3,555 bid to School Health Corporation for an Echo Scan the Special Education Department. On the recommendation of Director Wilson, however, the board failed to award a $12,999 bid for a tractor mower for Huntsville Schools which was submitted by Chilton Tractor Co. Wilson said she felt the tractor mower needed to be re-bid since only one bid was received;

• Voted to request the Finance Director to solicit bids for a 10,000-pound capacity auto lift for Scott High to be paid for with Carl Perkins Vocational Education funds;

• Approved a motion giving permission to the Technology Department to file Form 470s for E-Rate services for Year 12 (July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010);

• Approved minor changes to the 2008-2009 school calendar which will make May 29, 2009 a service day (instead of May 28), and make May 30, 2009 an abbreviate day (instead of May 29);

• Voted to accept the School’s Activity Fund Audit as prepared by Dennis Jeffers, CPA, PC;

• Approved on first reading board policies as presented by the Tennessee School Board’s Association related to conflict of interest disclosure statement, registered sex offenders, interscholastic athletics, personnel records and student discrimination. Approval on a second reading is required before adoption of the new and/or revised board policies;

• Approved a budget amendment for the Special Education Department’s IDEA, Part B carry-over budget; and,

• Approved a budget amendment for the 2008-2009 Carl Perkins Budget.