Mickey Jones was elected president of the Butler County Board of Education for 2015-16 during the school board’s meeting Monday night at McKenzie School.

Jones, who first joined the school board in 2010 as the District 5 representative, takes over for Linda Hamilton, who served as president for the past year.

“I gladly accept,” Jones said after being voted in as president.

Michael Nimmer, who joined the school board last November, was elected vice president.

With a change in leadership for the board, Superintendent Amy Bryan took a moment to recognize the board’s work during the previous year.

“Last November two new board members came on board, and Miss Hamilton became board president again,” said Bryan. “I’ve tallied up just a few of the accomplishments (the board) has made in the last year, and I thought found it worthy of saying out loud, thank you for the accomplishments made this year.”

During the last year, some of the accomplishments made by the Board of Education include earning the school system back $3 million by refinancing the 2007 school bond; hiring principals for W.O. Parmer Elementary School and Greenville Middle School; increasing salaries of school secretaries, Child Nutrition Program workers, custodians and technology staff; earning Alabama Association of School Boards’ President’s Award for the year of training; school board members Brandon Sellers and Nimmer earning Level I certifications, and Hamilton earning Master Level 2 certification and Jones earning Master Level 1 certification; successfully completing system re-accreditation; graduating 229 students; approving the lease of R. L. Austin School to the Family Life Services Corporation; and approving a $33 million budget.

On Monday, the school system’s “You Make The Difference” award winners for each school were also announced.

Winners included: Allison Booker, Melissa Braxton, Kathy Pickens, Lucy Foster, Peggy Brown, Mandy Black, Bonita Thomas, Beverly Cooke, Ginger Bennett, Beth Gomillion, Tina Hill and Ray Braden.

The system-wide winners were Peggy Brown and Beth Gomillion.

The board also recognized students who competed in the Butler County Distinguished Young Women competition in August.

Those students were: Kayla Countryman, Georgiana School; Kendall Burt, McKenzie School; Paige Odom, McKenzie School; Angelanette Brown, Greenville High School; Samantha Scott, McKenzie School; Sellers Swann, Greenville High School; Danielle Tyus, Georgiana School; and Mary Glenn Fuller, McKenzie School.

“I appreciate these girls representing their schools and the Butler County School System in the competition,” Bryan said. “These girls can compete anywhere with their smarts and their talents. They did fitness, and they did interviews, and they did essays, and they are beautiful. Not only did they participate, though, over $3,350 in scholarships went to our girls and that’s worthy of recognition.”

The Board of Education will hold its next meeting Dec. 8 at 6 p.m. at the Central Office Boardroom located at 949 Oglesby Street in Greenville.