Mrs. Karen Duke Board President kfduke@bellsouth.net 256-355-4425 Mrs. Duke has served on the Decatur City Board of Education since 2000. Prior to serving on the board, Mrs. Duke was both a classroom teacher in the Morgan County School system and an administrator in the Decatur City School System. In 1989, Mrs. Duke was named the Alabama Reading Teacher of the Year. Since joining the Board of Education, Mrs. Duke has been active in the Decatur City Schools Foundation and the Alabama Association of School Boards. Mrs. Duke is also a very active member of the Decatur Community. In the past she has served on the Enrichment Center Board of Directors, the Decatur/Morgan County Chamber of Commerce, the Heart Fund, the United Way, the Decatur/Morgan County Visitors Bureau, and as a Rotary Reader at Frances Nungester Decatur Elementary School. Mrs. Duke holds a B.S. in Elementary Education from Athens State University and a Masters in Elementary Education and an administrative certification from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Mrs. Duke has been married to her husband, David, for 39 years and they have two daughters, Audrey and Ashley. Both of her children are products of the Decatur City School System. Audrey is a French teacher in Mountain Brook, Alabama, and Ashley is an Ob-Gyn at Shelby Baptist Medical Center. Mrs. Duke and her husband are active members of the First Baptist Church of Decatur.	Mrs. Karen Duke
Dr. Charles Elliott Board Vice-President ceenoc@charter.net 256-353-5105 Dr. Charles Elliott has served on the Board since 1996, and has been its President until 2007. He presently serves on the Board of Directors of the Alabama Association of School Boards (AASB). AASB has awarded him the distinction of being a Master School Board Member. Dr. Elliott is a graduate of the University of Alabama and the University of Alabama School of Medicine. He is a diplomat of the American Board of Anesthesiology. He has been practicing medicine in Decatur since 1985. He is a past president of the Morgan County Medical Society. Dr. Elliott and his wife Sherry have two children, both graduates of Austin High School. Lindsay is presently a student at the University of Alabama. Their son Charles attends Harding University. Charles and Sherry are active at the Beltline Church of Christ. He is a Bible school teacher and has been active in medical missions to Guyana, Haiti, and the Yucatan.	Dr. Charles Elliott
Mr. Tommy Sykes Board Member Tsj2561@aol.com 256-340-0542 Mr. Sykes has served on the Decatur City Board of Education since 1989. Seven of those years were as an appointed member of the board and in 1996; he was elected to the Board of Education. He has served on several (AASB) Alabama Association of School Boards committees and participated in several lobbying efforts. The most recent lobbying effort dealt with the state legislature. He also has served as the lobbyist for the (FRN) Federal Reserve Network as an Alabama and National representative on local and national issues. Mr. Sykes is a 1976 graduate of Alabama A&M University and is employed at Delphi Automotive Systems in Athens, Alabama. He and his family all reside in Decatur and their children are all products of the Decatur School System. He has been a lifelong active member of the Bethlehem Primitive Baptist Church.	Mr. Tommy Sykes
Mr. Dwight Jett, Jr. Board Member 256-351-1303 Dwight M. Jett, Jr. was elected to the Board in 2000. He is a local attorney and an officer in the 1169th Engineer Group. Mr. Jett has a Bachelor's and Master's degree in History from the University of Alabama and a Juris Doctorate in Law from the University of Alabama. Mr. Jett graduated from Austin High School in 1981. He and his wife Karen Dearman Jett were born and raised in Decatur. They have one son, McKenzie. "Together we will make a difference."	Mr. Dwight Jett, Jr.
Mrs. Carol Sandlin Board Member payless@aol.com 256-350-1098 Mrs. Carol Sandlin was elected to the Board in 1996. She represents District Two which contains one high school, one middle school and four elementary schools. Mrs. Sandlin is a graduate of Jacksonville State University with a BS in Medical Technology and Biology. Mrs. Sandlin is married to Steve Sandlin who is the owner of the Payless Pharmacies. Mrs. Sandlin works at the pharmacies as needed. The Sandlins have two daughters and they both attended the public Schools of Decatur. Mrs. Sandlin has been active in many civic organizations in Decatur. She attends St. John's Episcopal Church and is very involved in many of their programs.	Mrs. Carol Sandlin
Dr. Sam Houston Superintendent superintendent@dcs.edu 256-552-3000 A native of Fort Payne, AL, Dr. Houston has been a resident of Decatur, and an employee of Decatur City Schools, for the past 31 years. He received bachelors degrees in Business Administration (1968) and English and Social Studies (1970) from the University of Alabama; a masters degree in Education Administration (1971) from the University of Alabama; and his doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of Tennessee in 1981. Dr. Houston began his career with Decatur City Schools in 1972 as an English teacher at Oak Park Middle School. Over the years, he served as principal of Westlawn Elementary School, principal of Westlawn Elementary Magnet School, and Supervisor of Middle and Magnet Schools. He served as Assistant Superintendent from 1983 until April of 2003 at which time he was appointed to serve as Interim Superintendent. He was named Superintendent of Decatur City Schools effective July 1, 2003.	Dr. Sam Houston
Dr. Ed Nichols Assistant Superintendent ed.nichols@dcs.edu 256-552-3000 Dr. Ed Nichols has been a member of the Decatur City School System since 1988. Dr. Nichols began his career in Decatur as the Band Director at Austin High School. In 1998, he was appointed the principal of Austin High School. In 2003, Dr. Nichols was named the Assistant Superintendent of the Decatur School System. Dr. Nichols holds a B.S. and M.S. in Music Education from the University of Tennessee and an Ed.S. and Ed.D. from the University of Alabama in Educational Administration and Leadership. Dr. Nichols and his wife Missey have one child, Meredith, born in July of 2003. Mrs. Nichols is a guidance counselor at Cedar Ridge Middle School. Dr. Nichols and his family are active in Central United Methodist Church in Decatur. He is the music director for the adult choir.	Dr. Ed Nichols
Mrs. Melanie Maples Chief Financial Officer melanie.maples@dcs.edu 256-552-3000 Mrs. Maples has served the Decatur City School system as the Chief Financial Officer since 2001. Mrs. Maples’ experience prior to that time included auditing public schools and governmental agencies. Mrs. Maples holds a B.S. in Accounting from Western Kentucky University and is a Certified Public Accountant. Mrs. Maples is an active member of the Alabama Association of School Business Officials and has obtained certification as Chief School Finance Officer. Mrs. Maples and her husband Tommy have four children. They live on a farm in Limestone County where they raise Registered Angus cattle. Mrs. Maples and her family attend the Elkmont Church of Christ.	Mrs. Melanie Maples

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