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The Alcoa Board of Education and the school system's director of schools met the grade at a work session Monday.

Tom Shamblin, Alcoa director of schools, received nearly all 90 percent approval ratings in his annual performance evaluation.

Board members rated Shamblin at:

— 94.3 percent in board relationships;

— 92.5 percent in community relationships;

— 87.7 percent in staff and personnel relationships;

— 87.4 percent in educational leadership;

— 97.5 percent in business and finance;

— 86.7 percent in strategic planning skills.

"I like to lead by example. Through my discussions (with faculty and staff), I like to decide where we need to go," said Shamblin. School board chairman Mickey McClurg later acknowledged Shamblin's work load and advised him to start delegating more responsibilities to staff members.

Board members also completed an annual self-assessment, and the results were presented at the work session. The school board rated themselves at:

— 92 percent in team-building;

— 92 percent in decision-making;

— 98 percent in governance;

— 90 percent in school improvement;

— 90 percent in community relations;

— 77 percent in planning;

— 90 percent in communications;

— 97 percent in motivation;

— 93 percent in influence;

— 87 percent in policy

"I really feel this school board always has the student in mind," said McClurg.

In other action, the school board recommended that Shamblin move the maintenance department's equipment out of the high school's baseball/softball concession stand and into the system's alternative school when it is completed next year.

The move would allow the softball and baseball teams to use the space as locker rooms.

Board members also discussed rolling $324,658 worth of upgrades for the school system's computer network into their current construction budget. School officials think increased network traffic and its constant bandwidth demand have made the upgrades necessary, said Shamblin.