The Simpson County School District Board of Education held its regular monthly meeting on December 11, beginning with recognitions of outstanding parents, teachers and administrators from across the district.
Dr. Romonica Feazell was named the Simpson County School District Administrator of the Year. Kelly McCain was recognized as District Teacher of the Year, and Amanda Wellborn was named District Parent of the Year.
School-level honorees were also announced. At Magee Elementary School, Keyuana Floyd-Draughn was named Teacher of the YearC and Amanda Wellborn was recognized as Parent of the Year. Magee Middle School honored Kelly McCain as Teacher of the Year and Kimberly Walker as Parent of the Year. At Magee High School, Kirby Craft was named Teacher of the Year and Tatiyuana Hall was selected as Parent of the Year.
Mendenhall Elementary School recognized Amy Gary as Teacher of the Year and Carmen Grubbs as Parent of the Year. At Mendenhall High School, Amy Shepherd was named Teacher of the Year and Tiffany Abraham was honored as Parent of the Year.
Simpson Central School recognized Whitney Bowen as Teacher of the Year and Lisa Capels as Parent of the Year.
The Simpson County Achievement Center named Tamieka Smith as Teacher of the Year, and the Simpson County Technical Center honored Patricia Braddock as its Teacher of the Year.
Superintendent Dr. Robert Sanders updated the board on newly approved state cut scores. He explained that when 75 percent of students statewide reach a C or better, the cut scores are adjusted, making grading standards more rigorous.
He noted that Mississippi is currently ranked 16th nationally in education and said the state and district will continue to increase rigor.
Sanders shared hypothetical accountability grades using last spring’s data applied to the new cut scores. Under that scenario, the district would receive a D, with Magee Elementary, Mendenhall Elementary, Simpson Central and Mendenhall High also graded as D’s, while Magee Middle School and Magee High School would receive F’s.
He also provided a snapshot of district performance from benchmark tests administered in October. Based on those results, the district graded at a D, with Magee Elementary, Mendenhall Elementary and Magee Middle also at D levels. Simpson Central earned a C, while Magee High School and Mendenhall High School each graded at a C.
It is to be noted that school performance has not changed. The state has simply raised scoring levels required to achieve the same grade, making it appear that academic performance has decreased when the only change has been the increase of requirements to maintain the same level.
Sanders emphasized the importance of limiting academic regression among the district’s highest-performing students as efforts continue to raise overall achievement.
The superintendent also announced that the district is in the process of completing an application for a Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) program. He said the district would not receive reimbursement during the first two years of the program, but after successful reviews, cost sharing with the state would begin.
Dr. Sanders recognized Nutrition Director Dr. Derricka Thomas, presenting her with the Small and Rural School Food Authority Lunch Trailblazer Award. Simpson County School District was the only district in Mississippi to receive the honor and one of just 13 districts recognized nationally. Thomas thanked her staff and nutrition workers at each school for their dedication.
“We are lunch champions,” Sanders said. “It’s not my opinion; it’s a fact. We were the only district recognized in the state.”
The board approved a resolution presented by Board Attorney John Hooks authorizing the appraisal and sale of the Philip Davis property, which had been set aside by the former board for a consolidated high school. The resolution stated that the property is no longer needed for educational purposes. The measure passed by majority vote, with board member Lily Hardy voting in opposition.
The board also heard an update from representatives of Bailey Construction regarding the upcoming renovation schedule for school facilities. Discussion included potential start dates and contract details. A special called meeting will be held for the board to further review and consider the construction contracts.
During policy review, the board ratified revisions and approved grammatical changes to the school charge related to unsafe school policy, as recommended by the board attorney. Board members also selected Option One for the JRAA student recruitment and student directory information policy, noting that it aligned with current district practices. The consent agenda was approved in its entirety.
The board approved the terms, conditions and acceptance of a fiscal year 2026 Mississippi Department of Education Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources grant awarded to the Simpson County Technical Center in the amount of $20,000.
Board members also approved an End User License Agreement and quote with Zephyr for the purchase of flight simulation software and controllers for the unmanned aircraft system program being implemented at the Technical Center. The software will allow students to conduct drone flight simulations and assist with piloting instruction.
Two job description changes were approved, including renaming the Assistant District Test Coordinator position to MTSS Student Services Coordinator and renaming the Pre-K Coordinator position to Academic Specialist Pre-K Coordinator. District officials said the changes were made to better align the titles with the duties associated with each role.
The proposed 2026–2027 school year salary scale was tabled for further review. The Human Resources report was approved.
Financial Director Sheila Copeland presented the monthly financial report, claims docket and financial statements, all of which were approved by the board.
During the superintendent’s report, principals from across the district provided updates, many focusing on current testing schedules and significant events at their schools.
