At the Simpson County School District’s monthly board meeting on Tuesday, April 8, board members shared comments following their recent school visits and dealt with other business.
Superintendent Dr. Paul Lawrence addressed several pressing topics, beginning with a clarification that the recent Mississippi Department of Education mandate that would end COVID-19 relief funding would not affect the Simpson County School District. He also confirmed that all COVID-19 relief funds allocated to the district had been fully utilized.
One of the central issues discussed was the ongoing shortage of bus drivers across the district. Dr. Lawrence explained that the retired drivers currently serving the district had reached their allowable limit of workdays under retirement guidelines.
To address the problem, he presented the board with a proposed contract from First Student, Inc., that would allow the district to continue employing retired drivers through First Student while also adding two new drivers from Hattiesburg and Canton. The two new drivers will be paid $511 per day, but the district will not be responsible for providing benefits such as insurance or retirement.
The board approved the contract by a majority vote, with Thomas Ray Floyd of District 3 abstaining. Board member Lillie Hardy said that the solution was not a permanent fix and asked about progress on optimizing bus routes. Dr. Lawrence responded that Tyler Technologies is working on the optimization, with new routes expected to be in place before the start of the next school year.
The board approved the consent agenda by a majority vote, with Thomas Ray Floyd opposing. Floyd expressed concerns over out-of-state travel expenses for training, particularly trips to California. The board also approved the human resources report after discussing it in executive session.
A highlight of the meeting was the announcement of a new partnership between the Simpson County School District and the University of Southern Mississippi for the Golden Eagle Teacher Residency program. This registered teaching apprenticeship allows student teachers to shadow experienced educators within the district.
The program, supported by the National Center for Teacher Residencies, combines a year-long classroom mentorship with academic coursework. Board member Lillie Hardy said that Simpson County was instrumental in developing the model for this program and called it “a valuable initiative for cultivating strong future educators.”
The board approved budget amendments for expenditures at Simpson Central and Mendenhall High School. Additional financial items, including the financial report, financial statements, and the claims docket, were also approved.
District administrators provided updates as schools prepare for state testing. Dr. Angela Mixon, assistant superintendent and district curriculum and instruction coordinator, briefed the board on the pre-kindergarten program, noting the need for two teachers. Once the positions are filled, student applications will open, with an expected launch date in August to align with the next academic year.
A significant discussion followed regarding the job description for the new Pre-Kindergarten Program Coordinator position. Hardy expressed concerns that the coordinator’s proposed duties strayed from the principal’s role as the instructional leader. She emphasized that the principal should recommend candidates to the superintendent and maintain authority over teaching and learning decisions.
Hardy said, “The principal is responsible for the teaching and learning. The coordinator should not be doing the evaluation. The coordinator should be a support person under the principal.”
Dr. Mixon elaborated on the job requirements to satisfy grant stipulations, but Hardy stressed that the job description must align with district policy. The board tabled that item for revisions and also tabled a request for amendments to the pre-k program budget.
Toward the end of the meeting, the board briefly discussed a prank at Mendenhall High School that resulted in property damage. Board member Stacey Herrin recommended that those involved should not be allowed to participate in graduation ceremonies.
The meeting also included recognition for students and staff for their outstanding achievements.
The board then entered executive session to discuss matters related to litigation and student discipline before adjourning.
