| Magee Courier-Simpson County News

Ruth Graham, daughter of the late evangelist Billy Graham, has joined forces with the Mississippi Department of Corrections.

Video: Ruth Graham, Daughter of the Late Evangelist Billy Graham Opens Up About Her New Ministry in Mississippi's Prison System

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Mon, 06/07/2021 - 04:27 PM

Ruth Graham has written a lot about forgiveness.

That was a word that was preached often by her father, the late evangelist Billy Graham, but the renowned pastor’s daughter said she did not truly fully understand the concept of forgiveness until she went inside Angola prison in Louisiana several years ago.

It was there that she first began working with Burl Cain, who was then head of the famed prison and is now the commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Corrections.

Kamal King, bureau manager with Visit Mississippi's tourism department, speaks to the Indianola Rotary Club at the club's 2021 banquet on Tuesday night at the B.B. King Museum.

Video: Visit Mississippi's Kamel King Keynotes Indianola Rotary Banquet

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Thu, 06/03/2021 - 08:11 PM

Prior to Indianola Rotarians getting a sneak peak at The B.B. King Museum's multimillion dollar expansion on Tuesday night, Visit Mississippi Tourism Development Bureau Manager Kamel King addressed the club about the state of tourism in Mississippi.

King talked about Visit Mississippi's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, along with a host of other topics.

Visit Mississippi represents the tourism division of the Mississippi Development Authority.

Mississippi PEER Committee Releases Report on School Districts' Revenues and Expenditures

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Tue, 06/01/2021 - 03:41 PM

Below is a press release from The Mississippi Legislative PEER Committee:

The Mississippi Legislative PEER Committee is releasing its report titled A Review of Mississippi School Districts’ Revenue Sources and Expenditures for Fiscal Years 2016 through 2020.

Some of the Committee’s major findings include:

A rendering of the courtyard at the B.B. King Museum, which will be unveiled to the public on June 5.

B.B. King Museum To Celebrate Expansion In Grand Style June 5

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Thu, 05/27/2021 - 02:47 PM

The B.B. King Museum is having a party.

Several familiar acts, and a number of new faces may grace the stage on June 5 in Indianola as the museum celebrates the ribbon cutting of its multi-million dollar expansion that will include exhibits that focus on the last decade of King’s life.

Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson speaks to the Indianola Rotary Club this week.

Video: Secretary of State Visits Indianola Rotary

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Wed, 05/26/2021 - 04:53 PM

Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson visited the Indianola Rotary Club this week.

Watson spoke a variety of issues important to him and pertinent to the state, including elections, the recent Supreme Court decision to strike down Initiative 65 and the initiative process, as well as the potential need for a special session to remedy the legislative issue with the ballot initiative process.

Click the video to watch.

More than $4 billion in PPP loans have now made its way to Mississippi after Congress approved another round of federal support this year. Credit: Eric J. Shelton/Mississippi Today

PPP list: Who received federal loans in Mississippi?

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Fri, 04/30/2021 - 12:13 PM

More than $4 billion in loans have now made its way to Mississippi after Congress approved another round of federal support for businesses earlier this year.

As was the case after the first round of the Paycheck Protection Program last summer, the state’s top recipients so far include restaurants, doctors’ and dentists’ offices, legal practices, construction companies, car dealers, hotels and religious organizations.

Despite federal law, many domestic abusers keep their guns in Mississippi

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Fri, 03/26/2021 - 09:41 AM

This article is the third in a series about how the criminal justice system fails domestic violence victims in Mississippi.

Last year, 23-year-old Phoenicia Ratliff of Canton was kidnapped and shot by her ex-boyfriend before he turned the gun on himself. Just a week earlier, he had been arrested on domestic violence and stalking charges.

Mississippi schools will soon be required to teach computer science

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Fri, 03/26/2021 - 09:31 AM

Beginning in the 2024 school year, all Mississippi elementary, middle and high schools will be required to offer computer science courses.

This week, Gov. Tate Reeves signed into law “The Mississippi Computer Science and Cyber Education Equality Act,” which sets out a timeline for schools to incorporate the curriculum.

‘It’s depressing’: More Mississippi students are in virtual classrooms without teachers during pandemic

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Mon, 03/22/2021 - 12:49 PM

Even before the pandemic, Treasure Cosie was already on a path to not have a geometry teacher her junior year at Leland High School.

Her school district isn’t technically designated as a Critical Teacher Shortage area by the Mississippi Department of Education, but there aren’t enough teachers to teach even core subjects like math.

“You’re expecting to have a teacher teach you something you didn’t know before, but you don’t get that because you don’t have a teacher in the class,” Cosie said about her geometry course.

MDE: All Statewide Assessments to be Administered this School Year

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Mon, 03/15/2021 - 12:45 PM

Below is a press release from the Mississippi Department of Education:

All required federal and statewide assessments will be administered to public-school students this school year, including the 3rd Grade Reading Assessment and high school assessments for Algebra I, English II, Biology and U.S. History.

The Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) has provided districts with pandemic-related flexibilities to make it easier to administer the assessments and to schedule in-person testing for virtual learners.

Schools

USM President Rodney Bennett to step down

11

Mon, 01/24/2022 - 11:36 AM

State News

Senate passes teacher raise

916

Fri, 01/21/2022 - 02:30 PM

The state Senate on Friday with no debate unanimously passed a $210-million teacher pay raise, but the entire Black Caucus did not vote because its members walked out in protest of a critical race theory bill passed earlier.

Senate Bill 2444 would provide an average teacher salary increase of $4,700 over two years and restructure the way teachers are paid to provide higher salaries in the long term.

State Board of Education approves five new early learning collaboratives to serve pre-K 4-year-olds

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Fri, 01/21/2022 - 02:06 PM

Below is a press release from the Mississippi Department of Education:

The Mississippi State Board of Education (SBE) voted Jan. 20, to add five new early learning collaboratives (ELC) to the current list of 18 to provide high-quality early childhood education pre-K programs to 4-year-old students.

The ELC expansion is made possible by $6.3 million in state funds. State funding continues to increase for the ELC program with $8 million in 2020-21 and $16 million for 2021-22, which brings the total appropriation to $55.5 million since the 2014-15 school year.

State News

Senate teacher pay plan passes committees; next stop before full chamber

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Thu, 01/20/2022 - 05:48 PM

A proposal that would provide teachers an average salary increase of $4,700 over two years passed both the Senate Education and Appropriations committees Thursday and could be considered by the full Senate as early as Friday morning.

The House already has passed its teacher pay proposal and sent it to the Senate. The leadership of both chambers have said providing a substantial pay raise for teachers is one of their top priorities during the 2022 session. Either plan, if passed, would represent one of the largest pay raises for teachers in history.

The State Capitol in Jackson. The first Legislative session of the new year convenes today, Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2021. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today

Anti-CRT bill passed out of Senate committee likely unconstitutional, opponents say

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Thu, 01/20/2022 - 05:24 PM

The Senate Education Committee passed legislation Thursday banning the teaching of critical race theory in K-12 public schools and in the state’s public universities and community colleges. If made into law, opponents say the bill is likely unconstitutional.

Mississippi State Board of Education Allows Hybrid Scheduling During COVID-19 Surge

69

Thu, 01/20/2022 - 04:42 PM

Below is a press release from the Mississippi Department of Education:

The Mississippi State Board of Education (SBE) voted today to allow school districts to use hybrid scheduling if needed to minimize the current spread of COVID-19.

The hybrid scheduling option is available immediately and will extend through March 11, 2022. Hybrid scheduling enables districts to reduce the number of students in schools each day by scheduling a portion of students to learn online. Hybrid scheduling can only be used to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

MDE: 3rd grade reading assessment will be administered from April 4-22

64

Thu, 01/20/2022 - 02:18 PM

Below is a press release from the Mississippi Department of Education:

Center Hill High School economics teacher Toni Coleman helps her senior class students Elijah Geis, from center left, David Vega and Jonathan Tate with their class project in Olive Branch Tuesday, May 7, 2019. Credit: Eric J. Shelton, Mississippi Today/Report For America

‘I was not expecting anything close to this:’ Teachers react to pay raise proposals

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Thu, 01/20/2022 - 10:24 AM

As the Legislature debates how to increase pay for Mississippi’s public school teachers, some educators and advocates say they are surprised and pleased by the proposals.

The House and Senate introduced separate proposals last week. The Senate plan would bring the starting salary for teachers up to $40,000 and includes significant pay raises at five-year intervals as teachers gain more experience. The House plan includes a starting salary of $43,000 and a $2,000 raise for teacher assistants.

State News

Some Mississippi borrowers will benefit from $8 million student loan settlement

98

Tue, 01/18/2022 - 04:06 PM

Navient, one of the country’s largest student loan servicers, has agreed to forgive $8.2 million in private debt for Mississippi borrowers under a settlement reached by the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office last week.

Mississippi borrowers who qualify under the settlement, which was approved Saturday by a Hinds County Chancery Court judge, will see their debt erased in the next 90 days.

SCA High School Teachers of the Month

102

Tue, 01/18/2022 - 02:07 PM

November - Amy McWilliams,
Social Studies
December - Kim Payne, Spanish

The E-Edition

January 21, 2022

Click here to see all E-editions

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