A drug and violence prevention program is joining the curriculum at North Pike Middle School.
The Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence at the University of Colorado Boulder approved North Pike Middle School’s application to receive the LifeSkills Training program grant. The program is aimed at preventing alcohol, tobacco and drug use among middle school students.
At North Pike’s board meeting Thursday evening, the board of trustees approved Superintendent Dennis Penton’s recommendation to accept the grant and participate in the program, which will provide training, technical assistance and curriculum materials for three years starting in fall 2019.
“The goal of the program is to prevent substance use and other risky behaviors by providing students with knowledge and skills to resist peer and media pressure to smoke, drink or use drugs, develop a positive self-image, build healthy relationships and make good decisions and solve problems,” according to the program description.
Once the district is assigned a program coordinator, the University of Colorado Boulder will assist North Pike in scheduling training dates, naming LifeSkills Training teachers and participants and identifying a classroom observer, according to the grant description.
Optional violence prevention lessons are also included. Over the course of three years, students will receive 15 classes in the first year and sessions of 10 and five classes in the following two years.
North Pike Elementary School also received a grant from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Mississippi for Barron Terrell’s participation in the Mississippi Foundation Physical Education Conference. The grant includes health and fitness equipment valued at $1,148.
In other news, the board:
• Discussed the county tax assessment correction. Pike County officials made an error in computing the North Pike School District tax levy. As approved, the levy included 51.9 mills for North Pike district maintenance and 12.5 for debt service involving a 2017 bond issue. The correct millage should’ve been 53.56 for district maintenance and 10.38 for the bond issue.
Penton said Pike County Supervisors board president Chuck Lambert explained what had happened and how the issue would be resolved to North Pike trustees.
“It happens at times,” Penton said. “You have technical errors and calculation errors. It was unfortunate that it wasn’t caught before the millage levy, but it can be corrected and the net effect on the taxpayers will be negligible.”
• Heard a letter from the Mississippi Department of Education, congratulating North Pike students, teachers, staff, administrators and parents for earning an improved letter grade for the 2017-18 school year.
• Approved an $8,040 quote from Wallace Floors to upgrade flooring in the central office.
• Accepted a $500 donation from Exxon Mobil Corp. to North Pike Elementary School for purchasing instructional supplies.
• Accepted a $500 donation from Craddock Oil Company Inc. to North Pike Elementary School.
• Approved to advertise bids for North Pike Middle School’s gymnasium air conditioning project and North Pike Elementary School’s office renovations and security upgrades.
• Hired new upper elementary principal Angela Benefield and assistant principal Avery Peagler.
• Accepted resignations from certified teachers Rhonda Hemphill and Lynn Putnam and teacher assistants Tammy Barnett and Cheryl Hampton, all effective May 22, 2019.
• Hired part-time bus driver Michael Morgan, seven substitute teachers and two cafeteria substitutes.
• Approved certified positions for the upcoming school year, including high school principal Scott Hallmark, middle school principal Allen Barron, elementary school principal Lori Harrell and assistant superintendent Loren Harris.
• Recognized the school board in appreciation of “their hard work in planning and reacting to the needs of our school district,” Penton said.
