South Pike school trustees last week heard an update on the construction project at the new junior high school and the air conditioning work being done at the Willie E. Jones Coliseum.
McComb architect Steve Cox said there seem to be no problems with work on the junior high project. Despite the weather, Cox said contractors have been able to get a good start, and a lot of concrete has been poured.
Cox told the board that the new school should be ready for students sometime this fall, barring no serious setbacks.
Cox presented a list of changes in the coliseum project that will use the $15,000 contingency allowance provided for the work. There are no change orders involved, but there are a dozen contract changes for work that should be done. Cox said contractor Metro Mechanical of Bolton reduced the price of the work so that it could be done within the $15,000 limit.
Asked by superintendent Dr. Bill Gunnell if it will be cool in the coliseum for graduation, Cox said yes.
The board also approved personnel recommendations, noted resignations and accepted gifts of more than $3,500 for the district.
In open session, trustees approved certified personnel recommended by principals Connie McNabb of Eva Gordon Elementary, Blake Brewer of Magnolia Elementary, Dalton Williams of Osyka Elementary and Warren Banks of South Pike High School. Also approved was chief academic officer Dr. Lynda Taylor’s recommendation of the re-employment of Will Gunnell, son of superintendent Gunnell, as the Pike County Detention Center’s teacher.
However, trustee Angie Lee asked that the board discuss personnel recommendations made by junior high principal Joe Leavy in executive session. Lee gave no public reason for her request. After discussion, trustees approved the list of junior high personnel.
Gunnell said teacher employment is critical and staffing comes at a time when the district is preparing to cut its budget by 15 percent, as the governor has said must be done. It will mean an additional $1.4 million cut from South Pike’s budget this coming year.
“We’re working really hard on that,” Gunnell said. “I don’t know what we’ll do if the governor comes back with another cut. We’ve cut $1 million over the past two years that has not been restored. But we have to have teachers.
“I’ve asked each department, principal and administrators, ‘What do you feel you can do without and still improve your test scores?’ … We’re looking at athletics, too, where they can make cutbacks. It’s going to be slim.”
In other employee news, the board noted the retirement of community relations director Celester Hall and junior high teacher Barbara Scott. Trustees asked Hall about her reasons for retiring, but she had no comment during the meeting.
Trustees accepted resignations from Eva Gordon teacher Angela Jones, seventh- and eighth-grade boys basketball coach Robert Tolbert, assistant tennis coach Jobina Corbett, Magnolia Elementary teacher Kody Tullos and bus driver J.P. Smith.
Hired as student peer tutors at the high school were Jasmine Thompson, Ashley Lowery, James Richter, Carter Lowery and DeJuana Richard.
In addition, Gunnell noted that the Mississippi Department of Education has approved the request from South Pike to use School Improvement funds to continue the employment of two teacher assistants at the high school for the remainder of the year.
In good news, the district announced the receipt of three donations totaling $3,530 — the largest, a gift of $2,500 from Sanderson Farms for the district’s Eagle Scholars Program.
The Eagle Scholars program is for students who are ahead of the class and ready for advanced placement in school. Beginning in the eighth grade, students leave the junior high for a scheduled block of high school classes. This year classes were in algebra, Spanish, Mississippi studies and world geography, as well as the OdysseyWare online class.
This summer, nine South Pike High School senior Eagle Scholars attended Southwest Mississippi Community College to earn credit in courses including college algebra, English Composition I and II, western civilization, speech and introduction to computers. Fifteen of 22 eligible students have indicated they’ll take part in the program.
Also noted was a $1,000 gift from Walmart to help fund a trip by the Future Educators of America to Washington, D.C., in June.
And McComb Market donated $30 to Magnolia Elementary School through its supermarket operations program.
