TYLERTOWN — The Walthall County School Board may revisit its stance on “hoodies” in the district handbook for next year.
The district had banned hooded coats and sweaters until the past school year, but then added a rule allowing them for kindergarten through sixth-grade students while maintaining the ban for seventh through 12-grade students.
“We did have no tolerance for hoodies, but they crept in again,” Superintendent Wade Carney said.
He said that tended to cause more problems at Salem Attendance Center than any other campus, because all the students, K-12, are on the same campus.
“It’s hard to police,” said board member Linda Metz, herself a former teacher. “It’s just one more battle to fight. It sounds frivolous till you’re in the classroom and have to deal with it.”
Carney said the hoods can cause problems when worn because they can conceal headphones, cell phones or other prohibited devices. They can also make identification of students or adults caught on security cameras difficult.
“I would just try to go with what the principals want,” Metz said.
“I really don’t have a preference, but whatever we decide, we need to enforce,” board member Bobbie Lewis said.
Carney said the district’s handbook committee would continue to examine the issue, and parents are welcome to submit comments.
In other business, the board:
• Agreed to lease six acres of 16th Section land to Scott Barnham.
• Heard a request from Jessica Rodrigue to allow her children to transfer to North Pike.
• Accepted the resignations of Julie Guy and Zelantra Williams from Tylertown High School, Evelyn Kleinke-Prine from Tylertown Primary School, Kerry Sorrell from Dexter Elementary School and Marilyn Watts from a districtwide position.
• Hired Esslinger Cooper and Willestein Weary at Tylertown High and Rachael Thomas at Dexter.
• Rehired Lani Jackson at the Walthall County Career and Technology Center and Benjamin McKenzie at Tylertown High.
• Considered renewing the code of conduct for board members.
• Heard a report from Carney that the district needs to fill eight or nine positions districtwide for the next school year.
• Were reminded that the district has not raised non-certified employees’ pay in many years.
• Set the district’s budget hearing for June 15, with adoption schedule on June 29.
Carney’s report also included:
• Passing rates on the third-grade gate test reached 91 percent at Tylertown Elementary School, 98 percent at Salem and 100 percent at Dexter.
• Tylertown Primary School’s kindergarten classes had some of the highest growth and performance levels in the state, prompting state officials to visit and observe in classrooms.
• County GED and pre-GED classes had four students in May.
• Enrollment stood at 1,838 in May, and attendance averaged 94.8 percent.
• Discipline referrals for April included 99 at Tylertown High, 31 at Salem, nine at Tylertown Elementary, and zero each at Tylertown Primary and Dexter.
