A group of citizens attended South Pike’s most recent board meeting to urge Superintendent Dr. Donna Scott to return to the district for another year.
The Rev. Gary Brumfield, speaking for the group, told Scott they were “saddened by your decision to resign. You have done a remarkable job.
“We have heard the administrators here talk about the improvements and accomplishments their schools have made, and this is due to your leadership. We are grateful for the last three years.”
Scott informed school board members in December that she intended to resign at the end of the school year, June 30.
Brumfield urged board members to rescind their acceptance of Scott’s resignation if she would agree to return for another year.
“We had hoped that we could break the cycle of having to interview a new superintendent every three years,” Brumfield said.
He asked board members to allow a small number of community members to at least observe interviews with prospective candidates if Scott won’t reconsider.
Neither Scott nor board members responded to Brumfield’s requests, other than to thank him for his remarks.
In other business, the board:
• Approved the calendar for the next school year.
• Approved summer school programs at all campuses, 8 a.m. to noon June 6-23, with breakfast and lunch served and transportation provided to participating students.
• Accepted bids of $10.27 per ton for pine pulpwood, $20 per ton for both chip-and-saw and pine saw timber and $3 per ton for hardwood pulpwood. Bradley Reid Inc. of Tylertown submitted the only bids for two tracts of 16th Section land.
• Voted to advertise for bids on hunting and fishing leases on four tracts of 16th Section land.
• Contracted with Verifent to verify employment with the district.
• Approved administrative leave with pay for March 22 and March 30, when the district closed due to severe weather threats.
• Approved the student handbook, business officer manual and policy revisions.
• Approved fundraisers for the high school to sell chicken strips and Eva Gordon sixth-graders to hold a basketball game. Both fundraisers will fund trips.
• Accepted two drums donated to the high school band by Mike Hemphill.
• Approved out-of-state travel for Eva Gordon sixth-graders to New Orleans and the Eva Gordon Beta Club to go to the national convention in Nashville, Tenn
• Approved the transfer of two students to North Pike whose parents work there, and another transfer to North Pike for special circumstances.
• Accepted a transfer student from Amite County for special circumstances.
