The Jefferson Davis County School Board met at the Academic Success Center in Carson Monday night for its May meeting. President Shonda Ard Burre and Nadine Thompson were present. Von Norwood, Terri Stamps and Bobby Wilson participated through teleconference.

After a moment of silence and Pledge of Allegiance, the board adopted the agenda.

Last week teacher appreciation week. Superintendent Ike Haynes recognized all teachers in the Jefferson Davis County School District as part of Teacher Appreciation Week held last week. “We have some dynamic educators in our school system, and we are pleased to have most of them under contract with the new teacher pay raise attached to it,” said Haynes.

JaKyria Booth was approved to have an Initiative Summer Program and work back on campus this summer. She will give kids some insight into the world outside of Jefferson Davis County. “Booth will be working with this initiative under mine and the principal’s guidance to make sure everything goes well,” said Haynes.

Next on the agenda was approval of the transfer of funds from 16^th section interest fund to district maintenance fund to cover the startup cost of a new Jag store. Superintendent Haynes’ vision for the JDCH community and all the Jags is to have a site on campus where community members and students can buy items to show support and pride in JDC. “At the same time, we can turn a profit on behalf of the kids,” Haynes said. The store will be located at Jefferson Davis County High School. Students that attend the Career and Technical Center pursuing a degree in business will run the store under the supervision of an employee at the high school. Haynes intends on working with Pearl River Community College to buy heat presses, printers and other materials to “cut out the middle man.”

“I’m not hired by the board to make everyone happy. I am hired by the board to do what’s best for the children. And it’s not best for the children that people are making money off our Jaguar likenesses without giving back to the kids.”  Once the store is up and running, Haynes says people in the community that are monograming and printing Jaguar merchandise will receive a cease and desist order.

“The money spent in the Jag store will have a direct benefit to the girls and boys in the Jefferson Davis County School District. Our hope is to have a first-class store with fixtures, mannequins and the whole community will be proud of our store.” The board approved the transfer of funds for the new Jag store.

JDC Middle School Principal Dr. Crystal Haynes gave an update on the new middle school in Prentiss. The motto of the new middle school will be Molding Minds into Masterpieces. Haynes reported the projected student body is of the school will be 280 students. There are three teacher vacancies currently at the school: music, inclusion and IST coordinator. Registration for the school will be May 31 through June7

Athletics will be offered at the middle school including football, basketball and track. According to Haynes tryouts have already been held and rosters complete for all teams. “I’m excited about the students having everything they need for athletics,” said Haynes. Communication is very important to Haynes and she announced that the school will be social media platforms including Facebook Instagram and Twitter. Those pages will be live on May 11.  The school will hold its first parent information session on June 16 at 5 p.m. “I can’t do this by myself. It is very important for all of our stakeholders to come together and help plan so that you can tell me what you want to see at the middle school,” said Haynes. She solicits all parents and guardians to come to the meeting to discuss clubs, activities, groups and athletics. “Jefferson Davis County Middle School is going to be dynamic and exceed expectations. I am excited to be in Prentiss with both communities that I love coming together,” she added.

Another new addition to the Jefferson Davis County School System is Freshman Academy. This academy will be imposed at Jefferson Davis County High School for the ninth-grade students. Freshman Academy will take the POD approach limiting the students exposure to other classes. “We don’t want to just drop them into a high school setting,” said Jefferson Davis County High School Principal Robert Young.The JDCHS Freshman Academy is designed to reduce ninth grade retention rates and increase ninth grade attendance, as well as better address young adult needs. A “school-within-a-school” concept to help make their transition to high school easier and encourage life-long learning by maximizing student potential through a variety of educational and social opportunities.

Freshmen will wear white collar shirts only to promote comradery and make the students easily identifiable. They will be allowed to wear spirit shirts on Friday. Primary focuses of the academy will be attendance behavior and credit attainment.

JDC student Kimaya Booth was presented an ACT sponsorship by A.B. Elegant Designs and Armistad Law Firm.

 

In other board news, the board approved the following without opposition before the meeting was adjourned:

• Approved financial update and statements.
• Approved revised FY 23 salary guide.
• Approved Jaguar Way emblem.
• Adopted Consent Agenda
• Approved to apply for the Preventing School Violence: BJA’s STOP School Violence Program FY 2022 Grant.
• Approved Memorandum of Understanding for dual enrollment with William Carey University.
• Approved Academic Dual Enrollment-Dual Credit Memorandum of Understanding with Alcorn State University.
• Approved of proposed change order #18, #19 for CES.
• Approved proposal from Genesis Investments for technology mentoring.
• Approved purchase driver education vehicle.
• Approved of student transfer exceptions.
• Approved superintendent’s action-Personnel hire.
• Approved personnel resignations: Curtis Mikell, LaShonda Myers and Michael Turner.
• Approved personnel recommendations: new hires, renewal professional, employee status change and substitute list.
• Approved request to rescind resignation 23.
• Approved claims.