The Greenwood Public School Board unanimously re-elected Deirdre Mayes as president and Samantha Milton as secretary of the board at Thursday’s meeting.
Board member Randy Clark was absent due to illness.
Mayes, who has served as president for two terms, took the re-election in stride.
“Once again,” she said, “I want you to know this will be my last year.”
Following special recognition of employees, students and parents of the month, the board approved the purchase of two new 71-passenger school buses in an attempt to begin replacing its aging
fleet.
Superintendent Jennifer Wilson told the board that Waters International Truck and Tractor of Kosciusko, a Mississippi Department of Education-approved vendor, would be the point of sale.
The buses cost $81,800 each for a total cost of $163,600.
Board members asked Wilson for more in-depth information regarding bus routes and the existing fleet of buses, including the amount of money spent on repairs since the beginning of the fiscal year and the state of repair of all buses in the fleet.
Wilson said she would gather and provide that information, and she indicated her goal is to replace buses gradually, when the money is available.
Wilson said the district can afford purchasing buses in this gradual manner and needs to maintain enough cash on hand to complete roof jobs this year on two school buildings to meet state standards.
The board also approved advertising competitive sealed bids for technology equipment. The bids will be for electronic smart boards used as teaching tools in most Greenwood public school classrooms.
Wilson said the purchase of 10 boards, which the bid calls for, won’t supply all classrooms with the equipment but will bring the total of classrooms outfitted up to about 75 percent.
The purchase will be made with a combination of different types of federal funds.
In executive session, the board evaluated Wilson’s performance, and no action was taken.
In other school business:
nThe board approved policy revisions, including a section of the student dress code that will allow the superintendent to designate School Spirit Days. For these, the superintendent may suggest special attire or temporarily suspend the dress code as a reward or special occasion for students.
nThe board approved a memorandum of understanding between the district and Mississippi Behavioral Health Services for students enrolled in MBHS programs. The memorandum includes counseling and behavioral health services at home and at school.
nThe board approved the receipt of a $50,000 donation from Alliance Health Services of Delaware to the district’s Early Learning Collaborative, dedicated to pre-kindergarten education. Wilson said half the gift will go to the pre-K classes at Gilliam Head Start and half to Threadgill Primary pre-K to create Kidseums or hands-on learning centers at those campuses.
The donation represents a $1 to $1 tax credit for Alliance Health or any other individual, foundation or corporation that makes donations to the Early Learning Collaborative.
•Contact Kathryn Eastburn at 581-7235 or keastburn@gwcommonwealth.com.
