Dr. Ilean Richards, conservator of the Leflore County School District, is looking forward to the start of the new school year.
“I can hardly wait,” she said. “I’m excited about the plans we have in place. I’m excited about the enthusiasm of the staff members. It’s about a team here.”
Teachers report to their schools Aug. 3. The first day of classes for students is Aug. 8.
There have been a few changes in the lineup of principals.
nEdmond Williams will be the principal at Amanda Elzy High School. Previously, Williams served as principal at East Elementary School.
nAiyetoro Roy, who had been principal at Claudine Brown Elementary School, will take over at East.
nCassandra Hart, a former assistant principal at Greenwood High School, will be principal of Leflore County High. Hart is an alumnus of that school.
nAnita Ware will be the principal of Leflore County Elementary School. Previously, she had served as director of the Leflore County Alternative School in Itta Bena.
nDr. Karina Peterson, formerly the district’s secondary curriculum coordinator, will become the director of the Alternative School.
Richards said she hopes to have all staff positions filled by the time the schools open.
In the past, many of the district’s teachers operated on one-year emergency certificates. Now the district is working on a special three-year non-renewal.
The district is working with Mississippi Valley State University and Belhaven College, where teachers will take the coursework. “At the end of that time, they will be eligible for a five-year certificate,” Richards said.
She said curriculum changes are also in store.
“We’re going to do some experimentation in science with what we call ‘Z Labs,’ which is virtual technology for science experiments,” Richards said.
The program — which will start first at Leflore County High — is revolutionary and uses virtual reality equipment as a major component. “That way, they can dissect a frog virtually and not have to handle a real frog,” she said.
Richards said that although technology is important the district will focus primarily on core subjects. “Reading is going to be our primary focus. I’ve been doing workshops this summer on that,” she said.
Even in such courses as mathematics, some reading is required, Richards said. Writing will be emphasized, too.
Richards said the district wants to be able to chart the progress of each student.
“We want to make sure what we do is solid and that we are really engaging students to the point where we can see the achievement taking place,” he said.
Richards also said this year the marching bands of Amanda Elzy High School and Leflore County High School will become more visible than in years past, when they were more or less music programs that performed a few concerts. The bands will be ready for football season, she said.
Not much new is being introduced in the district this year, she said; rather, teachers will focus on “making sure what we do is solid and that we are really engaging students to the point where we can see achievement taking place.”
Richards said that teachers will also will be teaching from “bell to bell,” and regular testing will help ensure that students are learning what is required for their grade levels.
Another goal is to make each school in the district clean and inviting. That work has included work on ceilings, walkways and restrooms.
Major renovation work at Leflore County High School’s cafeteria and auditorium have already been completed as have renovations to Amanda Elzy High School’s library, Richards said.
Fall enrollment will be from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 3-4 and from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Aug. 5 at the district’s central office at 1901 U.S. 82 West.
•Contact Bob Darden at 581-7239 or bdarden@gwcommonwealth.com.
