Dr. Moran Is ‘A Fresh Set Of Eyes’ For School District

Dr. Deborah Moran, newly appointed Superintendent of the Water Valley School District, shares a laugh with retiring Superintendent Sammy Higdon during Monday’s School Board meeting. Higdon had joked, “She’s got my cell number, but I’m not answering.”

Dr. Moran sat at the south end of the table with retiring Superintendent Sammy Higdon. They had met for several hours earlier in the day.

By Jack Gurner
Reporter

WATER VALLEY – Dr. Deborah Moran, newly appointed Superintendent of the Water Valley School District, was on hand for her first School Board meeting Monday.

Moran was visiting Water Valley with her two daughters, Haleigh Cuevas, a school principal, and Lisa Moran, a fourth grade teacher. They had been looking for a place for the new superintendent to live.

Although Moran doesn’t assume official duties until July 1, she sat at the south end of the table with retiring Superintendent Sammy Higdon. They had met for several hours earlier in the day.

“The District needs a fresh set of eyes, Higdon said. “You’ve had mine for 25 years and they are a little tired. I need to go somewhere else and be a fresh set of eyes.”

Higdon said the District would be in very good hands with Dr. Moran. “I think the District will fare well with her and continue to move forward. There is no doubt in my mind about that.”

“She’s got my cell number, but I’m not answering,” Higdon joked.

Higdon said that his last official duty would be at the Mississippi Association of Superintendents conference this summer as a member of the board of directors. He planned to have Moran register so he could introduce her to other area superintendents with whom she would be networking.

Among other actions at the June 7 meeting, the School Board:

• Voted for the acceptance of assurances for the fiscal year 2011 consolidated federal programs application (CFPA).

Federal Programs Coordinator Trey Allman said that the district had been told to budget 90 percent of last year’s federal funds allocation, which is about $90,000 less than received last year.

Before the vote, he explained that the document to be approved “simply states we are going to follow federal guidelines and procedures when spending these funds as we have in the past.”

• Approved a cooperative agreement with the Water Valley Housing Authority that provides summer activities for low-income youngsters.

• Agreed to participate in the Mississippi Race to the Top program.

“Actually we don’t know exactly what this is,” Higdon said. He added that it does mean more federal funds and it would hopefully provide money for some needed projects.

• Approved Mechanics Bank as the School District’s depository at 1.02 percent annual percentage yield.

The vote provided some drama when Board President Lamar Burgess called for a second and no one responded. Board members Dr. Steve Edwards and Taylor Trusty had removed themselves from the discussion and vote.

Since Casey Washington had made the motion, that only left Pierce Epes who finally made the second.

“You guys made me sweat a little bit,” Burgess commented after the vote.

“What did you think we were going to do, make you bury it in the backyard?” Epes responded, which drew laughter from the Board members.

“Not me,” Burgess said, “There are too many little skeletons back there.”

• Disposed of a computer tower.

• Renewed property and liability insurance at a cost of $59,796.

The same coverage was $61,737 last year said District Business Manager Randy Goodwin. “It has gone down every year”

When asked why, he speculated that the lower cost was because of depreciation.

Goodwin added that “property terrorism” coverage was also available as a $796 option.

“Anybody want the terrorism?” Burgess asked.

After a brief discussion, board members decided it wasn’t needed.

• Discussed the dates and times of the upcoming public hearing and board meeting.

The public hearing for the 2011 budget is scheduled for June 21 at 5:30 p.m. at the Administration Building. The next regular Board meeting will be held on Friday, June 25, at noon.

• Entered executive session at 7 p.m. to discuss personnel recommendations and to meet with a parent after 29 minutes in open session.