School Ratings Indicate Big Improvement

By David Howell

Editor

WATER VALLEY – The news that the Water Valley School District was rated a “C” district for the 2014-15 school year was celebrated during Monday night’s school board meeting when Superintendent Dr. Michael McInnis reported that both the elementary and high school moved from a “D” school to a “C” school.

Sharing results released by the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) last week, McInnis said the news will be a big boost for both the district and community.

  “My congratulations goes to the administration, students and teachers that made this possible,” he said, explaining the rating comes from former superintendent Kim Chrestman’s last year with the district. 

McInnis also credited Chrestman for making big improvements in the district, including boosting the technological infrastructure for the students. 

“He started a lot of programs that I am simply expanding upon,” he added.

Both McInnis and Assistant Superintendent Sharon Lipsey reviewed the results with trustees during Monday’s meeting. 

“To me, one of the saddest things about it is that it has taken to get this that the people who were part of it, a lot of them, are gone,” Board President Taylor Trusty added at the end of the presentation, adding that he wanted to extend a thank-you through the press.

Also briefly discussed was the accountability ratings for the 2015-16 school year, which McInnis said could be released as soon as September.  McInnis said he learned at the Mississippi Association of Superinten-dents (MAS) conference last week that many school districts in the state could experience a drop in their 2015-16 ratings, depending on the guidelines established by MDE for the score levels.

The MDE data also showed that the Coffeeville School District was rated a “C” district for the 2014-15 school year after the elementary school remained a “C” school and the high school jumped from a “D” school to a “C” school. 

Other business discussed at the meeting included:

• Approved the claims docket. Business manager Randy Goodwin outlined several hefty expenditures included the $89,807 insurance premium for the year and the purchase of a school bus that will be used to transport kids entering the new pre-K program at Davidson Elementary School. Good-win also said transportation director Craig King had successfully bid on two used, diesel lawnmowers from the University of Mississippi at a cost of $6,000.

• Goodwin reported cash on hand in the district maintenance $1,148,145.26 as of June 30, 2016, which is the end of the fiscal year.

• Approved the minutes of three prior board meetings including an emergency hire for a band director on July 2.

• Adopted the FY2017 budget in a separate meeting held consecutively with the regular meeting according to state law. The $9.96 million budget had been previously discussed during a public hearing and was adopted without further comment.

• Approved the release of six students to attend school in neighboring Lafayette County. Board president Taylor Trusty first explained the district’s policy prohibits the release of students unless required by law or in case of a medical necessity.

“In this case we are required to by law, because these students have parents that are working in another (school) district,” Taylor explained.