Martin, Gordon Earn Recognition As Parents Of The Year
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Water Valley School District Superintendent Drew Pitcock (left) and Dr. Vickie Person (center) presented the Water Valley High School Parent of the Year Award to Glenda Gordon.
WATER VALLEY – The Water Valley School District recognized outstanding parents who provide support with parent of the year awards at the Water Valley High School and Davidson Elementary School (DES). The recognition came during Monday night’s school board meeting.
“It is important to recognize not only members of the community but our parents who do so much for us,” said Water Valley School District Superintendent Drew Pitcock.
The superintendent also admitted making the selections put his principals in a tough situation.
“There were dozens of parents that we could have recognized tonight,” Pitcock said. “I would like to probably start doing this on a more frequent basis, maybe a quarterly parent recognition.”
Frances Ann Martin received the 2023-2024 DES Parent of the Year Award.
“Mrs. Martin has worked tirelessly this school year to help us in countless ways,” Water Valley High School Principal Dr. Vickie Person shared during the presentation. “From extensively decorating the school for every holiday and teacher appreciation week to going out and collecting donation for May Day and other school celebrations, Mrs. Martin can always be counted on to get the job done.”
Dr. Person also provided a brief bio on Martin, explaining that she moved to Water Valley with her husband, Daniel Martin in 2008.
“She has called Water Valley home ever since,” Dr. Person said.
“She loves being a mother and enjoys baking cakes in her free time,” Dr. Person added. “She says her motivation for helping out so much at DES is simple: She wants her children and all the other children at Davidson Elementary School to feel like it’s an extension of their home.”
Glenda Gordon received the 2023-2024 Water Valley High School Parent of the Year Award.
Dr. Person first noted that Gordon was lured to the meeting with an explanation that her niece was receiving an award.
“I had to trick her to get her here, I wanted it to be a surprise,” Dr. Person explained. “WVHS is pleased to announce and present this year’s award to the Glenda (GG) Gordon.”
Dr. Person shared that GG never hesitates when school officials ask for help.
“In her famous words, ‘You bet’ is always her answer. Just this month I called her to help me organize things for teacher and staff appreciation.
GG went to work getting prizes, sponsors for food and beverages. She came out and helped decorate for the week as well,” Dr. Person added.
Gordon is a Water Valley High School graduate and owns a business, GG’s Flowers and Gifts.
“GG’s business is much more than a business. It’s a place to go and talk, a place of comfort, and place to always be greeted with a smile,” Dr. Person added. “GG has gone through some storms of life of her own, but despite her difficult times she continued to lift others, remain position, keep her faith and fight through it. She is the true definition of service and love before self.”
Other activity during Monday’s meeting included:
• Pitcock reported the Mississippi Department of Education has released the results from the third-grade reading assessment given this spring for the 2023-2024 school year. Commonly called the Reading Gate test, Pitcock said 73 percent of third graders passed the test.
“We are up nine percentage points from last year, which was 64 percent. In 2022, it was 54 percent. Within a short period of time the elementary school has made some really good strides. The state average is 75 percent, so we are creeping up on that,” Pitcock said.
The superintendent credited the effort from the teachers, students and administrators at DES for the improvement.
“I expect it to be much higher next year.”
• Awarded the bid for the school’s depository for the next year to FNB. BankFirst bid 5.5 percent interest for banking the school’s money and FNB bid 5.66 percent. The bid is awarded to the bank committing to pay the highest interest rate.
• School business manager Randy Goodwin reported transportation director Craig King is searching for several used school buses. Goodwin reported the used bus market is tight right now, as some school districts across the state replaced used buses with new electric buses that have been problematic.
“Not just Mississippi, but districts across the state have realized they made a bad mistake and are trying to get back to their diesel buses,” Goodwin explained. “Calhoun County got 25 (electric) buses and they got finally the first five on the route the last week of school.”
Goodwin said a new school bus cost around $125,000.
Water Valley School District Superintendent Drew Pitcock (left) and Dr. Vickie Person (center) presented the Davidson Elementary School Parent of the Year Award to Frances Martin.
