Superintendent Billy Joe Ferguson addressed a packed house with standing room only at the J.Z. George High School Band Hall. He addressed test scores, told the district’s projected accountability score and addressed the district’s possible probation.
Ferguson said with everything that went on during 2018-2019 school year, he’s pleased with the overall effort given by students on their state tests. He said there is room for improvement, but with the uncertainty of the district’s leadership during the Spring semester, he was proud that students still preservered through it.
“We’re projected to be D schools and a D district. So, I am pleased. I’m not satisfied with a D, but it could be worse. We could be an F,” he said. “There were things that happened in our district that had a negative impact on our teachers and our students, but they worked hard and I’m proud of them for that.”
He also addressed the Mississippi Department of Education’s audit and its recommendation that the Carroll County Schools be placed on probation. Last week, the Mississippi Department of Education sent local media outlets a 31-page audit which stated it found Carroll County School District in violation of more than a dozen state regulations.
The letter states the findings were based on data collected during an on-site evaluation that included: interviews with district staff, observations of board meetings, analysis of official documentation on file in the district, and analysis of official reports submitted to the MDE.
The audit, which was hand delivered to Superintendent Billy Joe Ferguson and Board President Kenneth DeLoach, also stated that “the school board failed to serve as the basis of operation for the Carroll County School District…to effectively perform its duties in its role of oversight of management for the District as prescibed by law….failed to ensure that it provided proper governance and leadership to the District.”
“I know everyone saw the paper. I can’t say much, but I can say this, some of the things that were in the audit were not factual and some of those things were factual, and we have to correct them,” he said. “I’m praying that we’re not placed on probation because I don’t want that to happen to our kids.”
The board has until September 27 to address the findings and will have a hearing on October 3. It is during the hearing the recommendation to place Carroll County on probation will be made.
Also at Thursday’s school board meeting, Principals Khalilah Tate and Coretta Green honored their students and teachers of the month for August.
“Not many know, but we used to do this a few years back,” Green said. “I spoke with Mr. Ferguson, and I wanted to bring it back because I feel like the students need to see more positivity.”
Green said at J.Z. George there’s a parade for students and teachers of the month, and the J.Z. George drumline leads the recipents through the halls, with fellow students and teachers cheering them on.
She said an award ceremony will happen every month at the meeting of the school board.
Three members of the board were present, Kenneth DeLoach, Stella Washington-Bell and John Phillips and posed for photographs with the recipents. Donnie Wiltshire and William Downs were not present at Thursday night’s meeting.
The Carroll County School Board also:
Approved a facilties request from the Tri-County Falcons to hold their little league games at the J.Z. George High School.
When asked how he felt about it, Coach Ben Burton said the only thing he’s asking is that all paper is picked up. Falcons Coach Fred Evans said he wasn’t aware there was trash still left, but it’s something that won’t happen again. He told board members that some of the guys playing for Burton now started with him.
“In the next three years, J.Z. George is going to have a real good team,” Evans said.
• Approved a donation from John Phillips in the amount of $1,000 for J.Z. George band and cheerleaders and a donation of $1,000 -- $500 for each school -- from Bank of Commerce for student incentitives.
• Approved the hire of a teacher’s assistant for the high school and a IT person for the district.
•Approved for Board Attorney Lori M. Bell to speak with Superintendent Billy Joe Ferguson about getting a sound system for board meetings so the audience can better hear the business of the board.
• Approved an agreement with Mill Creek, Pontotoc Collaborative.
• Dr. Wendy Hubbard said the district has three students who attend Mill Creek in Kosciusko, which services students with special needs, and the facility better serves those students. She said the district pays for the students tuition and a bus will transport the students to and from the facility.
• Approved overtime for August and pre-approved overtime for September.
• Approved to set the rate of mileage from .54 to .58.
