www.msbaonline.org A Publication of the Mississippi School Boards Association Volume 43, No. 3 November/December 2014 43rd Annual Conference Schedule: February 23, 2015 Early Bird Leadership Seminar: 2:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. Jackson Hilton Hotel 3 Hours of CEU Credit available COST for Early Bird: $105.00* February 24-25, 2015 Annual Conference: Begins at 8:30 a.m. Jackson Hilton Hotel 6 Hours of CEU Credit available on February 24 3 Hours of CEU Credit available on February 25 COST for February 24-25: $225.00* *Higher fees for non-member participants February 15-21, 2015 Check MSBA s website and MSBA App for celebration information. Connect with MSBA at www.msbaonline.org https:// www.facebook.com/msbaonline https://twitter.com/ MSBAonline. Take your school district to the next level: LEARN, LEAD, SUCCEED Dr. Washington Byrne Beard Dr. Lee Keith Join school board members and educators from across the state at the MSBA Annual Conference on Feb. 23-25 to learn about strategies to improve your district. This year s theme, Learn, Lead, Succeed, sets the bar high for achievement. Topics range from success for high poverty children, to standing up for public education. The Conference kicks off with an Early Bird Session where board members will get an update on the 3rd grade reading gate. Is your school district ready? The update is followed by a mock school board meeting. Keeping up the momentum, the First General Session highlights Dr. Julie Washington, professor at Georgia State University. In this session, Dr. Washington shares with board members her research which proves that students in high poverty can succeed. Dr. Washington will also offer how to information and ideas to boards and superintendents. At the Second General Session, Board members will hear from the National School Board s Association (NSBA) President, Anne Byrne, and NSBA Secretary and Past President of MSBA, Miranda Beard. What is going on at the National level and how does this affect state boards? Find out! Do you think the board s behavior doesn t impact the academic success of a system? If your answer is no, think again. Listen as University of Southern Mississippi Associate Professor Dr. David E. Lee, reveals how negative board behavior destroys the infrastructure of a school system, and how outstanding school systems eliminates negative behaviors thus enabling their school systems to achieve amazing results. In the Third General Session, Jim Keith, partner with Adams and Reese law firm, will deliver the latest on the proposed Constitutional Amendment, the MAEP lawsuit, as well as other front burner legal issues facing school boards and superintendents. You do not want to miss this! Register online at MSBA s website, www.msbaonline.org. Inside 18 Grassroots Network to aid in educationlegislative issues in 2015 17 Attorney General s Opinions and Ethics Questions 12 Photos from the November presentations in the MSBA Lighthouse School Leader Awards program begin on page 12 and continue through page 16 8 Individual boards and board members who will be recognized in the MSBA Center for Board Development s Honors Program for the 2013-14 school year are listed on pages 8-11 7 Read how the Laurel School District has opened communication with their community. -Also, fi nd out which MS schools were named Blue Ribbon Schools 6 Board Member of the Year announced 5Fall 2014 Kindergarten Assessment results shows children are unprepared for school 4Photos of the newly elected MSBA board members
2 MSBA Update November-December 2014
UPDATE The Update is published quarterly as a resource for school board members and administrators throughout Mississippi. Comments and suggestions are welcomed. Michael W. Waldrop, Ph.D. Executive Director mwaldrop@msbaonline.org Denotris Jackson Assistant Executive Director djackson@msbaonline.org Mamie Lilley Manager of Events and Training mlilley@msbaonline.org Darla J. Warren Business Manager djwarren@msbaonline.org Elizabeth Shipp Communications Manager eshipp@msbaonline.org Anissa Young, CSRM Insurance Program Manager ayoung@msbaonline.org Paul Chamblee Manager of Governmental Relations pchamblee@msbaonline.org Jeffery Massey Information Technology Manager jmassey@msbaonline.org Alexis Cole Coordinator of Social Media and Marketing acole@msbaonline.org with Attorney Jim Keith How familiar are you with personnel issues? L egal Hot Topics with Attorney Jim Keith continues to be a popular annual series for school leaders, providing up-to-date legal expertise and insight about the top issues affecting Mississippi educa- tion. Student discipline, personnel issues, and Who Should Attend? employment / federal labor laws are among the areas addressed in the series featuring Jim and Board Members his staff at Adams and Reese, LLP. Superintendents During the next seminar, Keith will discuss Attorneys termination notices, employee contracts, and Principals revocation/suspension of teacher and administrator licenses for sexual misconduct. Keith Central Office Assistant Principals will help you better understand the Education Employment Procedures Administrators Law. Register online at MSBA s website, www. msbaonline.org. Legal Hot Topics Cole to Speak at 2015 NSBA Conference Alexis Cole, MSBA Marketing and Social Media Coordinator, will be among the presenters at the 75th NSBA Annual Conference. Cole will speak on Social Media Policy & Practice ; she will discuss best practices and offer policy suggestions for social media. The conference will be held March 21-23, 2015 in Nashville. Christie Milton Policy Support Specialist cmilton@msbaonline.org Chris Strickland Risk Management Specialist cstrickland@msbaonline.org April Mills Executive Assistant amills@msbaonline.org Stephanie Wells Finance Assistant swells@msbaonline.org John T. Mandeville Business Development / Marketing 225-953-1124 / jmandy@cox.net Jim Keith, J.D. General Counsel E. Harold Fisher, Ph.D. Superintendent Search Consultant Mississippi School Boards Association 489 Springridge Road P. O. Box 203 Clinton, MS 39060 (601) 924-2001 Fax: (601) 924-2003 Toll Free: (888) 367-6722 MISSION The mission of the Mississippi School Boards Association is to ensure quality school board performance through advocacy, technical assistance, leadership training, and information dissemination. www.msbaonline.org CORE VALUES At MSBA, we are: Honest Promise Keepers Membership Service Focused Seekers of Perfection CREDITS: Some items in this issue may have come from resources outside MSBA s organization. MSBA uses news items from the National School Boards Association, or those submitted by school districts. MSBA Update November-December 2014 3
New MSBA officers, directors elected Taplin North Pike School District school board member Etta Taplin was elected president of the Mississippi School Boards Association (MSBA) for the 2014-15 school year Tuesday, November 11th by the MSBA Delegates Assembly. The Delegates Assembly, a group representing school board members from across Mississippi, also elected Pearl Public School board president Sondra Odom as MSBA vice president, and South Tippah School board member David Duncan as MSBA secretary-treasurer. South Panola board member Lygunnah Bean will remain on the board as MSBA past president. I feel my calling is to serve, and I am privileged to be named the MSBA president, said Etta Taplin. I want to serve the boards and the children of the state of Mississippi well. Our end should be successful students receiving a successful public education from successful school districts. Also during the Delegates Assembly, newly named President Taplin appointed four directors to serve one year terms. These were: Glenda Barrett, Newton County Schools; Eldredge Boyd, Walthall County Schools; Jamelda Fulton, Western Line Consolidated Schools; and Samuel Hall, South Pike Consolidated Schools. In addition to the presidential appointees, three other leaders in education were appointed as directors of the board. Jan J. Vaughn, Greenville Public Schools board member and a licensed social worker and masters level counselor; Clifton R. Magee, Moss Point Schools board member and control system analyst; and Leroy Matthews, Quitman County Schools board president and retired school district superintendent. All will serve two year terms. Odom Brand Matthews Vaughn Young Bryan Duncan Nash Bean Presidential Appointees Barrett Boyd Robbins Fulton Dawkins-Beal Magee Ponder Norwood Hall 4 MSBA Update November-December 2014
Statewide Kindergarten Assessment Reveals Majority of Students Enter School Unprepared The results of Mississippi s first statewide assessment of kindergarten readiness reveal that two-thirds of the state s youngest learners enter school unprepared to learn. More than 40,000 kindergartners from 144 districts throughout the state took the STAR Early Literacy exam during the first month of the 2014-15 school year. More than 65% of students scored below the 530 benchmark score that indicates a student has mastered at least 70% of early reading skills. The state average score was 501. If there is evidence as compelling as it could possibly be for the need for early childhood programming, it s the results of this kindergarten assessment, said Dr. Carey Wright, State Superintendent of Education. The assessment evaluated skills such as the ability to recognize letters and match letters to their sounds and a student s recognition that print flows from left to right. The exam produced reports for parents and teachers that detail each child s early reading skills. Teacher reports also include diagnostic information and instructional plans for every student. Research from a four-year study shows that 84% of students at the beginning of kindergarten with a score of 530 or above on the STAR Early Literacy exam are on track to become proficient readers by the end of third grade. Data from this year s kindergarten readiness assessment will help identify schoolreadiness levels around the state. The results also support the Mississippi Department of Education s effort to increase access to high-quality early childhood education. Source: Mississippi Department of Education Kindergarten Readiness Assessment Fall 2014 Results K Readiness Benchmark Score K Readiness State Scale Score Average Kindergarten Students Scoring 530 and Above Kindergarten Students Scoring Below 530 530 501 13,994 Students 26,461 Students MSBA Update November-December 2014 5
26 Year Board Member Awarded for Efforts Made in Education Western Line School District Board Member Clarence Hall, Jr. has received the Mississippi School Boards Association s (MSBA) coveted School Board Member of the Year Award for 2014, in recognition of his distinguished leadership as a school board member. The award honors a current school board member who demonstrates outstanding leadership by effective efforts in: Advocating for children Increasing student achievement Understanding school board governance, and, Involving the community in children s education Hall, a 26 year board member for the Western Line School District, was selected by the MSBA Board Member of the Year Selection Committee, comprised of current and/ or past school board presidents from each of Mississippi s Clarence Hall Jr, with his family Congressional Districts. Community and colleague letters of support indicated that Hall has been instrumental in the lives of others, including his own family members, by encouraging them to pursue not only high school diplomas but college diplomas as well. He has been a member of the district s Board of Trustees since January 1988, and has served as Board President since 2004. Currently Mr. Hall presides over a school board that has seen dramatic improvement in student achievements in the last few years, said Western Line School District Superintendent Larry Green. Mr. Hall has been the driving force in the overall pursuit of excellence for our schools and the students throughout the district. In recommending Hall for recognition, Supt. Green noted that Hall has helped numerous families in the Delta enhance their education skills through college or workforce training. By his leadership, the first Headstart schools in the Delta were established giving pre-school aged children the tools they need to be successful later in life. As recipient of the School Board Member of the Year Award, Hall was presented a crystal trophy, and his name is engraved on a perpetual plaque displayed at the offices of MSBA. Additionally, he was given a gift package, compliments of the Hilton Hotel. Etta Taplin, MSBA President, presenting the award to Clarence Hall, Jr. Supt. Larry Green; Clarence Hall Jr, Board Member of the Year; & Charles Elliott, Director of The Mississippi Credit Union Affiliate Members DIAMOND LEVEL An Opportunity for Businesses to Join in Support of Better School Governance and Higher Student Achievement Bailey Education Group, LLC Gary Bailey, President 601-951-1820 601-701-5778 gbailey@baileyarch.com www.baileyeducationgroup.com Scholastic, Inc. Larry Holland, Senior Consultant 917-309-8520 LarryHolland.Scholastic@gmail.com 6 MSBA Update November-December 2014
Transparency in District Opens Communication with Community The Laurel School Board takes a new approach to ensuring not only a successful school district but also a successful community. Once a year, the board requests to be on the agenda for a City Council meeting to present information about the previous school year. Through a Power- Point presentation, Superintendent Dr. Chuck Benigno reveals the scores for the school district, as well as any new programs used during that school year. The school board is available to answer any questions the council may have. This is our way of being transparent, said Miranda Beard, Laurel School Board Member and Secretary-Treasurer of the board of directors for the National School Board Association. Laurel School Board Members Beard embraced this concept to ensure that the people in a position of authority who have a significant impact on the community are well informed of what is going on in their school district. This course of action has created a strong relationship between the two groups. Council members call us personally when they have a question during the school year, said Beard. By opening the lines of communication, we have cut down on false information concerning our school district. Two Mississippi Schools Named 2014 National Blue Ribbon Schools The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program honors public and private elementary, middle, and high schools where students either achieve very high learning standards or are making notable improvements in closing the achievement gap. The award affirms the hard work of students, educators, families, and communities in creating safe and welcoming schools where students master challenging content. All schools are recognized in one of two performance categories, based on all student scores, subgroup student scores, and graduation rates: Exemplary High Performing Schools are among their state s highest performing schools as measured by state assessments or nationally normed tests. Student subgroup performance and high school graduation rates are also at the highest levels. Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools are among their state s highest performing schools in closing achievement gaps between a school s subgroups and all students over the past five years. Student subgroup performance and high school graduation rates for each subgroup are at high levels. Source: Mississippi Department of Education Caledonia Elementary School Lowndes County School District; Principal: Mr. Roger Hill St. James Elementary School Gulfport, MS; Principal: Mrs. Jennifer Broadus MSBA Update November-December 2014 7
Whole Board Awards CRITERIA: MORTAR BOARD HONOR AWARD Minimum 24 hours for MSBA core modules* No board member with fewer than 12 hours MDE District Rating A, B, or C Adoption of MSBA governance standards GAVEL CIRCLE HONOR AWARD Minimum 12 hours for MSBA core modules* No board member with fewer than 12 hours MDE District Rating A, B, or C Adoption of MSBA governance standards DIPLOMA CIRCLE HONOR AWARD Minimum 120 hours for boardas-a-whole No board member with fewer than 24 hours If there are more than five board members, the member with the lowest hours is dropped from calculations RED APPLE ATTENDANCE AWARD This BOARD attendance award is based only on total hours for the whole board and is presented to the SCHOOL BOARD with the highest number of MSBAapproved board training hours earned during the school year BOARDS OF MERIT AWARD Boards with a total number of 100 or more MSBA-approved board training hours earned during the school year *Core modules are the two, three-hour courses MSBA provides regionally each year. 8 MSBA Update November-December 2014 CBD Honors Program recipients announced Recognition event at February Annual Conference The school boards and individual school board members listed on the next few pages will receive special recognition at the Wednesday, February 25 Celebration Luncheon during MSBA s 43rd Annual Conference in Jackson. They will be recognized for their efforts to refine their school governance skills above and beyond state-mandated training during the 2013-14 school year. State law requires all board members to earn at least six continuing education credits annually, once they have completed the 12-hour Basic Course. Board members will be recognized in the MSBA Center for Board Development Honors Program using the criteria listed. Please contact Mamie Lilley, mlilley@msbaonline.org or toll free, 888-367-6722 regarding discrepancies. For more information about the Board Honors Program, visit the MSBA website, www.msbaonline.org. Whole Board Awards Mortar Board Honor Award Western Line School Board (228 Hours) Clarence Hall, Jr., Board President / Larry Green, Superintendent DeSoto County School District (171 Hours) Milton Nichols, Board President / Milton Kuykendall, Superintendent Kemper County School District (114 Hours) Wallace Grady, Board President / Jackie Pollock, Superintendent Diploma Circle Honor Award Western Line School Board (228 Hours) Clarence Hall, Jr., Board President / Larry Green, Superintendent Quitman County School District (195 Hours) Leroy Matthews, Board President / Brenda Hopson, Superintendent Jefferson County School District (173 Hours) Roosevelt Anderson, Board President / Tracy Cook, Superintendent DeSoto County School District (171 Hours) Milton Nichols, Board President / Milton Kuykendall, Superintendent Humphreys County Schools (154 Hours) Robert Williams, Board President / Elliot Wheeler, Superintendent Red Apple Attendance Award Western Line School Board (228 Hours) Clarence Hall, Jr., Board President / Larry Green, Superintendent
Whole Board Awards Boards of Merit Board Hours President Superintendent Western Line School District 228 Clarence Hall, Jr. Larry Green Quitman County School District 195 Leroy Matthews Brenda Hopson East Jasper School District 179 Bobbie Whitfi eld Gwendolyn Page Jefferson County School District 173 Roosevelt Anderson Tracy Cook Amite County School District 171 Diane Cook Scotty Whittington DeSoto County School District 171 Milton Nichols Milton Kuykendall Humphreys County Schools 154 Robert Williams Elliot Wheeler Hollandale School District 147 Pamela Johnson Angela Johnson Kemper County School District 114 Wallace Grady Jackie Pollock Walthall County School District 114 Eldredge Boyd Zachary Rushing Louisville Municipal School District 111 Betty Byrd Ken McMullan West Tallahatchie School District 111 Tracy Mims Darron Edwards Noxubee County School District 110 Earl Stewart Kevin Jones Holly Springs School District 108 Margaret Delashmit Irene Walton Turnage Leland School District 108 Brandon Taylor Glenda Jackson Simpson County School District 108 Dale Shotts Glenn Harris Leake County School District 108 Jason Roberson Patrick Posey Sunfl ower County Cons. School District 105 Edward Thomas Debra Dace South Pike School District 105 Luke Lampton Estes Taplin North Bolivar Cons. School District 102 Glen Scott Johnnie Vick North Pike School District 100 Freddie Deer Dennis Penton Thinking about going paperless? Contact Darla Warren at MSBA today about making the right connections. BoardBook is MSBA s paperless solution for effective board meetings. Individual Awards CRITERIA: Individual Awards are based solely on the number of hours earned by school board members in the 2013-14 school year, excluding six hours of the Basic Course. The hours requirement for each award is listed below, as well as in parenthesis. JOHN L. HARTMAN MEMORIAL ATTENDANCE AWARD This INDIVIDUAL attendance award is based only on total hours and is presented to the INDIVIDUAL board member(s) with the highest number of MSBA-approved board training hours earned during the school year. The award is presented in honor of the late John L. Hartman, MSBA s first executive director, who headed the association for more than 33 years. DISTINGUISHED CIRCLE 42 or more hours of MSBAapproved training hours during the 2013-14 school year PREMIER CIRCLE 30-41 hours of MSBA-approved training during the 2013-14 school year MASTER CIRCLE 24-29 hours of MSBA-approved training during the 2013-14 school year djwarren@msbaonline.org 888-367-6722 MSBA Update November-December 2014 9
Recipient Etta Taplin John L. Hartman Award (Maximum number of MSBA-approved training hours: 87) School District North Pike School District Distinguished Circle (Top One Percent: 42 or more hours) Recipient School District Hours Etta Taplin North Pike School District 76 Diane Cook Amite County School District 60 Clara Bilal Marion County School District 57 Gail Bolden East Jasper School District 55 Rosie Anderson Quitman County School District 51 Dorothy Gilder Western Line School District 51 Clarence Hall, Jr. Western Line School District 51 Edna Livingston Western Line School District 51 Evelyn Murray Leland School District 51 Leroy Matthews Quitman County School District 48 Bobby Bender East Jasper School District 45 Eldredge Boyd Walthall County School District 45 Bobbie Whitfi eld East Jasper School District 43 Eva Andrews South Pike School District 42 Charlotte Brown Leake County School District 42 Clara Conerly South Pike School District 42 James Copeland Amite County School District 42 Robbye Crosby Leake County School District 42 Alonzo Stevens Vicksburg Warren School District 42 Please contact Mamie Lilley, mlilley@msbaonline.org or toll free, 888-367-6722 regarding discrepancies. For more information about the Board Honors Program, visit the MSBA website, www.msbaonline.org. Premier Circle (30-41 Hours) Recipient District Hours Windell Carter Jefferson County School District 39 Ann Jolley DeSoto County School District 39 Milton Nichols DeSoto County School District 39 Sheila Riley DeSoto County School District 39 Ruby Slade Western Line School District 39 Shirley Williams Hollandale School District 39 Jesse Harness Jefferson County School District 38 Shirley Brown Jefferson County School District 36 Lillie Davis Quitman County School District 36 Jamelda Fulton Western Line School District 36 Ruby Hollin Chickasaw County School District 36 Clifton Magee Moss Point School District 36 Thelma Newsome Natchez-Adams School District 36 William Thomas Hancock County School District 35 Queen Coleman West Bolivar School District 34 Verna Hunter North Panola School District 33 Jacklon Idleburg- North Bolivar Consolidated School 33 Haywood District William Lucas North Bolivar Consolidated School 33 District Gloria Magee Walthall County School District 33 Linda Payne Quitman County School District 33 Carolyn Smith Jefferson County School District 33 Albert White Amite County School District 33 Mary Wise Hollandale School District 32 Morris Allen Humphreys County Schools 32 Doris Barnes-Ware Humphreys County Schools 32 Oscar Griffi n Humphreys County Schools 32 Robert Williams Humphreys County Schools 32 Lucinda Berryhill West Tallahatchie School District 31 Earl Stewart Noxubee County School District 31 Renita Lott Perry County Schools 30 Melanie Townsend Sunfl ower County Consolidated 30 School District Margaret Delashmit Holly Springs School District 30 Charles George West Tallahatchie School District 30 Fergenia Hood Holly Springs School District 30 Monica Johnson Amite County School District 30 Cecil Lizana Pass Christian School District 30 Theron Long DeSoto County School District 30 Dorothy Montgomery Western Line School District 30 10 MSBA Update November-December 2014
Individual Awards Master Circle (24-29 Hours) Recipient School District Hours Gertie Hall-Brown Stone County School District 29 Robert Steverson Hollandale School District 29 Marilyn Young Tunica County Schools 29 Emma Golden Sunfl ower County Consolidated 27 School District Sheila Hickman Louisville Municipal School District 27 Edward Thomas Sunfl ower County Consolidated 27 School District Joe Ann Williams Leland School District 27 Roosevelt Anderson Jefferson County School District 27 Yolanda Atkins Noxubee County School District 27 Betty Byrd Louisville Municipal School District 27 Calvin Campbell Quitman County School District 27 Laura Davis Carroll County School District 27 Alice Dawkins-Beal Newton Municipal School District 27 Lynn Gilmore McComb School District 27 Levon Jackson West Bolivar School District 27 Brenda Johnson Louisville Municipal School District 27 Rubye Miller Carroll County School District 27 Sondra Odom Pearl Public School District 27 Doris Perkins Simpson County School District 27 Jerome Smith Okolona School District 27 Michael Thomas Choctaw County School District 27 Recipient School District Hours Robert Burford Hollandale School District 26 Doshia Redmond Humphreys County Schools 26 Elexo Robinson West Bolivar School District 26 Glenda Barrett Newton County School District 25 Heather Ashe Tate County Schools 24 Bennie Hales East Jasper School District 24 Carolyn Shead Tate County Schools 24 Fannie Bateaste Wilkinson County School District 24 Deloris Breland Walthall County School District 24 James Creer Kemper County School District 24 Stephen Dodd DeSoto County School District 24 Samuel Hall South Pike School District 24 Rontal Jenkins Kemper County School District 24 John David Moore Simpson County School District 24 Carolyn Palmer Kemper County School District 24 Erma Poplar Benton County School District 24 Johnny Smallwood Wilkinson County School District 24 Billy Spiller Wilkinson County School District 24 Lee Steele Kemper County School District 24 James Stirgus Vicksburg Warren School District 24 Debra Sturgis-Stamps Copiah County School District 24 Jan Vaughn Greenville Public School District 24 Superintendent Awards Premier Circle MSBA Superintendent Award This award is presented to the SUPERINTENDENT with the highest number of MSBA-approved board training hours, in recognition of superintendents who attend board training along with their board members. Recipient School District Hours Larry Green Western Line School District 63 Recipient School District Hours Brenda Hopson Quitman County School District 42 Estes Taplin South Pike School District 30 Sammie Ivy South Delta School District 30 Master Circle Recipient School District Hours Maggie Griffi n Moss Point School District 27 Alvin Taylor Meridian Public School District 27 Darron Edwards West Tallahatchie School District 24 MSBA Update November-December 2014 11
59 School Districts Recognized at Fall Leadership Conference Fifty-nine Mississippi school districts were applauded by the Mississippi School Boards Association (MSBA) on November 11, setting a record number of awards in three categories for outstanding student achievement, based on student performance on last spring s testing in the Mississippi accountability program. The districts were recognized at a special awards luncheon in the 2014 MSBA Lighthouse School Leader Awards Program. MSBA honored 51 districts in the 2013 awards program. In addition to the district presentation, individual board members and superintendents of the districts received a special MSBA Lighthouse School Leader lapel pin. Approximately 350 school board members and superintendents across the state attended the MSBA Lighthouse School Leaders Awards Luncheon in Jackson. The mark of student success continues to rise, and Mississippi school districts have a proven track record of providing leadership to achieve, and even exceed, the standards, said MSBA Executive Director Michael W. Waldrop. The MSBA Lighthouse School Leader Awards Program is our way of cheering school leaders on as they persist on the path of increasingly higher student achievement for all students. Criteria for 2014 Awards: Beacon Award BEACON Letter Grade of A under the Mississippi Department of Education s Accountability Standards, with no schools below C Number of Honorees - 19 LANTERN Letter Grade of B under the Mississippi Department of Education s Accountability Standards, with no schools below C Number of Honorees - 36 TORCH Letter Grade of C under the Mississippi Department of Education s Accountability Standards, plus 90 percent or more district students participate in the federal free/reduced lunch program no school graded below C and, at least one school is graded B or above. Number of Honorees - 4 Amory School District Biloxi Public School District Booneville School District Clinton School District Corinth School District DeSoto County School District 12 MSBA Update November-December 2014
Beacon Award (continued) Enterprise School District Madison County School District Rankin County School District Kosciusko School District Oxford School District Union Municipal School District Lamar County School District Long Beach School District Pass Christian School District Pontotoc City School District Lantern Award Webster County School District Beacon Award Winners Not Pictured: Ocean Springs School District Petal School District Alcorn County School District Bay St. Louis-Waveland School District Choctaw County School District MSBA Update November-December 2014 13
Lantern Award (continued) Columbia School District Jones County School District Neshoba County School District Forrest County School District Lauderdale County Schools New Albany School District George County School District Lincoln County Schools Newton County School District Itawamba County School District Lowndes County Schools North Pike School District Jackson County School District Monroe County School District Pearl Public School District 14 MSBA Update November-December 2014
Lantern Award (continued) Pearl River County School District Senatobia Municipal School District Tupelo Public School District Pontotoc County Schools Smith County School District Union County School District Poplarville School District South Tippah School District West Jasper School District Lantern Award Winners Not Pictured: Prentiss County School District PHOTO DOWNLOADS: Stone County School District MSBA Lighthouse School Leader Awards Program photos can be downloaded from the MSBA website by clicking on Awards Photo Gallery from the Conferences menu at the top of the screen at www.msbaonline.org, or from MSBA s Flickr site, which you can access from the MSBA website. Forrest County AHS Grenada School District Lafayette County Schools North Tippah School District Scott County School District Tishamingo County School District Winona Public School District MSBA Update November-December 2014 15
Torch Award East Tallahatchie School District Hollandale School District Western Line School District Wilkinson County School District Contact Denotris Jackson djackson@msbaonline.org generationready.com (866) 792-5879 Employ evidence-based best practices Bring job-embedded consultancy to the classroom Accelerate student success 16 MSBA Update November-December 2014
May the School District Qpledge approved investment securities held by its Sixteenth Section principal fund (and commingled funds, as applicable) as collateral against a loan under the provisions of Miss. Code Ann. Section 293-113 for approved projects thereunder? Sixteenth Section principal funds Aand interest and income funds may not be pledged as collateral for any loan. Any security interest in or lien placed on such funds and interest and income funds may be included in a school district s financial statement for the purpose of demonstrating the financial strength of the school district. (Caves, 11/7/2014) (#191) (OP- 2014-00338) Attorney General s Opinions EDITOR S NOTE: The information here was showcased in the November Attorney General s Opinion Outline, Volume 47, Number 11. QAt this time, the District, by and through the School Board, is in the process of soliciting applications for the position of Superintendent. It is anticipated that one of the applicants will be a nephew by marriage, of a school board member serving at this time and thus arises the question: To what extent, if any, can the school board member, uncle by marriage of an applicant, participate in the selection process which could include interviews of applicants, discussions, and voting in regard to the hiring and salary of a new Superintendent for the District? Pursuant to the Mississippi Code ASection 37-9-21, a school board member is prohibited from participating in the vote for his nephew who is an applicant for the position of superintendent. (Gordon, 11/7/2014) (#188) (OP-2014-00423) Safety Training and Building Safety Walks are available upon request. Contact Chris Strickland, Risk Managment Specialist: cstrickland@msbaonline.org or call him at 888-367-6722 Ethics DID YOU KNOW? EDITOR S NOTE: The information here was showcased in the October Advisory Opinion page from the Mississippi Ethics Commission. May a member of one school Qboard be employed by another school board? AYes. The school board member s contract of employment will not be authorized by the board of which he or she is a member, and no violation of Section 109, Miss. Const. of 1890, or Section 25-4-105(2), Miss. Code of 1972, will occur. Likewise, no violation of Section 25-4-105(3)(a) will arise, as the two school districts are separate governmental entities. QMay an employee of a school district remain employed by the district but retire after the employee s spouse becomes a member of the school board? AAlthough inadvisable, the spouse may continue employment for the remainder of the current academic year based on the specific facts provided herein. Under no circumstances may the spouse continue employment with the school district after the conclusion of the current academic year, pursuant to Section 109, Miss. Const. of 1890, and Section 25-4- 105(2), Miss. Code of 1972 QMay a school board member serve as a volunteer tutor at a school within the district? Yes. If the school board A member is truly a volunteer and receives no monetary benefit whatsoever as a result of tutoring students, the ethics in government laws do not prohibit the board member from serving as a volunteer tutor at a school. MSBA Update November-December 2014 17
Stay informed on education-related legislation during the 2015 session MSBA has recently developed a Grassroots Network to help school board members and superintendents be more aware of education-related legislation. When key legislation is being considered, MSBA will issue a Call to Action alert. This alert can be received by email or by a notification through the MSBA mobile app. As bills progress through the legislature, MSBA alerts school districts of any action needed to: (1) sway votes (2) kill legislation (3) amend legislation, or (4) vote for or against legislation and/or legislation amendments i.e. email will be sent from MSBA with Call to Action language (Example: Please call, write, email, text your legislators and ask them to oppose/support SB 2222, which calls for... ) The school board designee will forward the Call to Action alerts to all of his or her school board members (and other school personnel if apropos) and email/call legislators on behalf of the school board/school district. They will also report responses they receive from their legislators to MSBA. (Example: Yes, they will support MSBA s position or no, they will not support MSBA s position or they need more information.) For more information about the Grassroots Network or the MSBA mobile app, visit MSBA online at www.msbaonline.org or call (888) 367-6722. MSBA will hold a Day at the Capitol February 5th, 2015, 12:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m. MSBA staff will brief school board members and superintendents concerning key education bills. School board members will need to wear badges identifying themselves as members of MSBA and specifying the local school board on which they serve. MSBA will introduce the board members to members of the Legislature, making particular effort to ensure that the board members visit with their own representatives and senators. At this time, members can explain MSBA s position on the particular bills in an attempt to gain the support of thier representatives and senators. Twitter Tips for School Districts Twitter is a great way for school districts to share information with parents, students, and the community. Here are a few tips for new Twitter users: Maintain a professional online presence. District social media should be free of grammatical errors, texting language, and information not related to education. Increase followers with good keywords in your bio. The more followers you have, the higher the chance that more people will read your message. Tweet daily. Online users are accustomed to receiving information on a regular basis. Retweet good, relevant content. Share tweets that positively support the mission of the district and public education. Highlight your district s achievements and events with great hashtags. Share your story and connect with your community by using purposeful hashtags. Avoid statements that may cause controversy for the district. Follow the district s policy for posting on social media. Tweet when your audience is online. Avoid tweeting late at night or too early in the morning, unless it relates to urgent matters such as school closings due to inclement weather. For more information about using Twitter for your school district, contact Alexis Cole at acole@msbaonline.org or call (888) 367-6722. 18 MSBA Update November-December 2014
Registration opens January 15, 2015 MSBA Update November-December 2014 19
New Board Member Basic Course of Instruction* Mississippi School Boards Association P.O. Box 203 Clinton, MS 39060 Nonprofi t Organization U.S. Postage P A I D Permit #80 Jackson, MS January 16-17 8 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.; 8 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. respectively Eagle Ridge Conference Center Raymond, MS *All elected and appointed school board members are required by state law to take the Basic Course within six (6) months of their election / appointment. Have you downloaded MSBA s APP? Scan the QR Code below with your mobile device to download the FREE imsba app that keeps you ahead of the curve on legislative matters, current events, and much more! Contact Alexis Cole, MSBA Coordinator of Social Media and Marketing with questions: acole@msbaonline.org or call her toll free, 888.367.6722. architects and engineers Creating Quality Educational Facilities Since 1985 www.pryor-morrow.com www.facebook.com/pryorandmorrow