The Poplarville Special Municipal Separate School District met at the district offices Tuesday evening and whipped through a 13-item agenda, ending with an executive session.

The district board approved to advertise for three-year contract proposals on providing mandatory Internet services and fiber optics in the district, said Steve Seal, district IT Coordinator. The fiber optic system connects each of the district’s four campuses to the district office.

In a related item presented by Seal, he outlined an advertisement for upgrades and repairs to fire alarm systems at the Poplarville Lower Elementary School. He said companies wanting to bid will have to assess the schools and prepare bid proposals and he expected to have a report on the proposals sometime in December or January.

The board then learned that the district had received a Robotics Education Competition (REC) Foundation VRC Team Grant that will allow the school’s robotics team to build a BEX robot. Once built, the class will use the robot to participate in two competitions. The robot also will be used for in-class instruction.

In other matters, the board:

* Approved a motion to a convert a spare school bus to an AMBUBUS in the event it may be needed for emergency transport for patients at the hospital and residents of the nursing home, said Glenda Malley, curriculum and federal programs coordinator. A kit of equipment to make the conversion has been donated to the district.

* Malley updated the board on two federal program funding applications — the 2014 Title VI application which outlines how each school in the district will allocate that Federal funding and the 2014 Consolidated Federal Programs Application. She said how the federal money used by the district changes from year to year. The board approved both applications.

* Malley presented names of area citizens who will be asked to serve on the district’s wellness policy council. The school previously had approved a district wellness policy. Also, each school has a health council. The board approved the lists.

* At the request of district financial officer Samantha Sandifer, it went into executive session on timber bids for Sections 21-1-16, 16-3-14, 16-3-16 and 16-4-14.

* Approved the copier service agreements.

* Approved to advertise for an additional social worker funded by Title VI money.

* Approved for signature to accept hunting and fishing leases on Sections 16-4-14 and 21-1-16/22-1-16 that the Mississippi Secretary of State’s office has cleared.

* Approved the financial statement and the consent agenda.

Adjourned until Dec. 9.