During Monday’s Pearl River County School Board meeting, four teachers were recognized as teachers of the year.
Also, since February is School Board Recognition Month, Superintendent Alan Lumpkin recognized each member with a certificate of appreciation.
The 2015 teachers of the year are lower elementary teacher Lorraine Seal, upper elementary teacher Nicole Mittle, middle school teacher Michelle Metzler, PRC endeavor teacher Elizabeth Hadley and high school teacher Chris Sherman.
During the superintendent’s report, Lumpkin went over the high points of this year’s ACT and SATP scores.
From 2012 to 2015, ACT scores have increased each year, he said. This year’s average score for Pearl River County School District is 20.2, which is above the state average, Lumpkin said.
With regard to SATP scores, PRC is leading in the categories they should be, Lumpkin said.
Also during his report, Lumpkin shared an email he received from a member of the community. Lumpkin related a story about an elderly woman struggling with her carrying groceries. Two female PRC NJROTC cadets helped her and the woman couldn’t stop bragging about the students’ actions, Lumpkin read.
“There are a lot of great things going on her academically, but that means more to me than anything,” Lumpkin said. “We are raising and guiding good citizens.”
The board also voted to convert the horticulture program to a teacher academy at the Career and Technical Education Center.
Center Director Kelli Beech explained the need for the change.
“There is a lack of employment in our community to meet the requirements and there’s also a lack of student interest,” Beech said. “ We found that the teacher rate is growing at about 17 percent and 29 counties in Mississippi are experiencing teacher shortages in areas of math, science, special education and language. We felt the teacher academy would help us. We can grow our own teachers here. We have three public schools in our county, so there will always be a need for teachers. Every year they have openings.”
Students who complete the academy would also be eligible for scholarships, she said. Beech has also secured funding for an instructor through the CTE budget.
In other action, the board approved the following financial matters:
–– A $250 grant from the University of Southern Mississippi Reach MS Program to the middle school.
–– A $5,000 grant to the middle school from the International Paper Foundation, which will fund a “Bring Science to Life” program.
–– The purchase of a 2017 special needs school bus in the amount of $95,770 from Burroughs Bus Companies.
The next school board meeting will be held on March 4 at 5:30 p.m.