Hattiesburg Public School District Board of Trustees praised Carey Varnado at their September regular meeting as “the glue that held us together” and “more than a colleague, but also a true friend” for his service on the board.
Varnado, a longtime local attorney and a 1969 graduate of Hattiesburg High School, concluded his term with the board recently after serving since 2016 when he was appointed by former Hattiesburg Mayor Johnny DuPree.
His former colleagues and school administrators expressed their appreciation to Varnado for his service to the board, particularly during difficult periods early in his term when the district was struggling to overcome major financial hurdles and faced challenges finding a permanent replacement for superintendent.
During that time, the district recovered financially, including seeing overwhelming voter approval of renewal of ad valorem taxes that support the city’s schools, and in the hiring of Robert Williams as superintendent following a difficult search for a permanent leader for the district that saw one candidate accept the offer and then resign days later.
“We have really appreciated your wisdom and insight in so many areas,” HPSD Board of Trustees President Delores McNair told Varnado. “You will be missed.”
School board members are nominated by the Hattiesburg mayor and approved by the City Council.
A replacement for Varnado has yet to be announced.
“I’m just pleased to have been able to play a small part in the district’s recovery, during a crisis period,” Varnado said. “We were in dire straits, but now we’re back on track financially, and I think Dr. Williams is doing a great job (as superintendent). We were fortunate to have such a great candidate for the position already here (in administration, then principal at N.R. Burger Middle School). He’s dedicated and a really hard worker.”
In other business:
• The board also approved at their regular meeting the acquisition of new Chromebook computers for all students in the district who need them for distance learning and other academic uses.
Partial funding for the computers comes from state appropriations via Senate Bill 3034, from which the district will secure approximately $1.2 million, with an estimated $500,000 in additional funds matched from the district for the purchase of the computers.
