Eighth-grade students will be making a major decision before the school year ends this year when they choose which graduation track they will be following through high school.
Lamar County School District Test Coordinator Julie Clinton led a group of middle school and high school principals and counselors to design three diploma endorsements for students to follow to graduation. Clinton presented the options to the School Board during its meeting Monday night in the Sumrall Middle School library.
“What we had to take was the foundation that MDE (Mississippi Department of Education) proposed as a baseline traditional diploma,” she said. “From there, we could make adaptations.”
The three endorsements that were presented included Academic Endorsement, Career and Technical Endorsement and Distinguished Endorsement.
“All incoming ninth-graders will select an endorsement, a diploma endorsement that will be changed every year with parent permission or if the student does not meet the requirements set forth in the endorsement that they have chosen,” Clinton said. “These will be chosen at the end of their eighth-grade year when they are selecting classes for ninth grade.”
Clinton said the district policies and procedures as far as freshman criteria in English, math and science will be followed.
“We don’t want the endorsements to negate the proper placement for those students,” she said. “We will continue to adhere to the criteria that is in our handbook for those three subject areas.”
A mathematics class will be required every year, even if the student has completed math requirements early for graduation.
The Academic Endorsement requires 26 credits to graduate with a 17 ACT score in English and a 19 in math. Students also must choose either an AP course with a C (grade) or higher or a dual-credit course with a C or higher.
“Another diploma option for students to consider is the Career and Technical Endorsement,” Clinton said. “This is for our students who may choose to purse an engineering degree, something in the medical field or in construction technology or welding.”
Clinton said the rigor has been raised for these students.
“They have to have a Silver Level of ACT WorkKeys, which will be provided through MDE, and they must complete a dual-credit course,” she said. “Another way to earn a dual-credit course is to make a 70 on CPAP. They have an internship component or two different programs currently have national certification.”
The last endorsement that can be considered for our students is a Distinguished Endorsement, Clinton said.
“This has the 28 credits required currently in Lamar County,” she said. “To obtain this endorsement, a student just have a 3.0 GPA – or an 80 – and they must have the ACT scores of an 18 (English) and 22 (math). Again the rigor is maintained with an AP course with a B (grade) and one dual-credit course with a B or higher.”
Students who complete an endorsement will be recognized at graduation with a cord. That will be noted in the programs just like the honors and special honors, Clinton said.
Administrators also will have discretion to default back to the Mississippi diploma of 24 credits based on individual circumstances.
Clinton said other criteria for getting a diploma will stay the same.
“The end-of-course graduation requirements have not changed, even though the terminology is changing quite a bit with the diploma endorsement,” she said. “The students still must test for algebra, biology, English II and U.S. history and they must meet the criteria on the end-of-course tests and the classes in order to meet graduation requirements. It is important for parents to understand that meeting a successful endorsement is not the only graduation requirement.”
Parents will be receiving information about the endorsements during upcoming school open houses, Clinton said.
In other action, the School Board:
Approved Jan. 18 and Jan. 24 Minutes.
Approved Monthly Financial Report for December 2017.
Approved Change to Policies GBRIA - Family and Medical Leave Act and IEBA - Dyslexia Policy.
Approved awarding Bid No. 18-101 UPS and Surge Suppression to Howard Technology for $99,579.
Approved awarding Bid No. 18-103 Fiber Network Infrastructure Replacement for Purvis High, Middle and Upper Elementary schools to Network Cabling Solutions for $49,915.65.
Approved 2018-19 School Calendar Option.
Approved New 16th Section Lands Lease to Lamar County Board of Supervisors.
Voted to table discussion on New 16th Section Lands Hunting Lease.
Approved New 16th Section Lands Lease to Christopher Briggs for 2.6 acres on Dobson Road.
Approved advertising for Bids on 96-acre Final Timber Harvest in 16-5N- 16W
Set Next Meeting for Thursday, March 8, at the Lamar County School District Boardroom beginning at 6 p.m.
Approved Maintenance request for assistance spreading limestone at the Oak Grove Bus Barn parking lot.
Approved change to school calendar making May 25th a full day.
Introduction of Change to Policy GBBA - Professional Personnel Qualifications and Policy IDDF - Special Education Program.
Approved Additional Employee Leave.
Administrative Staff Recommendations.
Approved 2017-18 Salary Scale Change.
Approved Accounts Payable Claims, Receipts and Disbursements.
The board made the following actions for these schools:
Baxterville School
Jeffrey Rayborn as Volunteer Paraprofessional Archery Coach at Baxterville effective Feb. 16.
Longleaf Elementary School
70 Chromebooks with licenses and three charging carts at a cost of $17,067 from Howard Technology Solutions. To be paid from Title 1 $15,277.94 and activity funds $1,789.06. Alternate quote CDW-G $17,466.18.
$2,200 cash donation from PTO. To be used toward purchase of sound system.
Oak Grove High School
Transfer - Ethan Ewoldt as Volunteer Paraprofessional Assistant Ninth-Grade Baseball Coach to Paid Paraprofessional Assistant Ninth-Grade Baseball Coach at OGHS
Transfer - Jamie Morgan as Full-time Bus Driver to Substitute Bus Driver effective Feb. 13.
Transfer - Traci Cain as Secretary/Bookkeeper to Bookkeeper (new position) effective Feb. 13.
Cort Brinson as Volunteer Paraprofessional for Baseball effective Feb. 13.
Judy Brown as Substitute Bus Driver retroactive to Feb. 1.
Tyler Strong as Substitute Bus Driver effective Feb. 13.
Michelle Swaggerty as Cafeteria Employee replacing Annette Chisholm retroactive to Jan. 24.
Jonathan Bolling as SPED Teacher replacing Carmen Swilley retroactive to Jan. 24.
Russell Hendley, III as SPED Teacher replacing Cheryl Twiner retroactive to Jan. 30.
Ryan White as Science Teacher replacing Mark Holcomb retroactive to Jan. 29.
Randy Robinett as Girls Tennis Coach retroactive to Oct. 14, 2017.
Transfer - Janette Bond as Substitute Bus Driver to Full-time Bus Driver replacing Tesha Bolten-Brewer retroactive to Feb. 1.
Gareth Murphree as Sped Teacher replacing one section of Debra Baird’s schedule through end of second semester.
Display Graphing Calculator valued at $354 from PTO. To be used in Suzie Welch’s classroom.
Ipad valued at $329.99 from Best Buy. To be used by football to watch film.
$1,200 cash donation from Athletic Booster Club. To be used for YMCA pool rental for swim team.
$3,200 cash donation from OG Athletic Booster Club. To be used for softball equipment.
$1,500 cash donation from Lamar County Board of Supervisors. To be used for veterans’ breakfast.
Oak Grove Lower Elementary
Sukanya Westbrook as Cafeteria Employee replacing Belinda Nichols retroactive to Jan. 29.
108 Chromebooks with management licenses at a cost of $23,976 from Howard Technology Solutions. To be paid from school activity and Title I funds. Alternate quote CDW-G $24,104.52
$6,497.63 cash donation from PTO. To be used to purchase Chromebooks and a Chromebook cart.
Oak Grove Middle School
Transfer - Amanda Meador as Long-term Substitute to Inclusion Teacher replacing Kimberly Murphy retroactive to Jan. 22.
Stephanie Corley as Archery Coach retroactive to Jan. 8.
Books valued at $930 from Various Publishers. To be used to add to library collection.
Oak Grove Primary School
Retire - Sara McCormick as Assistant Teacher effective May 31.
Retire - Margie Keyes as Librarian effective end of 2017-18 school year.
Retire - Pam Knight as Teacher effective end of 2017-18 school year.
Four Projectors for classrooms (with installation) at a cost of $3,776 from AXI Education Solutions. To be paid from Title I funds. Alternate quote Howard Technology $12,391.96.
Purvis High School
Retire - Cala Raborn as Teacher effective end of 2017-18 school year.
30 Chromebooks, power strips, mice, keyboards, etc. at a cost of $5,996.14 from CDW-G. To be paid from Textbook funds. Alternate quote ITSavvy $6,132.83.
Purvis Lower Elementary
30 Bulbs LED-8090M50 at a cost of $5,880 from Gilkey Electric. To be paid from district funds. Alternate quote Chancellor $6,033.
Purvis Upper Elementary
100 Asus Chromebooks and four Chromebook Charging Carts at a cost of $24,236 from Howard Technology Solutions. To be paid from Title I funds $11,857.48 and miscellaneous activity funds $12,378.52. Alternate quote Connection $25,081.
Sumrall Elementary School
Retire - Rita Hill as Assistant Teacher effective June 1.
Transfer - Kaitlin Smith as Long-term Substitute to First-Grade Teacher replacing Sarah Broome retroactive to Jan. 8.
Six Chromebooks valued at $1,182 from Excel Parent Group. To be used in Excel classes.
Canon Imagerunner Advance 8585i copier at a cost of $497.72/month for 48 months plus $75/month base and .39/copy maintenance cost from Owens Business Machines (state contract No. 8200031426). To be paid from school budget.
Canon Imagerunner Advance 4525i copier at a cost of $113.87/month for 48 months plus .01/copy maintenance cost from Owens Business Machines (state contract No. 8200031426). To be paid from school budget.
Sumrall High School
Transfer - Sharl Broome as Full-time Bus Driver to Substitute Bus Driver retroactive to Feb. 1.
Debbie Berry as Full-time Bus Driver replacing Sharl Broome retroactive Jan. 31.
Chris Fortenberry as Girls Powerlifting Coach retroactive to Jan. 22.
Kristi Williamson as Girls Tennis Coach/Boys Tennis Coach replacing Anna Leonard effective March 1.
124 Cap, gown & stole at a cost of $5,580 from Jostens/Tally Student Service. To be paid from school activity funds. Alternate quote Balfour $7,316.
Pump housing-air valve-coil kit (chiller repair) at a cost of $5,567.47 from Trane. To be paid from district funds. Alternate quote Hub Refrigeration $6,450.
89 Football game jerseys at a cost of $8,895.55 from Rex Team Sports. To be paid from school activity funds. Alternate quote Boudreaux Athletics $11,125.
$10,923.91 cash donation from Diamond Bobcat Club. To be used for purchase of air conditioning system at softball and for uniforms and supplies needed.
Sumrall Middle School
Dale Holmes as Track Coach replacing Ryan Leonard retroactive to Jan. 22.
Lamar County School District
Retire - Cynthia Ward as District Human Resource Assistant effective June 28.
Roland Arnold as Substitute Police Officer retroactive to Feb. 8.
Amanda Clark as Part-time ESL (Adult Class) Facilitator (new position) effective Feb. 13.
Zachery Ruple as Substitute Police Officer effective Feb. 13.
Bobbie Graham as Substitute Cafeteria Employee effective Feb. 13.
For District Facilities, Fencing around Facilities Shop Area (Pallet Plant Road) at a cost of $11,448 from Jefcoat Fence. To be paid from district funds. Alternate quote United Fence $11,852.
For Child Nutrition, Canon Imagerunner C5550i copier at a cost of $219.89/month for 48 months plus $6/copy black and white and $.04/copy Color maintenance fee from Owens Business Machines. To be paid from Child Nutrition funds. Alternate quote RJ Young $217/month for 48 months plus .62/copy Color and .0467/copy black and white.
Child Nutrition requests permission to refund lunch account balance to the parents of the following: 001500701 $27.50, No. 001577117 $35, No. 001538544 $41.
