The Winston County Journal

The Louisville Municipal School Board of Trustees recently announced the upcoming election for the District 2 post.

The election is set for March 7, 2009. Persons seeking the post must qualify 40 days prior to the election which should fall on Monday, January 26. All those seeking the post must also live within the District 2 boundaries, pick up a petition form from the LMSD administrative office and have 25 qualified District 2 electors sign the petition. After gaining the proper number of signatures, the office seeker must turn in the form into the LMSD admistative office.

The election will be held at the Nanih Waiya Attendance Center Gymnasium. Dan Parkes presently serves as the District 2 representative.

The other LMSD trustees are: Dr. W Mark Donald of District 3; Claire Crowell of District One; Cathy Edwards of District Four; and Jerry W. Webb of District 5.

December 9 meeting

In the December 9 regular meeting,the board held a discussion on the district's strategic plan which included information on the many building improvement projects in the county.

The board examined the plans to build a new multipurpose building at the entrance of the Louisville High School Football Stadium for concessions, restrooms, and ticket sales as well as make other improvements to the whole façade of the area. LMSD Superintendent Harry Kemp held up the designs for the improvements while pointing out the new concession building structure and other aspects of the stadium's improvements.

Kemp outlined to the board that the stadium work was under a tight deadline in order to be ready for the first game of the season.

"Many former coaches and others said it was past time for these improvements," said Mark Donald.

The members also discussed the new science classrooms at Nanih Waiya, LHS and Noxapater. Superintendent Kemp noted that the old Noxapater Gym demolition had been completed and some landscaped was planned for the area.

"Everything is on go," said Kemp about the planned building projects which the district borrowed $3,300,000 to complete.

In other business, the board:

€ Approved a $500 donation from Advance Check for the choral music program at Louisville Elementary.

€ Approved a $1,000 donation from Dollar General Literacy Foundation to Louisville High School Library.

€ Approved five new substitutes.

€ Approved three new employees.

€ Approved bids on one timber sale for $334,993 on Sixteen Section lands. Approved bid for $12.25 a ton for timber thinning on another piece of Sixteen Section property. "If feel like these are good prices for the times," said Sixteen Section land manager Hal Overstreet

€ Discussed the fact that the Secretary of State would now sign off on all Sixteen Section leases with a copy of the new lease form provided to the trustees.

€ Approved a letter of recognition for the LHS football players and coaches for gaining a back to back state championship title.

November 11 meeting

In the November 11 meeting, the board:

€ Approved $100 donation from Renasant Bank to the LHS Band.

€ Recognized the Accreditation status for the 2008-09 School Year.

€ Approved 13 substitutes for mostly bus driver's roles.

€ Discussed possible cuts in funding by the state due to poor tax collections. "We are holding down all expenditures," said business manager Phyllis Gronewold. "We will know in the early spring (what cuts the state will make)." Superintendent Kemp added that any cuts the state makes will have to be absorbed by the district.

€ Approved gifted education policy and discussed how a student is recommended for the program.

€ Approved accepting a $134,251 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission for purchasing vocational equipment.

€ Reviewed a draft copy of the school district report card from the Mississippi Department of Education. The draft copy noted that 2787 students were enrolled in the district, the district had a 95 percent attendance rate, 87 percent of students graduated, and 93.6 percent of the teachers were listed as highly qualified. The state will issue a full report card later in the year. The draft copy enables the district to help the state correct any problems with the information.

€ Discussed the $3,600 in additional costs for appraisals when the county board of supervisors challenged two leases.

€ Held four executive sessions with two on student and teacher matters with parents in attendance.

The next regularly scheduled meeting of the LMSD Trustees is set for Jan13 at 5:30 p.m.