By Russell Hood
The Webster Progress-Times
The Webster County School Board has renewed its contract with a security firm to provide armed officers at each school.
In April, the board approved a contract submitted by TBL Security Services of Starkville to provide armed security guards for each of the school campuses for the remainder of the school year.
Superintendent Brian Jones asked board members on June 11 to examine proposals for school security for the 2018-19 school year from TBL. Minutes of the board’s July 16 meeting show he again presented the security firm’s proposals to the board.
Jones recommended approval of the proposal from TBL Security for one armed officer per school every school day be approved, records show. Additional officers may also be employed for special events after school hours on an as-needed basis.
Upon a motion by Jimmy Hood (District 3) seconded by Rana Mitchell (District 2), the board voted unanimously to approve the recommendation.
Other Action
In other business July 16, minutes show the board voted to:
• approve a revision to the “Child Nutrition Charge and Payment Policy,” which had been tabled from June 28.
• approve the student handbooks from each school for the 2018-19 school year.
• approve the hiring of Leslie Faulkenbery as a teacher at Eupora High School effective Aug. 1. Scott Hollenhead (District 4) voted nay. The recommendation to hire Faulkenbery had been tabled from June 28.
• table approval of the Instructional Management Plan, Dropout Prevention/Graduation Plan, Educational Stability for Children in Foster Care Plan, School Occupational Safety and Crisis Management Plan, Procedures for Enrolling Homeless Students and the English Learner Plan for 2018-19.
• approve a request from Raven Hawkins and Allison Lanthrip, who are employed by the Webster County School District, for their children to be accepted to attend school in the district. The children have already been released from the Calhoun County and Choctaw County schools, respectively.
• accept a letter from Clayton Dodd indicating he was resigning from his position as teacher effective July 10. He previously resigned from baseball coaching duties at EHS effective June 30. At a special meeting July 31, the board approved Dodd's hiring as a teacher at East Webster High School effective Aug. 1.
• approve the hiring of Halee McMinn as a teacher at East Webster Elementary School effective Aug. 1.
• approve the hiring of Betty Lewis as an assistant teacher at Eupora Elementary School effective Aug. 1.
• approve the hiring of James Payton as a custodian at East Webster Elementary School effective Aug. 1.
• accept a donation of $4,300 from the East Webster High School Athletic Boosters to the EWHS baseball program.
• approve asset disposals, financial reports and the docket of claims.
The minutes also reflect that Jones shared test data from the district with the board members.
July 31
At a special meeting July 31, minutes show the board voted to:
• approve the 2017 Special Education Project amendment.
• approve coaching supplements for 2018-19.
• approve a request from Kathryn Barnett to release her children to attend school in the Choctaw County School District as she was in the process of moving there within the month.
• approve a request from Chassie Burton to release her child to attend school in the Webster County School District as she will be employed here.
• accept the resignation of Charlene Sanders from her position as cafeteria manager effective July 13. Her hiring was approved May 14.
Afterwards on July 31, according to the minutes, Jones advised the board that a request for Sanders’ child to attend school in the district had been approved contingent on her employment here, and that as a result of her resignation, the approval must be reversed. The board did vote to reverse the approval.
Later in the meeting, the board approved the hiring of Kelly Tubbs as cafeteria manager effective Aug. 1.
• accept a letter from Becky Jones indicating she was resigning from her position as cafeteria worker effective July 27.
• accept a letter from Nancy Hall indicating she was resigning from her position as a bus driver effective Aug. 1.
• approve the hiring of Erin Johnson as special education case manager effective Aug. 1.
• approve the hiring of Riley Brown and Wendy Brewer as teachers at Eupora High School effective Aug. 1.
• approve the hiring of Brown, Kenny Wolf and Khearsten B. Jones as bus drivers effective Aug. 7.
• approve a recommendation for Tammy Weeks to go from part-time cafeteria worker to full time effective Aug. 1
• approve the hiring of Courtney Alexandria Dendy and Patricia Pate as cafeteria substitutes effective Aug. 1.
• approve a recommendation for substitute teachers for 2018-19.
• approve a recommendation for substitute bus drivers for 2018-19.
• approve requests for the East Webster High School Visual Arts Studio class to sell spirit buttons as a fundraiser and for the Eupora High School football team to do a Snap-Raise donations-only fundraiser.
• approve a request from Shannon Edwards to accept his children to attend school in the Webster County School District as they already had been released from the Choctaw County School District.
Minutes also indicate the board took action on requests from two employees regarding absence on the first day of school. The board was to also meet Aug. 13 and its next regular meeting is Sept. 10.
