The Webster Progress-Times

The next principal at East Webster High School will be an alumnus and former faculty member.

Bill Brand was hired for the principalship by the Webster County School Board on April 1 for the 2003-04 school year. Dr. Chester Lott (District 4) made the motion to accept Superintendent of Education Pete Powell's recommendation to do so, which was seconded by Phyllis Graham (District 1). The motion was approved 4-0; Michael Knight (District 2) was absent.

Brand is assistant principal at Starkville High School. He is an EWHS graduate, and also coached and taught there.

The position was made available after Gary Vaughan, the current principal at EWHS, submitted a letter of resignation effective June 30. The School Board accepted his

resignation on Feb. 11, according to minutes of that meeting. Vaughan, who has been principal at the Cumberland school for nine years, is running for superintendent of education in Oktibbeha County, where he lives.

Also on Feb. 11, the board approved Powell's recommendation to rehire these administrators for the 2003-04 school year: David Faulkenberry, director of special services; Jack Treloar, director of the Vocational Center; Beverly "Becky" Dean, principal at Eupora Elementary School; Lynn Shea, principal at East Webster Elementary School; James Mason, principal at Eupora High School and Wanda Porter, special education supervisor. David Jones is serving as interim principal at EHS while Mason is on military leave.

In a related matter last week, the board went into executive session for personnel matters to discuss certified personnel recommendations for 2003-04. After coming back into open session, the board voted unanimously to hire all of the personnel as recommended. The board had tabled its decision on approving the recommendations when they were first presented on March 4.

In new business last week, the board voted for the district to join the ACHIEVE Mississippi partnership for two years and to commend Eupora High School teacher Joy Walker for finding the grant.

ACHIEVE Mississippi is a project in the College of Education at Mississippi State University funded by the U.S. Department of Education. The project is a five-year grant which is currently in year four. Its goals are to promote the use of problem-based learning in classrooms from kindergarten through university level which includes the use of technology.

Currently, the ACHIEVE Mississippi office works with 25 public school partners, three community college partners, and the faculty at Alcorn State University and MSU. According to a letter to Powell from Susan Stewart, project director, Walker, Gayle Reed and Patricia Cochran contacted the office after hearing about the program and asked about the possibility of joining the partnership.

The school district is asked to send three teachers to summer training who will be paid a stipend. The teachers will be asked to implement at least two problem-based learning cases in the classroom and to allow one of the project's staff members to observe the process and provide feedback.

ACHIEVE Mississippi will provide the district with $11,000 to be used for the purchase of technology hardware and software to support the use of problem-based learning. According to discussion at the meeting, the grant funds will provide for the purchase of eight or nine computers and software, with the program implemented the first year at EHS and the next at EES.

Powell also presented the board with copies of county Forester Russell Sword's 10-year plan for the district's 16th Section timber tracts. Powell said three timber sales are scheduled during the next fiscal year on tracts on Hwy. 50 near Clay County, in Alva and in Stewart. The plan is available for inspection at the central office.

The board also:

adopted the 2003-04 school calendar as is with the exception of the senior graduation dates, which will be determined later. Graduation at both high schools was set for May 21, 2004, but Lott said he did not think they should be on the same day because some people may want to attend both, and he requested that they be held on different dates.

accepted donations of computers from North Mississippi Health Services.

accepted the resignation of EWHS teacher/coach Jerry Greene at the end of the school year.

granted maternity leave to EWHS teacher Christy Sisson.

The board took these actions at meetings on Feb. 11, March 4 and March 18, according to official minutes:

accepted a donation of $6,242 from the Eupora Band Boosters to the EHS band to purchase instruments.

approved maternity leave for Dixie Pogue, teacher at EHS.

approved Linda Davis and Kay L. Reed as substitute teachers for the rest of the year at EHS and EWHS, respectively.

accepted monetary donations for the Reading Fair from various individuals and businesses in the community.

approved reimbursement to Dawn Tabb, EES teacher, for reimbursement for Master Teacher certification.

accepted the resignation of Ronda Cummings, technology coordinator, effective Feb. 28, and hired Chris Shea to replace her.

approved a request from Vaughan that Gabby Davis, Spanish teacher, be allowed to voluntarily assist with girls' track and girls' weightlifting for the remainder of the school year at EWHS.

approved a request from Tim Tindall to sublease 150 acres of the 426.5 acres of 16th Section land he currently has leased for one year to Sandra White of Vardaman beginning March 20.

accepted the resignation of Ruth Alldread, assistant teacher at EWES, effective June 1.

accepted the resignations of school bus driver James McGee and EWES janitor Ruth McGee, effective June 1.

accepted the resignation of EES assistant teacher Annette Spencer, effective May 23.

approved the hiring of John David Morelan to work at the bus shop for 240 days a year.

approved the hiring of Carrie Rice as a substitute bus driver for the rest of the school year.

Graham and Powell were absent from the Feb. 11 meeting, at which Faulkenberry represented Powell. Knight and Lott were absent from the March 4 meeting.