Board Briefs, Volume 34, Issue 16

Board
Volume 34, Issue 16
JPS SCHOOL BOARD:
Dr. Otha Burton, Jr.
President
Mr. Timothy D. Collins
Vice President
Ms. Beneta Burt
Secretary
Ms. Monica Gilmore-Love
Member
Ms. Kisiah W. Nolan
Member
Mr. Jed H. Oppenheim
Member
Ms. Linda Rush
Member
Dr. Cedrick Gray
Superintendent
Ms. JoAnne Shepherd
JPS Counsel
Ms. Dorian Turner
Board Counsel
Ms. Vikki Mumford
Secretary to the Board
Briefs
JACKSON PUBLIC SCHOOLS
March 4, 2014
BOARD MEETING CALL TO ORDER
Board President Dr. Otha Burton opened the March 4, 2014, regular meeting of
the Jackson Public Schools Board of Trustees.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE & INVOCATION
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Murrah High
School senior Jauan Knight. He is Murrah’s JROTC
Cadet of the Year and serves as Battalion Commander.
In January 2014, he was also selected as the Jackson
State University (JSU) High School Cadet of the Year.
Knight engages in a variety of community activities
while maintaining a part-time job with the Mississippi
Office of the Attorney General. He is one of 1,600 African American high school students selected as National Achievement Semifinalists. He is a member of
the National Honor Society, and on Murrah’s Quiz
Bowl and Mock Trial teams. His plans are to attend
JSU in the fall of 2014 and major in Political Science. After graduation, he will
further his pursuit toward becoming a federal judge by entering law school.
Knight has been awarded a four-year JROTC scholarship and a full academic
scholarship to JSU. His mother Dorcus Ellis was recognized along with Murrah
principal Kennieth Green who also attended the meeting.
The Prayer of Invocation was led by Min. Charles C.
Pepper. A native of Jackson, he has strong ties to Jackson Public Schools. He attended Pecan Park Elementary when Board member Kisiah Nolan was a principal
there. He went on to middle school at Powell and attended the visual arts program at Power APAC. He
graduated from Murrah High School in 2005. Min.
Pepper completed a bachelor’s degree in industrial
technology with a minor in general business administration from Mississippi State University in 2009.
Currently enrolled at the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, Min. Pepper is pursuing a Masters of
Divinity Standard Degree with a concentration in youth ministry. He is employed
at Nissan as an engineer. At New Hope Baptist Church, Min. Pepper is devoted to
several ministries including the gospel choir, small group bible study, men’s Sunday school, and youth ministry. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Pepper and
has a younger brother, Carleton. He recognized his mother, Curtisile Pepper, at
the meeting. She was a long time English teacher at Callaway High School.
Certificates were presented by Board member Kisiah Nolan.
1
JPS BOARD MEETINGS:
SUPERINTENDENT’S ANNOUNCEMENTS
The Board of Trustees holds two
regular meetings per month.
Recognition of Parent Michelle Henry
The next regular JPS Board
meeting is scheduled for 5:30
p.m. March 18, 2014, in the
Board Meeting Room at 621
South State Street.
The JPS Board of Trustees welcomes public comments regarding policy revisions.
CONTACT THE BOARD:
Jackson Public Schools
School Board Office
662 S. President Street
Jackson, MS 39201
E-mail:
[email protected]
JPS Website:
www.jackson.k12.ms.us
WATCH MEETINGS ON JPS ITV:
Channel 19 Program Schedule
JPS ITV on YouTube
CONNECT WITH JPS ONLINE!
Facebook.com/JacksonPublicSchools
Twitter.com/DrCedrickGray
Dr. Cedrick Gray began his report by recognizing JPS
parent Michelle Henry. ―I’d like take a moment to recognize one of our valued and supportive parents of
Jackson Public Schools,‖ he began as he invited Ms.
Henry to come to the platform. Henry was presented a
certificate for her positive involvement as the parent of
six JPS students. She serves as the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) President at North Jackson Elementary. She is a member of the PTAs at Bailey APAC and
Power APAC, and a Band Booster Club member at
Callaway High School. When she is not being a busy
mom at these schools, she serves as co-director of The
Ladybug Club, a mentoring organization for girls and their mothers in the MidTown community. She also organizes family-friendly activities for youth at Central United Methodist Church.
The audience gave a standing ovation to Henry as Dr. Gray and the Board recognized her for the great work she is doing for students.
―Our children excel and are successful when there are parents like you behind
them,‖ said Board President Dr. Burton.
―Thank you from the depths of our heart for what you have done for your own
children and what you are doing for other children in our community,‖ said
Board Secretary Timothy Collins.
Emotional after the surprise announcement, Henry thanked Dr. Gray and the
Board for the recognition and accepted it with humble appreciation.
Jim Hill High School Cheerleaders
The Jim Hill High School
cheerleaders made it to the
National Cheerleading Championship in February in Orlando, Fla. thanks to support of
the District and businesses in
the community. The squad
brought home a trophy for 4th
place in the Game Day Large
Varsity Non-Tumbling event.
Sponsor Tameka Harris spoke
for the girls. She first gave
thanks to the district and individuals who supported the team’s efforts to go to the
championship. With more time for preparation and this experience to grow form,
she and the team are aiming for the 1st place trophy, she said. Led by their captains, the team presented plaques to Dr. Gray and the Board of Trustees
(represented by President Dr. Burton in the photo.)
―With our sincerest appreciation, we say thank you for helping us reach our
goals,‖ they said as the read from the plaque.
Board Briefs, March 4, 2014
JACKSON PUBLIC SCHOOLS
2
ANNOUNCEMENTS
MAKE-UP DAYS APPROVED
JPS Community Meeting
The Board of Trustees approved a recommendation from Superintendent Dr.
Cedrick Gray to schedule Saturday, April 5 and Monday, April 21, 2014, to
make up days missed due to inclement weather January 28 and 29. The decision
for makeup days was made after conversations between the superintendent and
school administrators, teachers, staff, parents, and community stakeholders.
The community is invited to participate in a dialogue about the direction the Jackson Public School District is taking on its Road to Success!
Please join Superintendent Dr.
Cedrick Gray in the JPS Board of
Trustees meeting room at 621 South
State Street on Monday, March 24,
2014, at 1 p.m.
Family Resource Day in the Park
The JPS Office of Federal Programs
presents Family Resource Day in the
Park, Friday, April 11, 2014. The
event will take place from 11:30 a.m.
–4:30 p.m. at Poindexter Park on
West Capitol Street. Parents will
learn about programs that are available to them to help their students
succeed in school. The event will also
include educational service providers, health screenings, books, music,
games, lunch, and more. For more
information, call Sylenia Anderson at
(601) 960-8945 or Carol Robinson at
(601) 960-8972.
STATE OF JPS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
In response to a recommendation by the AdvancED accreditation team, Chief
Communications Office Darryl Anderson delivered a presentation on the state of
technology in Jackson Public Schools. The AdvancED team recommended that
the District develop and implement a district-wide, modern, fully functional technology infrastructure with appropriate equipment and accessibility for students
and all district staff members.
JPS technology staff have identified three core issues that need to be addressed in
order to meet this objective.

Network Infrastructure – The District upgraded its Internet Service Provider
resulting in improved bandwidth speeds from 1GB to 10GB. However, older
switching equipment at the schools is slowing down the flow of data as it
enters the buildings. ―To address this problem, the District must begin replacing equipment at 11 key sites,‖ said Anderson.

Technology in the Classrooms – About 50 percent of the computers in classrooms and school offices is at or near the end of supportable life. There are
about 1,200 machines with Windows 2000, which is no longer supported, and
7,000 with Windows XP, which will not be supported after April 2014. Running an outdated operating system severely impacts the usefulness and security of the device. While the XP machines may be upgraded, the 1,200 Windows 2000 machines must be replaced.

Technical Support Personnel – The technology support is significantly understaffed. Six network filed analysts are available to support 68 facilities. In
addition, there is one analyst dedicated to Food Services, one dedicated to the
Central Office, and one assigned to handle telephone support for the entire
District. This team works constantly at a deficit and is only able to provide
basic technology support.
2014 JPS Job Fair
Jackson Public Schools will host its
annual Job Fair on Saturday, April
12, 2014, from 9 a.m.–12 p.m. at
Cardozo Middle School located at
3180 McDowell Road Ext. The event
is for prospective teachers, bus drivers, cafeteria, and maintenance
workers. Learn about teaching and
support employment opportunities
throughout the District. For more
information, contact the Office of
Human Resources, (601) 960-8745.
To address the needs and satisfy the recommendations of the accreditation team
will require increased funding and support. Much of the equipment needs identified are paid for with District general funds.
LESTER PARTNERSHIP MAKES BOYS’ BASKETBALL PROGRAM POSSIBLE
The JPS School Board approved an agreement between Lester Elementary and
Alta Woods Baptist Church. It will be used for an after school basketball mentoring program called ―The Soaring Eagles.‖ The program will take place at Alta
Woods Baptist Church, which is near the school. It is an outgrowth in COSEBOC
(Coalition of Schools Educating Boys of Color). Four male staff members from
Lester have volunteered to facilitate the program.
Board Briefs, March 4, 2014
JACKSON PUBLIC SCHOOLS
3
ANNOUNCEMENTS
ELC Kids Fishing Rodeo
The 17th Annual Kids Fishing Rodeo
will be held from 8 a.m.–12 p.m.
Saturday, April 26, 2014, at the JPS
Environmental Learning Center located at 6190 Highway 18 West. Students in grades K–12 are eligible to
participate. The cost is $8 in advance
and $10 on the day of the rodeo. For
more information, contact ELC at
(601) 923-2572.
Pre-Kindergarten Enrollment
Pre-Kindergarten screening for the
2014–2015 school year is taking
place through April 30, 2014, at the
pre-K school sites listed below. Parents and guardians may submit application(s) at only one school
site in their attendance zone. For
details, refer to the Pre-K Screening
Procedures, or call 601-960-4002.
Get2College FREE ACT Workshops
ESF Get2College provides free ACT
Prep Workshops for students
throughout
the
school
year. They include an overview of
tested subject areas, test-taking tips,
and resource materials. Registration
opens one month before each session. The final workshop is scheduled
for Saturday, April 5, 2014. For more
information, visit ESF Get2College or
call (601) 321-5533.
Board Briefs, March 4, 2014
LEGISLATIVE UPDATES
Donna Echols, who has been representing the interest of Jackson Public Schools
during the 2014 legislative session, presented some highlights of legislative activities that have taken place since the last Board meeting. She stated that during
House and Senate committee hearings, members heard testimony about the National Board Teacher Certification program. She also reported that JPS was recognized among the top five school districts in the state with the highest number
of teachers with Board certification—Rankin County, 173; DeSoto, 118; Jackson,
116; Tupelo, 118, and Madison County, 103—based on December 2013 figures.
In response to previous inquiries, she offered ways the public can connect with
legislators and actions on bills.

Capitol switchboard: (601) 359-3770–Contact a legislator.

Legislature website: www.legislature.ms.gov–Look up the status of bills and
information about House and Senate members.
HIGHLIGHTS OF EDUCATION BILLS

SB2571 School Start Dates – Senate amended the bill to allow local school
districts to decide when school starts in August and repealed the section that
requires starting after the third Monday in August. The bill passed the Senate
and referred to the House Education Committee.

HB 455 New Start Program – The House bill repealed the New Start Program. A Senate amendment provides for an optional school takeover. In the
event of takeover, employees would not be allowed termination hearings.
New Start Schools would begin with the 2013-2014 school year. School failures prior to this year would not be used to determine the two-year failure
period. Current bill as amended requires a vote by the full Senate.

SB 2090 Semi-monthly payroll for hourly employees – This bill allows
hourly employees to be paid twice a month instead of once a month. The
bill’s author is former Jackson Public Schools Board member, Senator Sollie
Norwood. The bill passed the House with no changes and is expected to pass
on the floor and go to the governor.

HB 1476 Funding appropriation to Education – Under the House proposal, the funding amount is $265 million below MAEP funding levels and
$100 million below 2008 funding levels. It will be taken up in conference
when the House and Senate work on their funding differences.

HB71 Payments to School Employees – The governor signed the bill and it
is now law. The bill ensures that contract teachers and hourly rate employees
receive payments in equal installments and full pay in the first month even
with the later school start date.

HB 432 CPR/AED Education – Requires CPR/AED to be taught as an instructional component for physical education in grades 9-12. Does not require the purchase of defibrillators. Sent to the Senate.
JACKSON PUBLIC SCHOOLS
4
ANNOUNCEMENTS
SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT (Continued)
MS Craft Show Youth Art Competition
Legislative Updates
The Youth Art Competition is open to
Mississippi students in grades 1-12 in
public, private, or home schools.
Entry is free. Winning art will receive
recognition and prizes and may be
used in print materials and displayed
in the "My Mississippi" exhibition at
the Mississippi Craft Show in August
at the Trade Mart, Jackson. Submissions are due by May 15, 2014.
Learn more and enter by visiting the
MS Craft Show website.

HB 504 Teacher Pay Increase – House version provides a $1,500 increase
the first two years with subsequent years’ increases tied to 3% growth of
state’s economy and teachers meeting 3 of 22 benchmarks for a total increase
of about $4,250. Senate removed dependence on state economy growth and
benchmarks. Proposed $2,500 increase over the next 16 months, raising starting salaries, and instituting a true merit pay system based on performance,
instead of benchmarks.

SB2325, HB765 Special Education Vouchers – Parents can take school
money to pay for tutors, iPads, etc. Required IEF criteria and 504 accommodations, which included items like obesity or a broken arm. The Senate bill
was taken up by the House and passed as introduced. A reverse repealer was
inserted to force additional conversation before it becomes law. Senate, taking up House version, discovered 60,000 students could possibly qualify for
the vouchers. Senate created a pilot project, instituting a cap of 6,500 students, and including stringent guidelines. Also, the 504 accommodations removed, leaving only IEF criteria.
MSU Extension Service Summer
Reading Programs
The Mississippi State University Extension Service Center for Continuing Education offers reading skills
programs during the summer for
students as young as four years old
to rising 11th graders. Classes are
offered at Millsaps College in Jackson
and begin May 31, 2014. For more
information, call 1-800-979-9151.
REMEMBERING MAYOR CHOKWE LUMUMBA
Base Pair/SOAR/RBI Program
Teacher Workshop
The Base Pair/SOAR/RBI program
will offer a workshop for middle and
high school science teachers June 23
-27, 2014, at St. Andrew’s School. A
$425 stipend will be paid to those
who are accepted and attend. The
application deadline is May 31,
2014, or until slots are filled. For
more information, e-mail Gail Howell or call (601) 815-1269.
Mayor Lumumba, right, with Board members Monica Gilmore-Love, center, and
Timothy Collins
Before adjourning, Board members,
led by Vice President Timothy Collins, asked for the attending and viewing audience to remember to pray for
and support the family and friends of
Mayor Chokwe Lumumba. Last week,
Dr. Gray released a statement regarding the mayor and his legacy with
Jackson Public Schools. An excerpt
from the statement is included below.
The full statement is available online.
The Jackson Public Schools
(JPS) family is deeply saddened by the passing of City of Jackson
Mayor Chokwe Lumumba. His leadership, passion for quality
education, and commitment towards the success of our students
will be truly missed.
Mayor Lumumba helped us kick off the 2013-2014 school year
with words of encouragement to over 4000 JPS employees at our
annual Convocation ceremony held at the Mississippi Coliseum.
He most recently played an integral role in the JPS accreditation
process. Last school year, he implemented a City-wide cleanup
day where both City of Jackson employees and JPS students
(JROTC) and staff participated.
Board Briefs, March 4, 2014
JACKSON PUBLIC SCHOOLS
5

Download Report