The Calhoun County School Board approved the hiring of a new school nurse Monday night, which will be shared between Vardaman and Calhoun City.
Superintendent Mike Moore said the current school district nurse, Lori Peden, will work exclusively with Bruce.
“My goal, and I hope it’s this board’s goal, is to have a nurse per town. This is a step in the right direction,” Moore said. “You really wouldn’t believe how much medication we’re required to give out every day and it’s getting more and more. Lori has to do several infusions at Bruce.”
Moore explained the new nurse will be paid using federal Title One money that the district is scheduled to receive later in the year.
“Hopefully, if we get any more title money next year, we can add a third nurse. That’s our goal,” Moore said. “We desperately need that.”
He said they are currently taking applications for the position and hope to have someone ready to start in December.
In other news, Moore said the district was also approved for a $400,000 grant to replace all wiring and out-of-date switches needed for higher speed internet.
He said the district did appeal the larger grant, which was originally denied, that would install fiber to all schools and “drastically improved the schools’ internet service.”
“We should know something within the next two weeks,” Moore said. “I feel good about our internet situation, because if this FCC grant doesn’t go through we now have some other options.”
“Bruce now has some new wire and capability that they didn’t have until this summer or right now,” Moore said. “TDS has come forward with some different things we’ll be able to use also. We’re going to get internet, much quicker, faster, better. But we’re going to follow this appeal process out first.”
Moore said the internet grants and the new nursing position are also examples of why the school district’s Rainy Day Fund is important.
“We have to pay for all of this and then we get our money back later,” he said. “Our federal money is never on time. To keep people working, we have to have that fund to pay people until we get reimbursed.”
Moore also announced that the school district received its accreditation with “no deficiencies on all academic and financial fronts.”
He said district personnel would be at Mississippi State University on Tuesday for a recruiting visit, searching for prospective teachers.
Other items approved by the board:
•Calendar year expulsion of a VHS student.
•Hired Linda Gail Haire as teacher replacing Stephanie Hardin and hired Keely Fleming as teacher assistant replacing Allyson West.
•Staci Clark, BHS, and Laken Armstrong, VES, hired as substitute teachers.
•Stacie Haimes hired as substitute student cafeteria worker. Justin Purvis, Willie Mays Jr. hired as substitute bus drivers and Tewkunzi Marks hired as substitute bus aide.
•Linda Holloway hired as part time custodian at VES.