The Attala County School Board Monday night approved a new postsecondary education program for special needs students.
The district will join the Kosciusko schools and Baptist Memorial Hospital - Attala in a partnership with “Project SEARCH,” administered by the Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services (MDRS), to provide older special needs students with nine months of training at local businesses, hopefully preparing them for longterm employment.
According to the proposal submitted by Special Education Director Renee McNeal, up to 12 county students with disabilities “will experience full workplace immersion, classroom instruction, career exploration and hands-on training through three different worksite rotations.”
The students will receive job and life-skills training with the goal of allowing students with significant disabilities to transition into independent and productive adult lives.
According to the proposal, the program has an 80% success rate with helping these students attain that goal.
“This gives parents the assurance that their children can make it without them,” McNeal told the board. “They will have a career to support themselves. It helps the parents the hope that their children will be taken care of and be able to live independently going forward.”
The cost to the county will be half of a certified SPED-certified teacher slot, with the rest of the salary covered by MDRS, which will also provide uniforms and equipment for the program. The Kosciusko School District will outfit the classroom learning environment with the supplies needed to meet the varying needs of the participating students.
After watching a promotional video for the program (www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXF-6BIyul), the board approved joining the program, which will begin with the 2020-2021 school year, though informational meetings and planning sessions will begin later this month.
McAdams Saturday school to start in February
With a $44,884 allocation of a Title 1 School Improvement Grant from the state Department of Education, the McAdams School Leadership Team (SLT) will move forward with plans for a six-week Saturday School program starting the first week in February.
The funds were awarded to assist the school in providing remediation to help the school improve test scores and climb out of its current F rating with the state.
The SLT will spend $37,500 of the funds on contractual personnel and another $6,600 for payroll staff for the half-day program.
The district will contribute $2,400 to the pgoram to fund additional transportation costs, lunch and a basketball program following each session as an incentive to promote student attendance, and a trip for students who attend at least five of the six sessions as an incentive for consistent participation.
New board member sworn in
Camille Smith of Sallis was selected and sworn in to replace Willie Perteet, who left the board in January to assume his new duties as the elected county supervisor for District 4.
Smith said she grew up in the McAdams School District, but her parents sent her to the Kosciusko schools because they felt it offered her etter opportunities at that point. She said she wants to ensure that the county schools are as good as they can be so parents don’t need to look elsewhere.
“I hop I can maybe help the district improve so kids stay here,” she said, noting that her siblings attended McAdams High School. “It’s not that the kids here arent’ capable, they just need a little push.”
Board Chairman Christie Moody said the board selected Smith over the other applicant for the temporary post because she had show initiative in getting involved.
“She’s been at several board meetings, show interest, asked questions, and made an effort to learn our processes,” she said. “She has a vested interest in the district and we feel she’ll do a good job.”
Smith has two children who attend Long Creek Elementary School.
A special election for the permanent post will be held in November.
