And immediately they left their nets and followed him. – Mark 1:18
When they heard the call of Jesus, Simon and Andrew obeyed at once without hesitation. If we did likewise and punctually with resolute zeal put into practice what we hear immediately, then our attendance at the means of grace and our reading of good books could not fail to enrich us spiritually. He will not lose his loaf who has taken care to eat it immediately; neither can he be deprived of the benefit of the doctrine who has already acted upon it. Most readers and hearers become moved to decide to take action; but sadly, the proposal is a blossom that has not flowered, and as a result no fruit comes from it; they wait, they waver, and then they forget, until, like the ponds on frosty nights, when the sun shines by day, they are only thawed in time to be frozen again.
That fatal tomorrow is blood-red with the murder of good resolutions; it is the slaughterhouse of the innocents. We are very concerned that our little book of “Evening Readings” should not be fruitless, and therefore we pray that readers may not be readers only, but doers of the Word. The practice of truth is the fruit of profitable reading.
Should the reader be impressed with any duty while perusing these pages, let him be quick to fulfill it before the holy glow has departed from his soul, and let him leave his nets and all that he has rather than be found rebellious to the Master’s call. Do not give place to the devil by delay! Act while opportunity and desire are working in happy partnership. Do not be caught in your own nets, but break the meshes of worldliness, and go where glory calls you. Happy is the writer who will meet with readers resolved to carry out his teachings: His harvest will be a hundredfold, and his Master will have great honor. We can only pray that this might be our reward from these brief meditations and hurried hints. Grant it, O Lord, to Your servant!
This article first appeared on the Magnolia Tribune and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
Mississippi Today has been recognized in multiple categories of the 2024 Society of Professional Journalists’ Green Eyeshade Awards, a prestigious annual competition that recognizes the best journalism in the Southeast.
The awards honor journalism published in 2023 and are open to journalists and news organizations from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia.
“We’re very proud that our journalists continue to be recognized among the best in the nation for their hard work on behalf of Mississippians,” said Adam Ganucheau, Mississippi Today’s editor-in-chief. “The talented team we’ve assembled in our newsroom is dedicated to providing impactful journalism that moves the needle for our state. We’re grateful for these honors.”
Mississippi Today placed in three different digital newsroom categories for this year’s Green Eyeshades.
Non-deadline reporting
Molly Minta, a reporter for Mississippi Today and Open Campus, won the second place award for her series on turmoil inside Delta State University’s music department.
Investigative reporting
Mississippi Today’s Julia James, Geoff Pender, Bobby Harrison, Taylor Vance and Adam Ganucheau won third place for a series on Gov. Tate Reeves’ top campaign donors who received state contracts under his administration.
Sports commentary
Mississippi Today’s Rick Cleveland won second place for a series of sports columns published in 2023.
A judge has dismissed a driving-under-the-influence charge in Alabama against Mississippi state Sen. Michael McLendon, R-Hernando, according to court records.
Baldwin County, Alabama, District Judge George Elbrecht in an order dismissed the charge after McLendon’s attorney made an oral motion in court to dismiss the charge.
The brief, one-page order does not describe why the DeSoto County lawmaker believed the charge should be dismissed or the contents of his motion, but it does say an “argument was presented” by McLendon’s attorney.
McLendon, currently in his second term, said in a statement that he thanked DeSoto County voters for their “unwavering support and trust” they have expressed to him since he was initially charged last year.
“This experience reaffirms the importance of setting a positive example both in my personal and professional life,” McLendon said. “I have a stronger understanding and greater appreciation for our judicial system.”
McLendon was initially arrested around 10 a.m. on June 5, 2023, after law enforcement pulled him over on Highway 98 near Foley, Alabama. He was charged with DUI combined with a substance and released later that evening after posting a $2,500 bond.
Baldwin County Chief Deputy Anthony Lowery at the time said that McLendon was “completely compliant, with no issues whatsoever” when he was arrested.
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
A judge has dismissed a driving-under-the-influence charge in Alabama against Mississippi state Sen. Michael McLendon, R-Hernando, according to court records.
Baldwin County, Alabama, District Judge George Elbrecht in an order dismissed the charge after McLendon’s attorney made an oral motion in court to dismiss the charge.
The brief, one-page order does not describe why the DeSoto County lawmaker believed the charge should be dismissed or the contents of his motion, but it does say an “argument was presented” by McLendon’s attorney.
McLendon, currently in his second term, said in a statement that he thanked DeSoto County voters for their “unwavering support and trust” they have expressed to him since he was initially charged last year.
“This experience reaffirms the importance of setting a positive example both in my personal and professional life,” McLendon said. “I have a stronger understanding and greater appreciation for our judicial system.”
McLendon was initially arrested around 10 a.m. on June 5, 2023, after law enforcement pulled him over on Highway 98 near Foley, Alabama. He was charged with DUI combined with a substance and released later that evening after posting a $2,500 bond.
Baldwin County Chief Deputy Anthony Lowery at the time said that McLendon was “completely compliant, with no issues whatsoever” when he was arrested.
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
House Education Chairman Roberson cautions school districts that saw a significant increase in funding to use it wisely.
Starting July 1, a new funding formula went into effect for Mississippi’s K-12 public education system. Some school districts will receive millions in additional funding under the new formula that replaces the former Mississippi Adequate Education Program, or MAEP.
The idea for the new funding structure, called the Mississippi Student Funding Formula, was to ensure that the school districts in most need received additional monies.
The increased local district allocations outlined below range from thousands to more than $18 million and include increases to educational funding as well as increases to teacher pay, health insurance and state retirement contributions in PERS.
Total increased funding statewide comes to just under $240 million.
“The purpose of this is to help the districts that do not have a tax base,” State Representative Rob Roberson (R) explained to Magnolia Tribune. “To suggest that the intent was to raise money for areas that already have a tax base would be wasteful spending. So, the whole point of this is to make certain that we are getting to areas that do not have a tax base, getting them more in line where they need to be.”
Roberson chairs the Education Committee in the Mississippi House of Representatives.
The top five districts receiving the most in increases include Jackson Public School District at $18.3 million, Desoto County Schools at $15.8 million, Jones County School District at $8 million, Lamar County School District at $7.9 million and Picayune School District at $5.8 million.
Districts that will see lesser increases include Coffeeville School District with $26,120, West Tallahatchie School District at $32,056, South Delta School District at $33,838, Baldwyn School District at $38,586, Quitman County School District at $42,158 and North Bolivar Consolidated School District at $42,741.
“The long-term effect of this is to make sure we are educating kids, not necessarily to continue raising the amount of money we’re spending on education just because,” Rep. Roberson described. “We’re raising it in places that need it.”
Rep. Roberson explained that the reason behind the Jackson Public School District receiving a larger increase than all other districts is because the capital city has seen a major decrease in population, which has also impacted the district.
The U.S. Census Bureau reports that between the 2010 and 2020 census, Jackson lost roughly 20,000 residents. Another 10,000 decrease was estimated between 2020 and 2023.
“When you have an area that has a depleted tax base you have to fill the gap somehow, and Jackson would be one of those places that has lost a tremendous amount of population,” Roberson elaborated. “So, the reality is that Jackson would be one more example of a place that we have to spend some money to get their educational system back up.”
Similar significant reduction in population in certain areas across the state lends itself to the potential for consolidation between districts, the House Education Chairman added.
Roberson cautions districts that saw a significant increase in funding to use it wisely.
“Just because we did this this year doesn’t mean that we’re not going to look for solutions for Jackson or anywhere else,” Rep. Roberson said. “I would not put a tremendous amount of faith in the fact that just because you got an increase this year doesn’t mean that you don’t have to make sure you’re spending it properly in the upcoming years.”
Forest Thigpen, Senior Advisor with Empower Mississippi, agrees that monitoring the extra money is wise, ensuring the dollars are reaching the intended demographics.
Forest Thigpen
“Because how the money is spent, not the amount of money available to spend, is the key to the effective use of all spending,” Thigpen said.
As previously reported, the new funding formula has a weighted system that focuses on poverty levels, special education needs, sparsity in population and other factors.
One of the notable weights in the new system addresses children categorized as living in poverty. Those students may not have the same opportunities due to living in single parent homes or homes where the parents have a limited education.
For instance, MAEP previously provided a 5 percent weight for low-income students. Under the new formula, a low-income student will draw a 30 percent weight, good for an additional $2,008 on top of the base student cost, which is $6,695 in the first year. The base student funding will be increased in 2026, 2027, 2028 based on inflation. Beginning in 2029, and once every four years thereafter, the State Board of Education will recommend a new base student funding amount based on a new “objective formula” that factors in instructional, administrative and facility costs.
Thigpen said some ways to spend the dollars wisely in the low-income category could be through extra tutoring, more training for new teachers, and teacher retention and recruitment. He said those factors are especially true in rural school districts, many of which fit into the poverty category.
“Right or wrong, the school has to spend more to make up for those challenges the students face,” Thigpen added.
With Mississippi mostly categorized as a rural state, Thigpen believes it could be hard to attract teachers to a district where they have to drive further to get to work each day while also dealing with the extra demands that might be placed on teachers in districts classified as rural or with a high poverty level.
Another important weight the new formula aims to address is in workforce development through the enticement of more Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses.
“I have been surprised to learn how relatively few districts provide CTE courses, so this (weight) is intended from a financial standpoint to encourage more CTE training,” Thigpen described. “And plus, a lot of the CTE classes require equipment or tools or other things that cost more than the curriculum of an academic class.”
The new funding formula does include a hold harmless provision for three years, meaning funding for school districts will not decrease from what they received in the 2023-2024 school year.
Rep. Roberson was clear that the hold harmless provision is for a school district’s planning purposes, allowing local school leaders time to make cuts where and if needed before the provision expires. He added that the previous funding formula through MAEP also had a hold harmless provision that lasted for decades. However, this one will not be in place that long.
“The original MAEP formula had districts that were held harmless for 20-some-odd years. That is not what we’re doing,” Roberson said. “This hold harmless is intended to give school districts the ability to plan. We will be sticking to a three-year plan.”
Compared to the traditional public schools in the state, charter schools saw much smaller increases in funding. The charter school that saw the largest increase was Clarksdale Collegiate at $681,817, while the district with the smallest increase was Instant Impact Global Prep at $594.
Rep. Roberson explained that charter schools did not receive as much of an increase due to the way the weighted formula works.
This article first appeared on the Magnolia Tribune and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
The new facility is projected to have an economic impact of nearly $30 million per year and create upwards of 80 new local jobs.
For nearly a decade, some 14,000 Smith County residents have been without emergency medical services. Thanks to a new venture between Covington County Hospital (CCH) and South Central Regional Medical Center (SCRMC) that could soon change.
The systems are collaborating to establish Smith County Emergency Hospital, a new Rural Emergency Hospital. The facility will be located in Raleigh and is scheduled to begin operations in late December 2024 or early January 2025, pending approval from the Mississippi Department of Health.
David Culpepper, Marketing Director for CCH, told Magnolia Tribune on Tuesday that the neighboring rural hospitals are working together to fill a void in healthcare delivery. He said during a time when hospitals’ fiscal struggles make headlines, CCH and SCRMC CEO Gregg Gibbes has taken the approach of “why not us, why can’t we” provide services rural residents lack.
David Culpepper
“So many things have been in the press over the past several years of failing hospitals, failing health systems. Is it mismanagement, is it reimbursements, is it uncompensated care? And the answer is yeah, it’s a little bit of all of it,” Culpepper said. “But if you work smarter, you work harder, and you plan and partner, you can do it.”
Culpepper said there is no question recent state and federal legislative efforts to designate rural emergency hospitals and allow collaboration, as well as gubernatorial actions, such as the reforms to Medicaid reimbursements, helped make the venture possible.
“Obviously, small, rural communities in Mississippi just can’t support full-fledged, fully operating acute care hospitals. They can, however, support a critical access or rural emergency hospital,” Culpepper said. “Basically, with the Rural Emergency Hospital status, it allows us to do that where we feel like it’s sustainable and we’re going to be able to continue to meet the needs of the community.”
In November 2022, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through its Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services approved a rule allowing Critical Access Hospitals and small rural hospitals to convert to a Rural Emergency Hospital. According to the Mississippi Department of Health, a facility is eligible to convert to a Rural Emergency Hospital if it was a Critical Access Hospital or rural hospital with not more than 50 beds as of December 27, 2020, including a hospital that closed after that date. Rural Emergency Hospitals must provide emergency services and observation care and are prohibited by the statute from providing inpatient services. One requirement of the Rural Emergency Hospital status is that a facility must discharge or transfer patients within 24 hours.
Even still, since Smith County currently does not have a hospital, the opening of Smith County Emergency Hospital will substantially enhance medical care for residents of Smith County and surrounding areas, providing emergency medical services, outpatient services, and reducing travel time.
Gregg Gibbes
“The new Rural Emergency Hospital will be a lifesaver for Raleigh, Smith County, and neighboring communities, particularly during an emergency where every minute matters,” said CEO Gibbes.
But health services aren’t the only benefit of this new venture.
The new facility is projected to have an economic impact of nearly $30 million per year and create upwards of 80 new local jobs, according to a study completed by the Trent Lott National Center at the University of Southern Mississippi.
Culpepper added that the facility is also expected to generate roughly $150,000 annually in local taxes and another $254,000 in state taxes.
“It’s going to bring a refreshing sense to the community, providing emergency medical services while also creating jobs and a real economic impact that goes along with it,” Culpepper said.
He said the town is “abuzz” that the opportunity is coming.
Jerry Fields, the President of the Smith County Board of Supervisors, said in a statement that he was confident of the positive impacts that Smith County Emergency Hospital will have on the county.
“We are excited,” he said.
(Rendering provided by Covington County Hosptial)
As previously reported, Patients’ Choice Medical Center suddenly closed in the spring of 2023, leaving the area without a hospital. Prior to its unexpected closing, the former hospital offered 29 general acute care beds but no emergency room.
The new Smith County Emergency Hospital, which will be located in the old Patients’ Choice facility, is slated to house the new emergency department, radiology, imaging suite, laboratory, and admissions area.
This article first appeared on the Magnolia Tribune and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
CYPREMORT POINT, La. — Thomas Olander has watched his shrimp catch shrink over the last 15 years. It’s not just the abundance of Louisiana shrimp; Olander said that the average size of the crustacean has also shrunk.
In the past, shrimpers could expect the crustaceans to grow throughout the spring season, which starts in May in Louisiana waters and generally runs through July. “Since we’ve been dealing with this ‘dead zone,’” said Olander. “We’re not seeing that growth no more.”
The dead zone is a stretch along the shallows of the Gulf of Mexico where algae blooms choke off oxygen in the water.
This month, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) estimated that this summer’s dead zone would reach 5,827 square miles – an area roughly the size of Connecticut. That’s up from approximately 3,058 square miles in 2023.
These massive algae blooms are caused by nutrients that run off of farms up and down the Mississippi River Basin, which stretches from Northern Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico.
Fertilizer that helps crops grow contains high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus. These nutrients run off the fields during rainstorms at the end of the growing season and end up in waterways leading to the Mississippi River.
Murky, sediment-rich Mississippi River water mixes with fresh saltwater in the Gulf of Mexico on June 7, 2024. Nutrient runoff from 41% of the United States flows down the Mississippi, creating a “dead zone.” Aerial support provided by SouthWings. Photo by La’Shance Perry, The Lens ” data-medium-file=”https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/landsend-flyover_cred-SouthWings_LaShance-Perry_The-Lens.jpg?fit=300%2C200&ssl=1″ data-large-file=”https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/landsend-flyover_cred-SouthWings_LaShance-Perry_The-Lens.jpg?fit=780%2C519&ssl=1″ tabindex=”0″ role=”button” src=”https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/landsend-flyover_cred-SouthWings_LaShance-Perry_The-Lens.jpg?resize=780%2C519&ssl=1″ alt class=”wp-image-44804″ srcset=”https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/landsend-flyover_cred-SouthWings_LaShance-Perry_The-Lens.jpg?resize=1024%2C682&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/landsend-flyover_cred-SouthWings_LaShance-Perry_The-Lens.jpg?resize=300%2C200&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/landsend-flyover_cred-SouthWings_LaShance-Perry_The-Lens.jpg?resize=768%2C512&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/landsend-flyover_cred-SouthWings_LaShance-Perry_The-Lens.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/landsend-flyover_cred-SouthWings_LaShance-Perry_The-Lens.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/landsend-flyover_cred-SouthWings_LaShance-Perry_The-Lens.jpg?resize=1568%2C1045&ssl=1 1568w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/landsend-flyover_cred-SouthWings_LaShance-Perry_The-Lens.jpg?resize=400%2C267&ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/landsend-flyover_cred-SouthWings_LaShance-Perry_The-Lens.jpg?w=2000&ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/landsend-flyover_cred-SouthWings_LaShance-Perry_The-Lens-1024×682.jpg?w=370&ssl=1 370w” sizes=”(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px” data-recalc-dims=”1″>Murky, sediment-rich Mississippi River water mixes with fresh saltwater in the Gulf of Mexico on June 7, 2024. Nutrient runoff from 41% of the United States flows down the Mississippi, creating a “dead zone.” Aerial support provided by SouthWings. Photo by La’Shance Perry, The Lens
In 1996, the dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico came to national attention through local reporting.
CYPREMORT POINT, La. — Thomas Olander has watched his shrimp catch shrink over the last 15 years. It’s not just the abundance of Louisiana shrimp; Olander said that the average size of the crustacean has also shrunk.
In the past, shrimpers could expect the crustaceans to grow throughout the spring season, which starts in May in Louisiana waters and generally runs through July. “Since we’ve been dealing with this ‘dead zone,’” said Olander. “We’re not seeing that growth no more.”
The dead zone is a stretch along the shallows of the Gulf of Mexico where algae blooms choke off oxygen in the water.
This month, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) estimated that this summer’s dead zone would reach 5,827 square miles – an area roughly the size of Connecticut. That’s up from approximately 3,058 square miles in 2023.
These massive algae blooms are caused by nutrients that run off of farms up and down the Mississippi River Basin, which stretches from Northern Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico.
Fertilizer that helps crops grow contains high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus. These nutrients run off the fields during rainstorms at the end of the growing season and end up in waterways leading to the Mississippi River.
Murky, sediment-rich Mississippi River water mixes with fresh saltwater in the Gulf of Mexico on June 7, 2024. Nutrient runoff from 41% of the United States flows down the Mississippi, creating a “dead zone.” Aerial support provided by SouthWings. Photo by La’Shance Perry, The Lens ” data-medium-file=”https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/landsend-flyover_cred-SouthWings_LaShance-Perry_The-Lens.jpg?fit=300%2C200&ssl=1″ data-large-file=”https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/landsend-flyover_cred-SouthWings_LaShance-Perry_The-Lens.jpg?fit=780%2C519&ssl=1″ tabindex=”0″ role=”button” src=”https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/landsend-flyover_cred-SouthWings_LaShance-Perry_The-Lens.jpg?resize=780%2C519&ssl=1″ alt class=”wp-image-44804″ srcset=”https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/landsend-flyover_cred-SouthWings_LaShance-Perry_The-Lens.jpg?resize=1024%2C682&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/landsend-flyover_cred-SouthWings_LaShance-Perry_The-Lens.jpg?resize=300%2C200&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/landsend-flyover_cred-SouthWings_LaShance-Perry_The-Lens.jpg?resize=768%2C512&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/landsend-flyover_cred-SouthWings_LaShance-Perry_The-Lens.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/landsend-flyover_cred-SouthWings_LaShance-Perry_The-Lens.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/landsend-flyover_cred-SouthWings_LaShance-Perry_The-Lens.jpg?resize=1568%2C1045&ssl=1 1568w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/landsend-flyover_cred-SouthWings_LaShance-Perry_The-Lens.jpg?resize=400%2C267&ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/landsend-flyover_cred-SouthWings_LaShance-Perry_The-Lens.jpg?w=2000&ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/landsend-flyover_cred-SouthWings_LaShance-Perry_The-Lens-1024×682.jpg?w=370&ssl=1 370w” sizes=”(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px” data-recalc-dims=”1″>Murky, sediment-rich Mississippi River water mixes with fresh saltwater in the Gulf of Mexico on June 7, 2024. Nutrient runoff from 41% of the United States flows down the Mississippi, creating a “dead zone.” Aerial support provided by SouthWings. Photo by La’Shance Perry, The Lens
In 1996, the dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico came to national attention through local reporting.
Register for the 2024-2025 School Year by July 22!
Parents and Guardians,
We want to remind you that registration for the 2024-2025 school year is still open! To ensure your child can attend school on the first day, Monday, July 22, 2024, please complete the registration online by that date.
Register now and take advantage of our special incentive: Students who register before July 22nd will enjoy FREE dress during the first week of school! Please make sure your child’s attire adheres to the appropriate guidelines. (Spirit Shirts and Jeans with No Holes)
Important Details:
Registration assistance at individual school sites is now closed. If you need help with registration, click on the link below:
Assistance with registration at individual school sites is now closed. This is to prepare for the start of the school year.
If your child is not registered by July 22 and you need assistance: You must complete registration at Mason Elementary School. Your child will not be able to attend their designated school until the registration process is complete.
Mason Elementary School Registration Assistance Schedule (July 22-26, 2024):
Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 7:30 AM – 11:30 AM Tuesday & Thursday: 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM
If you have any questions, please contact your child’s designated school:
Laurel Magnet School of the Arts: 601-428-7782 (4K, 5K, 1st-6th Grades)
Oak Park Elementary School: 601-428-5046 (4K, 5K, 1st Grades)
Nora Davis Elementary School: 601-438-3140 (2nd-4th Grades)
It’s beginning to look a lot like…Back to School. While some of you may be excited, others don’t feel quite the same way. You should have seen it coming. Store shelves have been stocked with school supplies right alongside the Fourth of July merchandise and in some instances, Christmas decorations.
The only thing to do is make the best of it. Most students report to school around the fourth week in July, which seems really early to those who remember not starting school until after Labor Day.
Parents have, most assuredly, been pulled through the store’s aisles in search of the perfect school supplies or parents have made the wise decision to order them through the school.
But don’t forget, you don’t just need to remember school supplies. You also need to make sure your students are in tip-top shape as far as their health is concerned. Do they need an eye exam, a hearing test? Do they need a physical, or any other type of checkup? If your child is on a medication that has to be administered throughout the day, have you talked with the school nurse? Does your child have a severe allergy to peanuts or bees that might require an epi-pen be kept on sight? If your child is participating in any type of school-related sports activities they will need a physical.
These items are more important than a three-ring binder or folders in all the primary colors, glue sticks, and No. 2 pencils. A successful year depends on a child’s ability to be able to see and hear their teacher, while participating in all activities.
Here’s a list of Back to School tips compiled from a variety of sources to help make sure your children have a good start to the school year.
Is your child new to school? If so, schedule a visit to tour the school so your child can get familiar with their teacher, where their room is located, or be sure and attend an Open House or Meet the Teacher Day. This will help remove some of the anxiety your child may feel going into a new and different place. Walk them to the cafeteria or let them play on the playground with other children. Change can make children nervous and, at times, upset them. By doing this, you can help make this transition much easier for them. If your
