A variety of circumstances will be causing students within the Coahoma County School District to attend a different school than expected for the 2021-22 school year.
Coahoma Early College High School closed in July. That means many students who lived in the CCSD and previously attended CECHS will be going to Coahoma County Jr./Sr. High School in 2021-22.
CCSD superintendent Dr. Ilean Richards said at Tuesday’s board meeting she expected 40 students to come from CECHS to the CCSD, but instead the number was around 50.
“We’ve had to hire more teachers,” Richards said.
“We’re trying to make sure they’re our kids and whatever.”
While CECHS is no longer in existence, CCSD juniors and seniors will have opportunities to take dual enrollment courses at Coahoma Community College and in career technical education. The CCSD board approved both dual enrollment options Tuesday.
“This will be our first year offering career tech dual enrollment classes,” said CCSD federal programs supervisor Kenisha Shelton. “Since we are growing our CTE program, we will give our career technical education schools an opportunity to have dual enrollment classes.”
Shelton said the courses will have a flat rate of $100 and cost $50 online.
Responding to a query from board member Milroy Harris, Shelton said an average of 25 students participate in the dual enrollment courses.
Sherard Elementary
The other major change is Sherard Elementary School is shut down for the 2021-22 year. Those students are attending Friars Point Elementary School for 2021-22.
The decision was made during the summer and Richard Lee, a Sherard graduate and parent with children at the school, expressed his concerns to the board.
“Can the board tell me why Sherard school was closed?” Lee said.
“For the necessary renovations needed to provide a safe and orderly school,” replied Harris, adding it was not closed, only temporarily shut down for a year.
Lee was concerned about expenses to fix problems at Sherard.
“If, by chance, this renovation expense is elaborate, what are we going to do?” said Lee, asking if it would close.
Harris said the board already looked into those issues and would be able to afford the repairs.
“I offered to fix the sewer system because that’s what I do and I was told that I could not do that,” said Lee in response.
“We’re going to hire an architect,” Harris replied. “If he puts you as a sub, I don’t think we would have any objection.”
Lee said he would do the repairs for free. He said the septic system has had issues for three years and the water blew up in February .
“The air conditioners in all of the rooms except for two work,” Lee said. “Why is it taking until the next school year to get something done? My kids love that school. I love that school.”
Board president Lester Myles said there could not be successful learning with construction at the school.
“We have a process that we have to do,” Myles said. “When you hire architects and engineers on projects, there are certain state guidelines we must follow.”
Lee understood Myles’ concerns, but asked for assurances Sherard would be open next year, which the board gave him.
Lee was also concerned about his children having to leave home at 5:30 a.m. to get to Friars Point Elementary School.
“I was raised in Friars Point,” Lee said. “I know there’s turmoil in Friars Point, but I’ve been assured by the superintendent that will not happen in the school.”
Lee said he trusted his children would be looked after.
Overall enrollment
Richards said 980 students are enrolled in the CCSD for 2021-22. That is 250 students shy of 2020-21.
“But they are coming in every day to the schools so this is what we have for enrollment as of right now,” Richards said.
“We are looking into Jonestown because when we closed schools last year, Jonestown had 160 something students.”
Richards said there were less children in Jonestown because an apartment complex was torn down there.
Richards said Coahoma County Jr./Sr. High School has 525 to 550 students. She said each elementary school had a large sixth grade that increased the high school enrollment.
