After 12 years as the Clarksdale Municipal School District Superintendent of Schools, Dennis J. Dupree will retire June 28.
Dupree made the announcement during Thursday evening’s regular December board meeting.
“I want to say that the staff here is one of the best I have ever worked with anywhere,” Dupree said as he complimented the school district’s administrative staff.
Dupree will retire with 39 years and six months as a superintendent of schools in Mississippi.
Thursday’s meeting began with the board electing new officers. H. Clay “Sandy” Stillions moved up to become president of the Board, replacing Rob Tyner, who resigned last month. Delores S. Harris, former board secretary, moved up to the position of board vice president and board member Kenneth Gooden is now the board secretary.
School at-risk reports were heard, after which Stillions questioned as to why student attendance had dropped to 86 percent at Clarksdale High School.
“I’m just concerned any time I notice attendance dropping below 90 percent anywhere in the district,” Stillions said.
The consensus was that attendance was normally down between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
The board approved the consent agenda with no discussion, including hiring Emma Cosby Jackson of Clarksdale as a consultant to provide professional development, new teacher training, classroom management, coaching, mentoring, class observations, classroom demonstrations, modeling, administering developmental screeners and assessments, analyzing data, designing standard-based lesson plans, hands-on student interactions, small group and individualized. She will be paid a cost of $975 for a total of 17.5 days.
The board approved payment of claims totaling $680,999.01.
Before adjourning, the board heard from former Clarksdale High School students Jasmine Malone and Tyler Yarborough, both of whom currently sophomores at the University of Mississippi. The two recently returned to Clarksdale to hold workshops designed to aid current graduating seniors at Clarksdale High School.
“From the feedback we’ve received, I think we were successful,” Malone told the board.
“We are here for them,” Yarborough said enthusiastically in agreement.
The board praised the duo for their efforts and those in attendance applauded the two.
The board went into executive session to discuss three student matters and a legal issue before adjourning.
