At its regular meeting, the DeSoto County Schools Board approved a series of contracts and administrative measures, adopted proposed summer-session programs for 2025, revised board policy IEDA to add K–6 computer science instructional minutes, and approved multiple personnel recommendations. The board then voted to hold an executive session to consider residency and student-discipline appeals, pending litigation and a personnel contract matter.

The actions were routine approvals of low bids, contracts and personnel items presented by staff. Board members made and seconded motions for each item; in each case the board president called for the ayes and declared the motion passed when no opposition was voiced.

Votes at a glance

- Canopy project, Lake Cormorant Middle School: approved low bid and contract with Murphy and Sons; motion recommended by staff and passed with no recorded opposition.
- Contractual agreement, Murphy and Sons: approved to execute the contract for the Lake Cormorant Middle School canopy project.
- Classroom furniture, DeSoto Central Elementary School: approved low bid from Furniture Specialists.
- Classroom furniture, Hernando (Fernanda) Hills Elementary School: approved low bid from Furniture Specialists.
- Paving project, Center Hill High School: approved low bid/contract with Wagner General Contractors.
- Contractual agreement for Center Hill High School paving: approved to execute contract with Wagner General Contractors.
- Waiver of workers' compensation liability insurance: approved for vendor identified in the packet as "Ballooned and Knotted" on the basis that the contract otherwise did not require workers' compensation coverage.
- 2025 General-education summer programs: approved. The package includes elementary summer school (one course per student at $50 per course), middle- and high-school credit-recovery sessions (up to two credits recoverable for middle school students; high-school recovery as needed), and a third-grade reading camp for students who have not met the literacy-based promotion requirement. Transportation will be provided for qualifying third-grade students; there is no student cost for reading camp attendees. Registration dates, personnel plans and camp dates were included in the board packet.
- Revised board policy IEDA (instructional minutes): approved to add required K–6 computer science instructional minutes per Mississippi Public School accountability standards.
- Personnel approvals: the board approved the personnel packet as presented, including licensed employee recommendations (including a 2025–2026 recommendation for Mackenzie Riley and others listed in the packet), multiple requests for additional pay for summer-school staff, and various clerical and administrative summer assignments.
- Approval of minutes (03/19/2025) and consent agenda: approved.
- Motion to enter executive session: approved to consider residency appeals, student-discipline matters, litigation, and a personnel contract matter; the board recessed into executive session following the vote.

Details and context

Staff presenters walked the board through each low-bid recommendation and the related contract authorization. For construction and paving projects, staff said bids were opened earlier in March/February and that a number of bids had been received (for example, 10 bids for the Center Hill High School paving project). In the case of the Lake Cormorant Middle School canopy, one bidder withdrew because of a pricing error; staff recommended awarding the contract to Murphy and Sons as the lowest and best bidder. For furniture packages at multiple elementary schools staff recommended Furniture Specialists as the lowest and best bidder.

The waiver of workers' compensation for the vendor listed as Ballooned and Knotted was presented with staff rationale that the contract did not otherwise require the vendor to carry workers' compensation insurance; the board approved the waiver.

On summer programs, staff presented the detailed eligibility and pricing: elementary summer school will offer one course per student at $50 per course (third through fifth grades have specific subject allocations), middle-school students may recover up to two credits during the summer session, and high-school students may recover any credits not earned during the regular year at $50 per course. The third-grade reading camp is designed for DeSoto County Schools third graders who have not met the literacy-based promotion requirement; transportation will be provided for qualifying students and there is no student cost for camp attendance. Staff indicated the district expects MDE (Mississippi Department of Education) score releases in April to inform which students require the reading camp and retest opportunities.

The board also approved a revision to policy IEDA to incorporate required K–6 computer science instructional minutes consistent with Mississippi Public School accountability standards. Staff presented the policy revision and the board adopted it with no recorded opposition.

Personnel recommendations included license recommendations for the 2025–2026 school year, multiple supplemental-pay requests for staff who will work summer programs and camps, and other routine personnel changes as listed in the packet. The board approved the personnel packet as presented.

After completing the business items listed above, the board voted to convene an executive session on a set of nonpublic matters: a residency appeal, student-discipline appeals, a litigation matter and a personnel contract matter. The board recessed into executive session following that vote. No outcomes from executive session were disclosed on the public record at the meeting's close.

The board's next scheduled meeting was announced as Thursday, April 17, at 10 a.m.