George County School Board approves routine contracts, testing and leases; moves to executive session on student discipline

The George County School District board voted on a slate of routine motions at its monthly meeting, approving interagency and vendor agreements, awards and leases, and then voted to go into executive session to discuss student-discipline matters.

At the top of the business docket the board approved an MOU allowing the district police to use the Lucedale Police Department's server to host ETS Solutions Inc. software for a one-year term with an annual renewal option. The motion carried after members asked and were told the term is one year with an option to renew.

Board members also opened and awarded several bids and leases, including a hunting and fishing lease awarded to Brady Bloodsworth. The board approved a one-year subscription with I Excel Learning for special education progress monitoring at a cost of $3,288.75 and approved an agreement to provide the preACT 8/9 testing program for eighth graders at a cost of $18.50 per student, to be funded from district maintenance.

An item to open a segregated bank account at First State Bank was approved so funds tied to House Bill 603 and Senate bill allocations can be reported separately; Arthur Reissheimer was named as a signatory alongside the superintendent. The board also discussed a planned switch to Eastern Alliance Insurance Company, with staff reporting a projected savings compared with the prior carrier.

Most motions were moved and seconded on the floor with the presiding member calling "all in favor," and the board recorded motions as carried. The meeting concluded business with a motion to enter executive session to consider student-discipline matters for four named students; the motion carried and the board moved to closed session.

The board provided no detailed vote tallies in the public transcript for individual members; outcomes reported in open session were recorded as approved motions where noted.