012414 daily corinthian e edition

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Friday Jan. 24,

2014

50 cents

Daily Corinthian Vol. 118, No. 21

Sunny, cold Today

Tonight

29

22

0% chance of snow

• Corinth, Mississippi • 20 pages • 2 sections

Officials against elected boards BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com

Local officials are again pushing back against an effort to have all school board members chosen by popular vote in Mississippi. While county school boards are elected, many munici-

pal school boards, including Corinth, are not, and the Board of Aldermen wants to keep it that way. The board recently passed a resolution opposing any bills in the 2014 Legislature that would mandate elected school boards. “We’ve got a system that has

worked well for us and, as I see it, will continue to work well,” said Ward 1 Alderman Andrew Labas. At least one bill that would mandate elected school boards in every district is pending in the new session. A similar effort in the 2013 session did not suc-

ceed. House Bill 443, which would require the election of all school board members and establish a term of office of four years for all school board members, is pending before the House Education Committee. District 2 Rep. Nick Bain (D—Corinth)

said he has two amendments prepared — one that would specifically exempt Corinth from the law and another that would make the elected system optional in top-rated school districts. Please see BOARD | 2A

PRO Kart Tour to make CA stop BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com

Staff photo by Jebb Johnston

Corinth Superintendent Lee Childress (left), Mississippi Board of Education Chairman O. Wayne Gann and Mississippi Superintendent of Education Carey Wright speak during a break in Thursday’s education summit.

Initiative unveiled at summit BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com

A new spin on education continues to emerge in the Corinth School District. In a time in which the electronic task of “copy and paste” is considered an essential skill to know by third grade, a nottoo-distant future may see every student using a tablet or laptop as they explore new avenues of learning — possibly including the study of multiple languages. In an education summit on Thursday, the district unveiled its “eMerge” initiative — a range of programs including the recently announced early learning collaborative, a literacy initiative, curriculum enhancements and personalized learning, among others. “We’re rolling in what has worked in the past with what is working now and what we think education needs to look like in the future,” said Superintendent Lee Childress. Some of the initiatives are already happening in the classroom and some will roll out in

the next school year. He expects the changes to help motivate students. “If you personalize that learning,” the superintendent said, “if you blend that learning and you put that technology component in, it will create a sense of excitement, a sense of motivation. And while I might have before said, ‘I cant do this,’ I will now say, ‘Wow, I can do it.’ And that’s exactly what we have seen with the Excellence for All program.” The overall approach moves beyond merely acquiring knowledge and choosing an answer on a multiple-choice exam to actively applying what the student has learned. “If I have a great deal of knowledge but can’t apply it, it really doesn’t matter,” said Childress. The technology component that the district is considering would give every student an electronic device, either iPad or laptop, that can be used in the classroom with take-home opportunities for students in grades five through 12. Tablets

would go to the lower grades, including prekindergarten. Funding, as always, will be part of the equation. “We think we can do most of what we are talking about and not raise taxes,” he said, but a fund may be established to help provide some expanded opportunities for teachers. Curriculum changes in the works include launching Cambridge Primary for children ages five to 11, information communication and technology starter skills infused throughout pre-K through 12th grade, and increased access to world language enrichment programs. The latter would expose young children to other languages with a goal of having them master not only English but two other languages by the time they reach eighth grade. In a competitive world, “Look at how marketable that person will be,” said Childress. Corinth’s former superintendent, O. Wayne Gann, now chairman of the Mississippi Please see SUMMIT | 2A

The top kart drivers in the country will be getting down and dirty at the Crossroads Arena. Chase’n Race’n PRO Kart Tour is coming to the multipurpose facility for the first time on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1. The tour’s Rebel Shootout will see over 300 racers from 15 different states take part in two days of racing on a dirt track inside the building. “It’s going to be a fun event and we want to get as many people as we can because the tour wants to come back again,” said general manager Tammy Genovese during Wednesday’s monthly meeting of the arena board. “This is going to bring in a lot of out of town people,” added board chairman Dr. Hardwick Kay. Genovese informed the seven-person board dirt will be added to the facility on Monday and Tuesday with the track builder coming in on Wednes-

day. “It’s not a spectator sport, but the push for kids is Disney characters like Lightning McQueen will be here for photos and autographs,” said the general manager. There will be no charge for attendees to take photos of the characters. “This will be the tour’s first indoor event and we want people to come out and have a good time,” added Genovese. Tickets are $10 and $5. In other board business, the general manager told the board the facility got off to a solid start in 2014 with January being a good month. “There is going to be a down month here and there, but we are holding our own and aren’t digging into our reserves to survive,” she said. “We are staying above water without the city and county operating money … that’s a good sign,” added board member Penn Majors. Board member Thom Rogers was absent from the meeting.

VFW reaches out to needy Vietnam vet BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com

WENASOGA — A veteran was in need. The Veterans of Foreign Wars stepped up to help. Vietnam veteran James Patey faced a tough situation. Storm damage had left his home with a leaky roof and complications from knee replacement surgery had landed the Purple Heart recipient in the nursing home. “Upon hearing the disaster of a VFW post member, we jumped in to help,” said VFW District Commander Jim Gay.

“It’s something we take very serious.” Following the encouragement of Mac Gilmore and donations by several veterans, the team of VFW members set out to replace the leaky roof. “District 9 Vice Commander Ben Baker worked diligently with all VFW Post and Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH) to acquire the much needed donations for the project,” said Gay. Post 3962 Commander Bill Please see VETERAN | 2A

Local 3rd graders decorate mailing boxes to send to soldiers BY KIMBERLY SHELTON kshelton@dailycorinthian.com

Imagination was in full bloom Wednesday as third graders from Biggersville and Rienzi elementary schools participated in one of LINK’s (Lead, Inspire and Nurture Kids) annual art projects. Markers, stickers, boxes and stencils littered the tables of the Rienzi Elementary School library as students collaborated in an effort to honor and encourage Mississippi soldiers. Using their art to communicate the gratitude in their hearts, the students decorated mailing boxes which will later be filled with personal items and shipped to our troops. Each year, local artists, High School art teachers and their pupils are commissioned to

work with students in area schools as part of the “Artists In the Schools” program. The project is funded through grants by the T.J. Pierce Foundation, C.A.R.E., Mississippi Arts Commission and Toyota. Contributing artists encourage the youth by helping them to realize their artistic visions and potential. Artist, Tony Bullard did his project at Glendale and Kossuth Elementary Schools and has worked with six different classrooms of third graders. Jennifer LeGoff (H.S. art teacher at Corinth) will be visiting Corinth Elementary School later this month to assist in their project. Crystal Bryde (H.S. art teacher for Alcorn County Schools) will be working with the 3rd

graders at Alcorn Central Elementary School at a later date. “We always do art projects, but this time, I thought we’d do something for someone else,” said Judith Lowery as she studied the colorful drawings and messages. “Stay safe and come home soon,” read one of the boxes. Hearts and rainbows were painted on another to remind those serving of brighter days ahead. Lowery revealed that she gained inspiration from a news article she read about people sending shoe boxes to soldiers serving overseas. She supervised the children as they added their own decorations and stylings to the packages, often stopping to admire their handiwork and

Index Stocks......8A Classified......4B Comics...... 7A State......5A

Weather......9A Obituaries......6A Opinion......4A Sports....10A

Biggersville and Rienzi elementary schools participated in one of LINK’s annual art projects. praise them for their cleverness. “I really enjoy working with

the students and seeing what Please see BOXES | 2A

On this day in history 150 years ago Like Corinth, the Union is abandoning LaGrange, Tenn. The local commander asks if he should destroy the forts. Gen. Hurlbut responds, “Leave the fortifications alone. Bring in your entire command, and leave the country to God and the cavalry.”


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