Alcorn School District: Kossuth Teachers Join State Task Force

Two Kossuth Elementary School teachers will help shape special education lessons used across Mississippi, Alcorn School District leaders said at the board’s October meeting, held after students returned from fall break.

Superintendent Brandon Quinn also updated trustees on career events at the district’s six county schools, and the board approved a state equipment grant and several policy changes.

Kossuth Teachers Tapped for Statewide Work

Kelly Hart and Erin Eaton, special education teachers at Kossuth Elementary, have been invited to serve on a Mississippi Department of Education task force. The group is writing lesson plans built on the Mississippi Alternate Academic Achievement Standards, which guide instruction for students with significant cognitive disabilities.

Once finished, the lessons are meant to support those students and their teachers statewide.

Hart and Eaton have also been sharing their work beyond Alcorn County. They presented at the Time Is Right Conference in June and at the Mississippi Council for Exceptional Children conference in September. Quinn told the board they are “two of the best special education teachers in the district.”

Alcorn School District Career Events This Week

Quinn said the district is gearing up for the MPOWER College and Career Expo on Thursday, Oct. 29, at the Crossroads Arena in Corinth. The expo is led by district career coaches.

“We’re expecting big things on October 29,” Quinn said, adding that many people have been working behind the scenes to prepare.

Students at the Alcorn Career and Technical Center are also getting hands-on time with Big Ideas USA, a virtual reality program that lets them try out skills from different career fields in a safe setting and then see how those skills are used on the job. Quinn credited the C.A.R.E. Foundation, The Alliance, and city and county career coaches with making the visit possible.

Grant and Policy Approvals

Trustees approved several items, including:

• A $10,700 Mississippi Department of Education equipment grant for the ACTC health science program
• Seeking bids for unused or unneeded technology equipment
• Use of the Kossuth Middle School gym by Cornerstone Volleyball Club
• A policy covering employees who occasionally handle school funds as a secondary duty
• Amendments to board policies, including the attendance policy
• Policies on letters of recommendation and possession of weapons on school property
• Adding the ASD Attendance Monitoring Protocol to the student handbook

Next Meeting

The Alcorn School District board will meet next on Monday, Nov. 9, at 5:30 p.m. at the district’s administrative office. Board meetings are open to the public.

Related: MPOWER College and Career Expo set for Oct. 29 and Alcorn, Corinth schools get first state grades under new scale.

Source: Daily Corinthian