CPSD is honoring its five school board members as part of School Board Recognition Week in Mississippi.

While this celebration is planned statewide Feb. 19-25, CPSD's Board of Trustees will be honored during their monthly board meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 14 in the Central Office board room.



The Clinton Public School District Board of Trustees are (from left) Chip Wilbanks, vice president; Sheila Grogan, member; Ingrid Williams, president; Tommie Cardin, assistant secretary; and Dennis Dyse, secretary.

We want to say thank you to our school board members for their dedication to our children and the Clinton Community. Our board members work to provide a quality education to CPSD's more than 4,600 pre-K - 12 students, and oversee an annual budget of about $38 million.

School board duties include hiring and evaluating the superintendent, approving and monitoring the budget, setting salaries for employees, approving purchases, establishing district policies, adopting the school calendar, building and closing schools, approving personnel actions, and other duties. Among the most important duties of the board are establishing a vision for the school district and monitoring progress towards its goals.

Under the board's leadership, CPSD has become one of the highest-performing school districts in the state. It earned Star status this year, the highest possible academic ranking a Mississippi school district can attain. CPSD is the only Mississippi school district on the College Board's AP Honor Roll, and within the past three years, four CHS students have earned a perfect score of 36 on the ACT. CPSD has won numerous state and national awards for the quality of its academic and arts programs.

"School board members represent the parents and families in our community," said Assistant Superintendent Tim Martin. "It's through their leadership and guidance that our district is held accountable for providing a great education to our students. We've been blessed through the years to have strong school board members with a vision for success and a plan to put that vision into place."

During the February board meeting, special recognition will be given to Dyse, who is leaving the school board after 23 years of service. Dyse is the school board's only elected representative. The Clinton mayor appoints other board members.

Our school district lines extend beyond city limit lines. The law mandates that residents who live outside city limits but within school district lines may elect a school board member if their student population is at least 15 percent of the district's total student population. That percentage fell below 15 in the 2010 census, meaning all five board members will now be appointed.

Mr. Dyse is the longest serving school board member in our district's history. He has provided guidance to new board members through the years, and has worked with all four of Clinton's superintendents. He will be greatly missed when he leaves the school board.

The Febuary meeting will be Dyse's last as a school board member.

For more information about our Board of Trustees, visit http://bit.ly/xeuStD. For meeting notices, agendas and board packets, visit http://bit.ly/zGOjBy.

The Clinton Public School District is in the middle of the most aggressive building campaign in its 42-year history. We just completed a $3 million renovation of Sumner Hill Junior High School, we are building a school-within-a-school to replace Northside and Eastside elementaries, and next school year, we will convert the current Eastside school to house central office and Clinton Alternative School.

On January 20, 2011, we held a groundbreaking ceremony for our new Northside & Eastside Elementary campus. One year later, construction is within budget and ahead of schedule. We will open the facility to teachers this summer, and classes will be held there in August for our second- through fifth-grade students:










Expect to hear more about this project as we get closer to August!

Go Arrows!

Sumner Hill students are in for a dose of reality at the school's fifth annual Reality Fair.

"Our students will learn the connection between high school performance, career potential and lifestyle expectations," said Heather Norton, school counselor and event coordinator.

At the event, planned for 8:25 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Jan. 30 through Feb. 1, students will be assigned one of three average monthly salaries according to their current grade point average. The salaries are consistent with a non-high school garduate, high school graduate and a college graduate with a bachelor's degree or technical certification.

"Our classes will go over checkbook management and budgeting prior to the Reality Fair," she said. "Students will participate in a 35-minute rotation of seven centers which represent different facets of real life."

Participating businesses include:

• Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi
• C-Spire
• Entergy
• Godfrey & Ivy Realtors
• Wilson Hyundai Auto Group
• Kroger
• BancorpSouth
• Get to College/Educational Service Foundation

At these stations, students must choose an option that fits their lifestyle "and hopefully is within their budget," she said. They will write a check at the booth and be required to maintain a checkbook ledger.

There will also be a chance table where students either have to make unexpected payments for things like new tires, or get a cash bonus like a birthday gift or a raise at work.

For more information about the Reality Fair, call 601-924-5510 or e-mail Norton at hnorton@clinton.k12.ms.us.

When Clinton High School junior Sajal Tiwary first saw his ACT results, he thought it must be a mistake.

"When I saw it online I kept reloading the page," he said.

But what he saw — a perfect 36 score — was accurate. And while most students take the test multiple times in hopes of getting high scores, it was the 16-year-old's first attempt.

Sajal is one of two CHS students to score perfect on the ACT this year; senior Jacob Files also aced the test. Clinton High School has had four students in three years to achieve the highest possible score on the ACT.

"I'm really in shock," Jacob said. "And my parents are extremely happy."



The ACT is a national college admissions exam covering four subject areas — English, math, reading and science. ACT results are used in determining scholarships and college admissions.

"It's a very difficult test," said Dr. Eddie Peasant, CHS principal. "When a student gets a perfect score — or even a 34 or 35 — it's a major accomplishment, and a lot of doors open for them as far as higher education."

Jacob is the son of Barb Kleiss and John Files. He is active on the CHS soccer and tennis teams. He is a member of the National Honor Society, Honors Science Club and is also active in his church youth group. In addition to sports and school activities, he works part-time as a soccer referee.

He's considering Millsaps Collee, University of Alabama Birmingham or the University of South Alabama, but has not made his final choice.

Sajal is the son of Sanjay and Bidula Tiwary. He is on the CHS Academic Team and has participated in numerous science competitions. He is a violinist with the Chamber Orchestra. Since he's in 11th grade, he has not started narrowing down his college choices.

In addition to his perfect ACT score, Sajal also scored nearly perfect on the Preliminary SAT — or PSAT — test, earning 231 out of a possible 240 points. This means he will likely be a National Merit Semifinalist next year, Peasant said. The average PSAT score for 11th graders is 143.

Both Sajal and Jacob say they're interested in careers in medicine.

"These are two very bright students and both are from good families. For Clinton High School to have had four students in three years to score perfect on the ACT is certainly a testament to the quality of our faculty. When you have a strong faculty and supportive parents with high expectations on their children, great things happen.

Two 2010 graduates, Andrew Amis and Stephen Leavelle, also scored 36 on the ACT.

Congratulations to these young men and their families on this tremendous honor!

Go Arrows!

Congratulations to the Applebee's Teachers of the Month of December! Winners are:

Clinton Park, Mrs. Vonda Brown (left). Presenting her award is Mrs. Dena Lundberg:





Northside, Mrs. Kay Harrell (right). Presenting her award is Assistant Principal Kelli Pope:





Eastside Elementary, Ms. Lori Waits (center). Presenting her award are Principal Cindy Hamil (left) and Assistant Principal Syl Burrell:





Lovett Elementary, Ms. Gigi Russ (left). Presenting her award is office manager Shannon Garlington:





Clinton Junior High, Mr. Jason Woodcock (right). Presenting his award is Assistant Principal Mike Pope:





Sumner Hill, Mrs. Heather Norton (right). Presenting her award is Assistant Principal Teresa Duke:





Clinton High School, Mrs. Ann Kyzar. Presenting her award is CHS Principal Eddie Peasant:





Clinton Alternative School, Mr. John Wallace (left). Presenting his award is Principal Bobby Hathorn:





Not pictured is CHS Career Complex teacher Lora Little.

Congratulations to all of these outstanding teachers, and Go Arrows!