Ten teachers in the Brookhaven School District have been awarded Urban Teacher Appreciation Grants.

The district’s Board of Trustees voted Tuesday to award each of 10 applicants of the grant $1,000.

Only one applicant on this year’s list had received the grant before. Teachers can only receive this grant twice in their career. Everyone who applied was eligible to receive the grant.

“It’s a really good pat on the back for our teachers who are trying to pursue an advanced degree,” Board President Erin Smith said.

The grant was started over 40 years ago by the Urban family and was previously known as the Teacher’s Appreciation Grant. After Carl Urban passed away, the name was changed to honor his memory.

The following teachers received the Urban Teacher Appreciation Grant: Brookhaven High School Spanish teacher Leigh Ann Bland, Brookhaven High School English teacher Megan Case, Mamie Martin Elementary Kindergarten teacher Leslie Gearing, Brookhaven High School math teacher Cullen Greer, Brookhaven High School English teacher Molly Greer, Mamie Martin Elementary art teacher Amy Hickman, Mamie Martin Elementary counselor Alexya Irvin, Mamie Martin Elementary teacher Yolanda Johnson, speech language teacher Rachel Powell and Brookhaven High School English teacher Jennifer Whitaker.

“It helps our teachers get higher levels of training and degrees, which is then reflected in their classroom instruction,” Superintendent Ray Carlock said. “The Urban family that left this, that was their intention, that Brookhaven schools would have the best quality teachers. It gives teachers an opportunity to go back and advance their degrees.”

In other BSD business, the board approved:

• A list of personnel recommendations.

• School supply lists for the 2020-2021 school year.

• Fundraisers for cross country for the 2020-2021 school year.

• Hourly salary scales for the 2020-2021 school year.

• An agreement with MSBA for online agenda services for 2020-2021.

• An agreement with the Mississippi School of the Arts for 2020-2021.

• Daycare reimbursements to parents.

• Allocation of the MS Comprehensive Automated Performance-based system for the 2020-2021 school year.

• Financial reports, claims docket, fixed assets, miscellaneous financials and transfer of surplus funds.

 

Story by Gracie Byrne