During its regularly scheduled board meeting Monday, the Lincoln County School District’s Board of Trustees discussed several issues about readying for the new school year, including transfers, learning plans, financials and the purchase of new gasoline buses.

The district now has four new buses, the cost of which was included in $428,200.99 supplemental claims for the Central Office for the month.

“We are hearing they like the gas buses as compared to the diesel buses, though the diesel ones get better gas mileage,” LCSD Superintendent David Martin told the board. “But the maintenance is much easier on the gas ones.”

In other news, as of the time of the meeting, Martin said the district had a 97.9 pass rate for third graders in testing, received a $15,000 FEMA reimbursement, summer school in June went well, ACT Boot Camp had about 25 participating students, and the construction at West Lincoln and Loyd Star was nearing an end.

The board also approved the following issues for the district:

• Student transfers in, out and within the district.

• Assistant Superintendent Richelle Ratcliff’s recommendations for the 2022-2023 professional learning plan; dropout prevention and school restructuring plans and school safety and crisis management plans for the coming year; and an agreement with Alcorn State University regarding student teachers for next year.

• CTE Director and Federal Programs Coordinator Robin Case’s plan for three program handbooks, one for homeless children, one for foster children and one for English-learner children.

• Transportation Director Luke Addison’s recommendations for 15 free fingerprinting activities for new bus drivers, sub drivers and athletic trip drivers hired for the new year.

• Finance Director Sam Stewart’s recommendation of disposal of fixed assets, family medical leave for one employee and travel for the business office manager to attend a conference in September.

For principals, the board approved recommendations for photography agreements, the purchase of a lawn mower, purchases for student functions and activities via the Activity Funds account, Pee Wee activities and use of school facilities, a yearbook agreement, fundraiser activities and the decision to not provide athletic game passes again this year.

Stewart’s approved recommendations included Central Office claims of $506,202.53, which does not include the $428,200.99 for the new buses and other expenditures; Bogue Chitto’s claims of $1,195; Enterprise’s claims of $1,068; Loyd Star claims of $3,294.60; and West Lincoln’s claims of $9,185.60.

The board also added to dress codes that students can wear shorts if they are to the knee; approved Student Assurance Services for the student accident insurance for the coming year; and approved child nutrition manual checks for start-up cash register funds for cafeterias at all four schools.

The next scheduled meeting for the board is Aug. 15 at the Central Office boardroom.