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West Carroll Elementary Floods During Winter Freeze

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TREZEVANT — One West Carroll school flooded from a burst water pipe and problems at another school were narrowly adverted over the Christmas holiday.
 
West Carroll Elementary School in Trezevant suffered significant damage to the floors, ceilings, and furnishings when a water pipe broke on December 26 when school was on Christmas holiday.
 
Preston Caldwell, director of schools, said the overhead water pipe burst during the deep freeze, flooding the offices and one wing of the school building.
 
A teacher discovered the leak on December 26 and immediately starting contacting people to assist with the abatement. Mark Wright, maintenance supervisor, teachers, spouses, staff, and members of the community began evacuating the water from the building. 
 
A mobile dumpster was located at the school to throw away items. One wing of the school is closed off, the restrooms are being used for storage, and the insurance adjuster was called. The insurance company will reimburse the school for the employees’ extra work time.
 
Principal Williams said the teachers, staff, and community members were amazing. They relocated the students to other classrooms and everyone was interested in assuring the children were safe and comfortable. 
 
Caldwell said he was impressed with everyone in this time of need. He said Brittany Fowler sent messages to people who quickly responded to assist. He said approximately 33 people assisted in the mitigation.
 
Caldwell said a second situation was narrowly averted. He noted he walked the three school building over the winter break and entered the West Carroll Junior High/High School to learn the entire building was without electricity. A deep freeze was in the weather forecast. With the assistance of Mark Wright and an electrical contractor, electricity was restored at the main electrical panel. 
 
As an emergency provision that sidesteps the normal bid process, the West Carroll Board of Education approved to remove and replace floor tiles, mitigate any asbestos, and add base cove. Two bids were secured. MSB Construction bid $155,250 and the Color Shop of Martin bid $109,106. The Color Shop was awarded the bid. Construction should start within two weeks.
 
In other business, the board approved a mowing bid for the three campuses. Roger Hart was again selected as the contractor at $800 per mowing, starting with one mowing in March, and two in each month April through October. Josh White Lawn Service bid $1,095 per mowing and Jason Willoquet bid $28,000 per year, payable in monthly installments.
 
A new state law requiring third grade students to either have remediation or summer school if they do poorly on the year-end achievement test in the subject area of English-Language Arts (ELA). Students who score in (1) below or (2) approaching areas must either be tutored or attend summer school with a successful outcome in ELA before advancing to fourth grade. As an example, Caldwell said there were 30-35 students in the previous year’s third grade that were in the below or approaching designations. Students in the (3) meeting or (4) exceeding - the third and fourth designations are not subject to remediation nor summer school.
 
To a question by Betty Wallace, board member, Caldwell said the school system has to fund the remediation and summer school. 
 
West Carroll Marching Band was honored for their highly successful competition season culminating with second place in the State Class 1A Marching Band Invitational in Paris. 
 
In the upcoming February meeting, the Board will choose a form to evaluate the director of schools and discuss the school’s five-year plan.