Welcome to our new web site!

To give our readers a chance to experience all that our new website has to offer, we have made all content freely avaiable, through October 1, 2018.

During this time, print and digital subscribers will not need to log in to view our stories or e-editions.

WCSSD Ratifies Preston Caldwell’s Contract as Director of Schools

Posted

The West Carroll Special School District voted unanimously to approve Preston Caldwell’s contract as the new director of schools at Tuesday night’s school board meeting, April 6. The board also unanimously approved $36,357 to be distributed to school cafeteria staff in the form of a one time bonus. All school board meetings are open to the public.
Caldwell, a Milan native and former Milan High School teacher for 18 years, was offered the role of director of schools after interviewing with the school board at their last meeting in March. The board voted unanimously to approve Caldwell’s contract for his new position after reviewing it over spring break.
WCSSD School Board Chairman William Robinson said that Caldwell’s official start date as Director of Schools is still being determined. However, Caldwell’s employment with the school district started on Friday, April 9th, as a special advisor to the school board.
During interviews for the position, the board had expressed a desire to fill the role before the end of the 2020-21 school year. Prior to accepting his new job with West Carroll, Caldwell served as the principal for Lake County High School in Tiptonville, Tennessee for 5 years.
Caldwell will succeed Dexter Williams, who turned in a letter of resignation on March 9th with the understanding that his last day in Atwood would be June 30, 2021.
Williams, a West Carroll alum, has accepted a position with Trinity Christian Academy in Jackson, where he will serve as Athletic Director and coach boys basketball.

West Carroll Special School District will be having a special called meeting on April 26th at 6 p.m. in the cafeteria at the Jr. Sr. High School to discuss the termination of Mr. Dexter Williams contract.
School Nutrition Supervisor Janet Winchester requested the board’s approval for $36,357 be distributed to school cafeteria staff in the form of one time bonuses.
“As you all know, cafeterias have put in many extra long hours,” Winchester said. “I totaled the hours today, and they have done a total of over 3,000 extra hours.”
Winchester explained that the food service funds were approved by the state and Dexter Williams to be spent on the bonuses. She said that the bonuses would be performance based and vary from worker to worker.
Winchester also requested that surplus cafeteria equipment be sold in a separate request.
Both motions for the cafeteria staff bonuses and to sell the surplus equipment were approved unanimously by the school board.