Articles by Bonnie Coblentz
Community: Next superintendent of Starkville schools should be dynamic, open
STARKVILLE — Thirty-two people came out Thursday night to share their opinions on what the school board should look for in the next superintendent of the Starkville School District.
The most commonly repeated themes were that the next superintendent should have good communication skills, be invested in the community, bring people together and be a person of integrity.
County school budget approved; school-lunch prices increase
The Oktibbeha County School District approved their $11.3 million budget Monday night in a brief meeting where they also raised the price of school lunches.
Public input sought on Starkville superintendent search Thursday
Members of the public are asked to voice their thoughts Thursday night on the search for the new superintendent of the Starkville School District.
Oktibbeha schools scrutinize district’s energy savings
School board members again critiqued the power bill for the Oktibbeha County School District in Monday night’s board meeting, the first in their new building.
Crowd protests Gulf States not getting bid on school field house
About 70 people dressed in green “Buy American, Buy Starkville” T-shirts packed the Starkville School District’s board meeting Tuesday to protest the high school’s new field house not being fabricated by Gulf States Manufacturing.
Oktibbeha schools approve funding for new buses
The Oktibbeha County School board voted Monday night to request the $450,200 needed to buy four new buses and four used buses to rejuvenate the fleet.
Starkville School District approves $46M budget
STARKVILLE — Starkville school officials approved the district’s $45.9 million budget Tuesday, but it was not without some haggling.
Starkville schools to shop top job, starting Sept. 12
STARKVILLE — School officials set Sept. 12 as the date to begin advertising for a new superintendent for the Starkville School District, with the position closing Oct. 31.
New Oktibbeha County schools offices to open soon
STARKVILLE — The Oktibbeha County School District is about to have a downtown address when it begins operations out of its new Main Street building.
Oktibbeha schools approve budget for special education
Oktibbeha County school officials approved the special education budget for the coming year in a short meeting where they handled some year-end matters.
Therapy dog approved for Sudduth
STARKVILLE — Tuesday night, the Starkville school board approved the use of a dog at Sudduth Elementary for pet therapy. Sudduth Principal Lisa Thompson bought the dog, a Bichon Frise named BJ, that will be trained and evaluated for temperament and safety.
Starkville school board gets job refresher course
Starkville school officials spent more than two hours Tuesday night discussing how to do their job, which right now include how they plan to hire the next superintendent.
School board to get crash course in governance
Following a few meetings that left members of the public unhappy with procedures, Starkville school board officials are meeting tonight for a lesson on how to do things better.
Starkville schools log 10-percent fund balance
Starkville School District expects to maintain its 10-percent fund balance another year, but the $46 million budget calls for just two new teacher assistants to be added along with a handful of other professionals.
District: Former Starkville principal’s lawsuit ‘doubtful’
Starkville School District board president Keith Coble said it was a financial compromise to settle former high school principal Kathi Wilson’s lawsuit against the district, not an admission of guilt.
Former Starkville High principal speaks about 2009 resignation
Former Starkville High School principal is finally free to speak about what lead up to her 2009 resignation, and the story she told is one of harassment.
Oktibbeha County schools adopt a new grading policy
The new grading policy makes weekly tests count for 25 percent of the grade, daily in-class work and homework assignments count as 50 percent and the nine-week test count as 25 percent. There will also be no grade lower than a 55 given for the first nine weeks.
Paperwork shows unauthorized use of district van by Starkville’s Couey
At first glance, a paper trail detailing an out-of-state trip former Starkville School District Superintendent Judy Couey took seems to be an open-and-shut case for board action, but there may be more to the story.
Ex-Starkville school superintendent Couey says she was treated unfairly
Judy Couey knows a school superintendent serves at the whim of the school board, but she contends she was treated unfairly in the process that saw her out the door in April.