NATCHEZ — The Natchez-Adams School District began June needing to hire 60 teachers. The district is now left with only 6 positions remaining unfilled at the end of July.

“We have come a long way from where we were,” said NASD Board of Trustees member Phillip West. “And that’s good.”

Not all trustees were happy with the superintendent’s announcement, as trustee Benny Wright said he was concerned about the 16 permanent substitutes the district has had to hire to get to this staffing level.

“The state sends us curriculum, and we are required to teach it and be tested on it,” Wright said. “We have some teachers with no teaching experience and some with no college degrees, and we expect our children to pass the state test?”

NASD Interim Superintendent Fred Butcher said while a permanent substitute teacher is not required to have a college degree, he said all in the district do have a college degree.

“They have a degree, it’s just in another field than education,” he said. “The thing missing is a certification in education.”

Butcher said a number of permanent substitutes were also approved by the board this past year.

“It’s the same situation,” he said. “I understand we need help, which is why I am glad the board has allowed us to hire academic coaches. Part of their job will be to bridge the gap between those who don’t have certification and those who do.”

On top of working with the academic coaches, non-certified teachers will be assigned mentors amongst the teaching staff, and principals will be required to spend more time in classes of permanent substitutes to make sure the curriculum is being taught. Butcher also said some of the non-certified staff would be teaching in non-core areas.

When West asked what the alternative is, Butcher said it would be to hire day-to-day substitutes.

“The permanent substitute is the best option because it’s someone you can work with and improve,” Butcher said.

Butcher’s personnel recommendations were approved unanimously, hiring 26 teachers.

4The board of trustees unanimously approved a $40,567,016 budget. The budget includes a 4-percent increase to Adams County taxpayers.

4Atmos Energy is donating 250 aerators for faucets, 50 showerheads and 10 pre-rinse valves to the district. The items will be installed in 2017 and are expected to help cut the district’s water bill in half, NASD supervisor of safety and security Ray Brown said.

The board unanimously approved signing a waiver that Atmos will not be responsible for any busted pipes caused by the new fixtures.

4Trustees unanimously approved an across-the-board 25-cent, per hour raise to cafeteria workers.

4Trustees unanimously approved hiring Bruce Video Productions to record the board’s regularly scheduled monthly meeting for $100 an hour.