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NATCHEZ — The last Natchez-Adams School District Board meeting before the 2023-2024 academic year on Friday morning also happened to be the first meeting attended by Zandra McDonald-Green in her new official role as interim superintendent.

It was also the last meeting before the ribbon is to be cut at the new Natchez High School, which had been under construction still until now.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for 9 a.m. on July 31, one day before the students’ first day of the new school year.

U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, who hosted an open house later Friday evening at his new Natchez-based office inside the former Natchez Freshman Academy, will be attending the ceremony as a special guest speaker, according to an invitation shared by the district.

Green said she looks forward to serving the district in her new role.

“I’ve devoted 27 years here, and it prides me to be a part of the district I graduated from in this capacity as interim superintendent,” she said. “Thank you for this opportunity.”

Board members also thanked Green and wished her well in anticipation of the upcoming school year. After fulfilling the vision of building a new high school that “the whole community can be proud of,” board member Diane Bunch said, “I’m looking forward to a new school year with a new vision with a new superintendent.”

In other matters, the board recognized teacher Margaret Moore for her students’ display of academic excellence.

A discussion to enter a Memorandum of Understanding with Alcorn State University to provide additional dual enrollment opportunities to students was tabled for future discussion.

Board member Brenda Robinson asked the board to table the issue, saying that there could be a “personnel issue” tied to it that the board would need to address in an executive session first.

Some school board members and district staffers are also affiliated with Alcorn.