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NATCHEZ — Five Natchez Bulldog football players and two coaches received recognition at the regular meeting of the Natchez Adams School District Board of Trustees, which was moved to Thursday because of inclement weather this week.

Honored was Jakel Irving for making the 2024 Mississippi High School Football Coaches All-State 5A first team as a defensive lineman; Jekari Douglas for making the All-State 5A first team as a tight end; Jeremiah Tillery for making the All-State 5A second team as a linebacker; Kam Morgan for making All-State 5A second team as a safety and Ken Chatman who has been selected to play in the Mississippi-Alabama All-Star game and played in the All-State 5A second team on the offensive line.

Also honored on Thursday were Coaches Earl Gordan and Sidney Davis.

“Gordan has been selected to coach the first-ever eighth-grade elite All-Star Game,” said public engagement coordinator Tony Fields. He added Coach Davis has been selected to coach the MSA All-Star Game.

“We applaud not just these young men and their coaches but also their parents for all the work you have done. These are not just athletes but also stellar young men,” Superintendent Zandra McDonald said.

The school board on Thursday also approved its 2025-2026 Natchez High School football game schedule with one exception — the high school has not been able to secure a game yet for Sept. 12 and is still working to do so.

In other matters, the school board approved overnight travel for the Beta Club to attend its annual convention in Biloxi, for the band to participate in a Mardi Gras parade in New Orleans and for Fallin Career and Technology Center students to go to a competition in Hattiesburg.

The school district also had to adopt a policy adjustment to amend the meal reimbursement rate set by the Mississippi Department of Finance and Administration for “high-cost” areas in Southhaven, Starkville and Oxford. The rate increases by $5 per diem for each district member who travels only to those areas, explained the district financial officer Tim Byrd.

In an executive session, the school board addressed personnel, an appeal of student discipline and the Superintendent’s evaluation. Executive sessions are not open to the public or to the media and no actions were taken. The Natchez Democrat has reached out to the school board about the Superintendent’s evaluation and has not received their reply as of Friday afternoon.