NATCHEZ &045; Pending appropriate state funding, two Natchez-Adams School District teachers will take part in a Mississippi program that allows them to train for administrative positions.

McLaurin Elementary Guidance Counselor Roberta Phipps and Morgantown Elementary teacher Tony Fields received approval from the school board Thursday afternoon to participate in the Mississippi School Administrator Sabbatical Program.

The Legislature changed the program in 1998 to allow school districts to grant paid sabbatical leave to licensed teachers who attend school to train for administrative roles. The participants must be recommended by the district and have at least three years teaching experience in the district.

If the program is funded this year, Phipps and Fields will attend Jackson State University starting this summer.

While they are away from their school jobs they will continue to receive benefits and credit for time in the classroom.

Once they complete the administrative path they are under contract to return to Natchez and work in an administrative role for five years. If there is no administrative vacancy they will return to their previous jobs until the board releases them to another district.

Delta State University, the University of Southern Mississippi and Ole Miss all participate in the program also.

In other business the board accepted a bid of $25 per acre for 220 acres for a portion of Section 16 land to be leased for hunting and fishing.

The bid from Lake Mary Planting Co. was the only one received; $25 was the minimum set for the bid.

The board also approved a request to advertise for bids on another portion of Section 16 land.

Superintendent Anthony Morris shared plaques from the state for West Primary and McLaurin Elementary based on the school’s Average Yearly Progress. Both schools met AYP in all areas. The schools were notified of the accomplishment earlier in the year, but the plaques just came in.

&uot;My intent was to surprise two principals with the presentation of the plaque,&uot; Morris said. &uot;But instead, they surprised me by not being here.&uot;

West Principal Cindy Idom and McLaurin Principal Karen Tutor will receive the plaques at a later date.

Board Chairman Norris Edney congratulated the schools.

&uot;I’m looking forward to those plaques being sent to all the schools,&uot; Edney said. &uot;I hope we will have an entire meeting just to pass out plaques.&uot;

The board also accepted a bid from AmSouth Bank to serve as the district’s depository.