Hollandale School District Superintendent Dr. Mario Willis was one of four local education administrators to appear before the Washington County Board of Supervisors on Monday August 7. On the first official instructional day of the school year, Willis along with Leland School District Superintendent Jessie King, Western Line Superintendent Dr. Lawrence Hudson and Mississippi Delta Community College President Dr. Tyrone Jackson presented the county’s governing body with projections and plans for the upcoming school year and updates on basic institution demographics. Willis was the only one to make a formal request of the board. “We would like a three percent increase from what we received last year,” Willis said. “That would be an increase of about $43,000.” Willis went on to tout his district’s success in obtaining grant funding for the past seven years which offset some of the costs associated with operations and lessening the burden on the county. District 4 Supervisor Mala Brooks asked each Superintendent about school ratings at each level. And both Hudson and Willis projected what data is suggested for the upcoming year. However, King would not be so specific. “Our district is successful, because when you start putting information out there like that, people hold you to it.”
Brooks asked King what it would take to make schools more academically successful. King replied, “Facebook won’t do it. You have to lay hands on this issue. You have to volunteer to tutor kids, read to your children outside regular school hours and walk the walk. We have to go into the vineyard and work.”
