The Vicksburg Warren School District Board of Trustees held its monthly meeting on Thursday. The board accepted the resignation of Superintendent Chad Shealy, received updates on finances and construction projects and was recognized by student representatives from the district for the state-wide School Board Member Recognition Week.

The first order of business was the acceptance of Shealy’s resignation. He announced his intent to retire last month and has held the position for 10 years, longer than any other VWSD superintendent since the district was consolidated in 1986.

The board accepted Shealy’s letter of resignation unanimously, and it will take effect on April 28.

The board room was a bit more crowded than usual at the meeting, as students from each school in the district took turns individually recognizing a Trustee for their hard work and dedication to the district.

Shealy expressed his admiration and respect for the trustees as well.

“The amount of energy and effort in their lives they give can never be compensated. But specifically, they are in charge of the largest budget in our town,” he said. “They are in charge of the largest decisions that are made because they affect the most precious commodities that we have, in my opinion: Our students.”

After the trustees were recognized, the board was briefed on a number of items, including updates on current construction projects around the school district.

Mark Pipper of Bailey Program Management, LLC, gave updates to trustees on a few construction and maintenance projects in the district. The company was hired by the board to manage the many construction projects currently underway.

One item he noted was the status of the Agora, a large open entryway being built at Warren Central High School. Piper said that the structural steel for the structure has, for all practical purposes, been completed; and that the roof of the structure is now about 95 to 98 percent complete.

After construction updates, the Director of Financial Services for VWSD, Cassandra Lewis, addressed the board and gave a summary of the district’s financial status. She said that as of January, the estimated District fund balance was $17,222,986.86.

Lewis also stated that MAEP appropriations for January 2021 are at $2,353,450. That figure is expected to remain consistent throughout the fiscal year. The January revenue from Casino taxes for the district was $60,767.40.

The next VWSD School Board meeting is scheduled for March 30 at 5:30 p.m. For a calendar of board meetings and documents, you visit vwsd.org.