Mineral Springs School Board Reviews Policy Updates, Funding Outlook, and Academic Progress

The Mineral Springs School Board recently held their regular monthly meeting, addressing policy updates, district funding concerns, and academic initiatives.

During the meeting, Brenda Porter asked the board for a copy of the lease agreement associated with the district-owned building in Saratoga.

Board President William Dixon then turned the meeting over to Superintendent JonDavid Amerson, who reported that the district expects to receive more information in January regarding whether Mineral Springs may lose per-student funding. Amerson also noted that the district does not receive a letter grade as part of its audit process, clarifying a common misunderstanding.

The board then moved to consider ASBA policy updates, with Amerson explaining that certain language must be clarified to align with DESE requirements. The board unanimously approved the updates 6–0, following a motion by Xavier Vaughn and a second by S. Kay Slaton.

A second unanimous vote approved updated language for the district’s electronic device policy, after a motion by Ricky Gamble and another second by Slaton.

K–12 Principal Stacey Gaddis provided an academic update, noting that the district is working with the Co-op to improve its overall letter grade by focusing on growth and achievement within the lowest-performing 25% of students. She also reported that ASVAB representatives recently met with 11th graders and some 12th graders, and that students joining the military can positively impact the district’s accountability indicators.

Gaddis added that RootEd advisor Maci McJunkins currently has 41% of students signed up for scholarships. She also announced that interim testing will begin in January, with incentives planned to encourage strong student performance.