School District honored
Leaders of the Holly Springs School District were honored at the Nov. 7 meeting of the Holly Springs Mayor and Board of Aldermen meeting for the new levels attained this year. The School District obtained an overall rating of a “B” this fall.
Mayor Sharon Gipson invited members of the district and board of trustees as a way to recognize and celebrate its successes.
Dr. Irene Walton Turnage, superintendent, introduced the guests. She is a member of the 1983 graduating class of Holly Springs High School.
Turnage thanked the board for an invitation to celebrate.
“Thank you all for inviting us to the city,” she said, naming the ‘wonderful people’ who made it happen.”
Those included on the board of trustees are president Lemon Phelps, vice-president Charisse Harris, secretary Dr. Gemma Beckley, Kim Mayfield and Ejeera Dukes.
“The people in the trenches every day,” Turnage said, included ELC coordinator Sherna Jones, primary school principal Casshaunda Davis, intermediate school principal Vicki Marion, high school principal Cravin Turnage, and high school assistant principal Tamara Onwuemeuyi.
Superintendent Turnage’s right hand is assistant superintendent Ilene Dowsing.
Ward 4 alderman Patricia Merriweather, a career educator, congratulated the school saying “It’s not easy to score an A, B, or C in growth. I congratulate each and everyone of you and thank you for what you have done for the children of Holly Springs, Mississippi, the city of history and hospitality.”
Gipson urged the district to “continue to strive for that A plus, plus, plus.”
The board of aldermen approved a motion put on the agenda by Alderman-At-Large Dexter Shipp to appoint Darryl Bowens as police chief at a salary of $64,000 a year. He was serving as assistant police chief under police chief Grant Glover until he resigned to take a position with the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department.
Bowens has served his entire law enforcement career of 28 years in the department. He started out as a patrolman, advanced to sergeant over the night shift, then served as captain before being named assistant chief of police.
Bowens was hired under chief Ed Totten, then worked under chiefs Pearson, Burby, Hollowell, Dwight Harris, Patricia Selman, Jimmy Howell, Norman and Glover.
“I thank the board for having confidence in me,” Bowens said as members of the police force stood at attention behind him.”
He said he has worked under numerous police chiefs since he has been with the police force in Holly Springs.
“Thank you for appointing me and not wasting time in doing so,” Bowens said.
Bowens said his main priority now is to get the department staffed. It is short on officers.
Filling the vacancies in the department will improve response time and get the city adequately covered. He wants to hire certified officers with experience, when possible, he said.
The department has seven certified police officers, many of whom are the top-ranked staff.