By Shannon McFarlin WENK/WTPR News Director
Paris, Tenn.—It was an evening for Inman Students to shine at Tuesday night’s Paris Special Schools District meeting by showing the board and community members their science projects. A tour of the Inman School greenhouse also was held with 8th grade science teacher Carrie Jones and Inman FFA President Clay Bush telling of the projects being employed by the students with that program.
The student presentations were held after the business portion of the meeting, with Gifted and Talented Teacher Karen Goodman introducing the board to students who received awards for their science projects.
Those students include Jessica Knott, Katelyn O’Neal, and Sophie Plumley who received Innovator of the Year awards for “Do you really want fries with that?”; Neely Clendenin, who received a Future Medical Professional Award for “Limitations of Prosthetic Hand”; Wyatt Jones who received Future Engineer Award for “Martin the Amazing”, and Jacob Knoeppel, Aidan Gooch and Carter Hedges receiving a Gold Award for “Primitive Gardening” and Allyson Morton, also a Gold Award for “Irrigation of Mums”.
Both Goodman and Inman Principal Jason Scarbrough spoke of how impressive the Science Fair was and that it will be an annual event. It was a joint collaborative venture with the County Schools, Scarbrough said, noting he was shocked and amazed at the attendance by the students and community members. “It was overwhelming. This definitely will be an annual event,” he said.
The greenhouse program is a project with contributions from the Farm Bureau, Plus Endowment, Tosh Farms and natural resources conservation service.
Scarbrough said the Inman Greenhouse is the first for a middle school in west Tennessee and the 10th in Tennessee. Teacher Carrie Jones said student involvement in the program “gives them a huge jump up the ladder” and will help students stand out in their scholarship applications.
In business during the board meeting:
–The board accepted the bid of $39,000 from Culley Mechanical for the HVAC kitchen work. The low bid came from a Jackson firm for $33,000, but Board President Richard Edwards recommended approval of the Culley Mechanical as being more practical since they are a local firm and be able to provide better and faster service.
–Only one bid was received for sealing the Rhea parking lot and it was for several thousand dollars more than anticipated, Edwards said. Also, that bidder would plan to sub the work to another company. The board decided not to accept the bid and Maintenance Supervisor Jason Coffield will do more checking to see if there are other bidders.
–Director of Schools Dr. Norma Gerrell gave a short report on student demographics, which showed 728 students qualify for free lunch certification; 21 are English learners (their first language is not English); two are in foster care; 20 are regarded as homeless and live in hotels, motels or double up with family; 14 are immigrants (not born in U.S.); eight are enrolled in U.S. schools for three or fewer years; two migrant students involved in agriculture, dairy/cattle, nursery/greenhouse, fishing); two are placed in residential mental health by doctor’s orders.
Photo: Neely Clendenin shows her project on prosthetics to Inman Principal Jason Scarbrough and Board Member Jon Davidson. (Shannon McFarlin photo).
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