2023 - 2024 Board of Trustees
The McComb School District Board of Trustees is comprised of four appointed members and one elected member and is the official policy-making body for the school district. School Board meetings are held at the School District Administrative Offices in the Board Room. All meetings of the School Board are open to the public.
Evelle Thomas-Dillon, Chairman
Evelle Thomas-Dillon was appointed to the McComb School Board of Trustees on May 10, 2022. She is Married to Carlos Dillon, Sr. She has been employed by Weyerhaeuser for 12 years, and she is a member of Pine Grove Missionary Baptist Church. She has a senior scholar at the McComb High School.
Elizabeth Murrell, Vice-Chairman
Betsy Murrell was appointed to the School Board in 2016, she is co-owner of Selman's Jewelers-Gemologist, Inc. with her husband Lamar. She and Lamar have two children, both of whom are McComb High School graduates and four grandchildren. Betsy is very active in the community serving as director of Camp Sunshine, past president of Otken PTA, MHS Parent of the Year, past president and life member of the Junior Auxiliary of McComb, past chairman of the Pike County Economic Board, past president of the Pike County Chamber of Commerce and board member and past president of St. Andrews Mission.
Lynn D. Martin, Secretary
Lynn D. Martin was reappointed to the school board for a third term in February of 2024. She rejoined the board in March of 2019 for a second term, having previously served from March 2013 - February 2018. While she served as chair in 2016-2017, the Mississippi School Boards Association awarded the board a certificate recognizing the board of trustees for having been a Whole Board of Merit. She is a member of the National School Boards Association, the Council of Urban Boards of Education, the National Black Council of School Board Members, and the Mississippi School Boards Association.
Martin was the 2009-2010 Parent of the Year for McComb School District. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and First Baptist Church of McComb. She has three sons with two having graduated from McComb High School and one is a graduate of the Mississippi School of Arts.
Martin is a graduate of Salem Attendance Center in Tylertown, MS. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management and a Master of Arts in Teaching from Belhaven University.
Martin has a planned theme for this term that is based upon a quote from United States Senator Cory Booker, "You cannot short-change a child. If you do, you end up undermining society". With this as a foundation, her stance is the phrase "at/above" and seeking, with the governance team, all conducive variables necessary for all scholars to achieve at or above grade level skills in reading and math. Her mantra as a trustee is, "We must be proactive". Her favorite quote regarding education is from the civil rights activist and educator Dr. Dorothy Height, "We've got to work to save our children and do it with full respect for the fact that if we do not, no one else is going to do it".
Angela Bates, Member
Angela Bates was appointed to the McComb School Board of Trustees in 2021. She is employed with FedEx as a Senior Operations Administrator. Angela is a graduate of McComb High School and Jackson State University. She has one daughter who also graduated from McComb High School and one granddaughter. Bates’ mother, Mrs. Bettye Barnes, retired from McComb School District, having taught at Higgins Middle school for 32 years. Angela is an active member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. where she serves as Financial Secretary and is a member of Pine Grove M.B. Church. Angela was recently chosen to chair the Diversity, Equality and Inclusion committee for FedEx.
Dr. Alvin Burks, Member
Alvin Burks was appointed to the McComb School Board in March 2023. A recently retired public school educator, he is a former scholar of the McComb School District and a graduate of the South Pike High School. He completed his undergraduate (Mass Communication / Music Education) and graduate (Educational Technology-Library Science and Media Studies and Computer Science) studies from “Thee I Love” Jackson State University. He has completed post graduate studies at Mississippi State University, Louisiana Tech University, University of Phoenix University of Southern Mississippi and the Harvard School of Business and Education where he was a graduate of the School Leadership and Management Academy with a concentration in School District Operation, Management and Leadership. Having served on the collegiate level, he is a former School Compliance Officer and Executive Vice President of Academic and Automation Affairs for the Stewart Smith Colleges (a chain of Vocational Colleges with multiple locations) which corporate office was housed in McComb. He has received multiple citations and awards which included educational leadership and community service accolades. He has served as President of the ACAE - MAE local chapter of the Mississippi Association of Educators for multiple terms as well as state appointments. He is a very strong advocate of enhanced learning strategies with the implementation of current technological learning accommodations. His educational leadership background has afforded him the opportunity to play an integral role in developing appropriate leadership and administrative practices for both public and private sectors. Dr. Burks brings to the board, an extensive background in educational leadership, curriculum development, instructional management, grant writing and compliance, federal program auditing, school improvement administration and experience as well as implementation of special projects which resulted in increased student learning and achievement. He currently serves as a certified virtual instructor for the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) as well as being selected as STAR Teacher (ACT Instructor) from the Mississippi Economic Council (MEC)as a result of scholars receiving high scores on the college entrance exam - the ACT. He holds a School Administrator’s Licensure from the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) as well as certification in College and Career Readiness Instructions and Curriculum Standards. His educational and leadership experiences include some of the following:
Dr. Burks holds membership in multiple professional and social organizations and currently serves as a school improvement and federal program compliance auditor and consultant. He also serves as an active educational advocate during legislative initiatives advocating for the necessary funding, appropriations and resources in order to accommodate the current needs of our scholars. He also is in his second term serving as a Zoning Commissioner for the city of McComb. He is a member of Mt. Olive M. B. Church in McComb where he serves a Minister of Music and Church Administrator. He also serves on the national faculty of the Gospel Music Workshop of America (GMWA) as Administrator and Director of the Academic Library Media Services and Archives. He serves the McComb and Pike County communities in several different capacities with establishing and unifying education, political and social harmony through creative humanitarian initiatives. Maintaining a high level of professionalism and open disclosure has always been a top priority in his professional character, and as a leader, administrator as well as a board member, he believes that every employee is valuable part of the success of the school district and should be treated with the highest respect. He believes that the combination of his education and prior professional experiences gives him an excellent opportunity to assist the McComb School Board in its further growth and development as being a well governed board while becoming successful in achieving the mission and vision of the school district, community and to accommodate the expectations and assigned tasks of his constituents and the McComb City Board of Selectmen.
- Experienced in the areas of Educational Technology and Instructional Design
- Keen knowledge of Common Core Standards, MSTAR, Questar, PARCC, DOK, PLDS and alignment of Standard Based Learning/ Common Core alignments to state assessments.
- Broad experience in School Improvement Implementation Initiatives and Strategies
- Extensive experience with Federal Programs Initiatives, Implementation, and Federal Program Audits.
- Licensed school administrator with specialization in the areas of Professional Development, Leadership and Training for faculty and
- Broad experience in Curriculum Development, Design, and Instructional Supervision and Implementation.
- Experience with analyzing data to drive appropriate and effective instruction to acquire holistic results and accountability.
- Experienced Grant Writer and Grant Seeker for Educational, Non- Profit and Community Service Grants.
- Experienced with establishing Educational Leadership Teams as well as establishing and developing Professional Learning Communities to acquire align Instructional Management Plans that will increase student achievement.
- Experienced with developing policies and procedures for data management, data driven instructions and best administrative
Dr. Burks holds membership in multiple professional and social organizations and currently serves as a school improvement and federal program compliance auditor and consultant. He also serves as an active educational advocate during legislative initiatives advocating for the necessary funding, appropriations and resources in order to accommodate the current needs of our scholars. He also is in his second term serving as a Zoning Commissioner for the city of McComb. He is a member of Mt. Olive M. B. Church in McComb where he serves a Minister of Music and Church Administrator. He also serves on the national faculty of the Gospel Music Workshop of America (GMWA) as Administrator and Director of the Academic Library Media Services and Archives. He serves the McComb and Pike County communities in several different capacities with establishing and unifying education, political and social harmony through creative humanitarian initiatives. Maintaining a high level of professionalism and open disclosure has always been a top priority in his professional character, and as a leader, administrator as well as a board member, he believes that every employee is valuable part of the success of the school district and should be treated with the highest respect. He believes that the combination of his education and prior professional experiences gives him an excellent opportunity to assist the McComb School Board in its further growth and development as being a well governed board while becoming successful in achieving the mission and vision of the school district, community and to accommodate the expectations and assigned tasks of his constituents and the McComb City Board of Selectmen.
KaShonda Day, Board Attorney
Ms. Day began serving as the School Board Attorney in 2020.
PROCEDURE FOR CITIZENS ADDRESSING THE SCHOOL BOARD
The McComb School Board conducts a regular meeting each month and welcomes input from the public. Each regular meeting provides an opportunity for public comments. Individuals, organizations, or committees may address the board during a meeting once a written request has been received by the Office of the Superintendent at 695 Minnesota Avenue, P.O. Box 868, McComb, MS 39648.
The request must be received in the office of the superintendent no later than 12 noon on the Tuesday preceding the board meeting.
If the board agenda is too crowded, the matter will be held for the next board meeting.
The request must contain the following information:
The request must be received in the office of the superintendent no later than 12 noon on the Tuesday preceding the board meeting.
If the board agenda is too crowded, the matter will be held for the next board meeting.
The request must contain the following information:
- Name, address, telephone number, and signature of the person making the request.
- The date of the board meeting.
- The specific reason(s) for the request.
- Officials in the school district previously contacted about the matter.
- Requests from groups shall specify the name, address, and telephone number of the spokesperson of the group. The spokesperson will be the only voice of the group.
The superintendent will acknowledge receipt of all requests, and will issue instructions by return mail.
To promote order and efficiency, the following rules will apply to persons or groups coming before the board:
To promote order and efficiency, the following rules will apply to persons or groups coming before the board:
- No person or group will be recognized without first being placed on the agenda.
- Only the individual designated as spokesperson will be allowed to speak for the group.
- If any person willfully disturbs a public school meeting, that person is in violation of the law.
- The board may make and enforce resolutions, rules and regulations for the conduct of persons attending board meetings.
- Speakers will adhere to a reasonable time limit and will speak only on the subject (s) stated in the written request.
- The board reserves the right to take matters under advisement.