In a short meeting Monday, the school boar for the Poplarville Special Municipal Separate School District board recognized Parent of the Year Sandra Martin and outgoing district superintendent Gylde Fitzpatrick.

Also, in comments after the meeting, incoming superintendent Carl Merritt gave a brief update on the progress of construction to upgrade the high school library and adjacent areas.

Martin was selected as Parent of the Year for the 4th Congressional District and received the recognition earlier in May at a meeting of the Mississippi Board of Education in Jackson. The school board again thanked Fitzpatrick for her dedication to the district during her time as superintendent and to education in general during her 35-year career as teacher and school and district administrator.

Regarding the ongoing construction at the high school, Merritt said in addition to renovation of the library, office and record storage space near the front of the school was being renovated. He said the old principal’s office area will utilized as a conference room.

The construction underway at the front of the building is an architectural upgrade, Merritt said, to enhance the overall appearance of the front of the school to go along with the enhancement of the library.

He is hopeful the entire project will be completed by the beginning of school and said he is scheduled to meet with contractors later in the week for a progress update.

“It’s moving along fairly good,” Merritt said, but that it was like any other construction project — subject to weather delays and other items. “There hasn’t been any major problems that I’m aware of.”

In other matters, the board:

— Approved applications for the 2008 Consolidated Federal Programs.

— Approved personnel matters and minor, technical revisions to the salary schedules previously adopted.

— Approved the change of signatory authority for signing of checks and approved fiscal year-end transfer of funds.

— Approved the consent agenda.

— Made note that the school’s millage rate has been published as required by law and that the school’s tax millage rate of 54 mils has not been increased in approximately five years.

The school board meets again Monday, July 16.