CORINTH - As the newly elected superintendent of Alcorn County Schools readies to take office in January, the school board approved training in December to help with the transition.

Gina Rogers Smith leaves her position as principal of Biggersville Elementary School for her new role.

The board held a special meeting Thursday to discuss and approve travel for Smith and school district business manager Angi Wilhite to attend training to manage federal programs in Las Vegas in December.

"As I begin a new chapter in my educational career, my heart is heavy thinking about leaving my children and the faculty of Biggersville," Smith said Friday. "I am counting my blessings that I have been given the opportunity to work with every child in the Alcorn school district."

The transition in administration continues at the Dec. 12 regular school board meeting when Chris Butler, assistant principal at Kossuth Elementary School, is expected to be approved by the board as the new principal at Biggersville Elementary School.

Butler attended Thursday's meeting and will spend some time through the end of the year at the Biggersville campus as well as at Kossuth.

The board of supervisors earlier this week approved county-paid December training for several other newly elected officials who will take office in January: the tax collector, the coroner and coroner's assistant.

However, outgoing Superintendent Stacy Suggs said school superintendents are oriented to most duties of the job through monthly sessions in a year-long academy training process.

lena.mitchell@journalinc.com