NATCHEZ — A former Natchez-Adams School District administrator asked the Adams County Board of Supervisors to stay engaged with the school board as the school district enters a new year.

In a speech that was at times tearful, former Natchez High School Assistant Principal Shannon Doughty told the board her own non-renewal as an administrator was not based on school performance but on predictions of performance.

Her supervisor, former Natchez High School Principal Fred Butcher, had recommended to the school district that she be renewed as an administrator, Doughty said.

“I was non-renewed on a prediction of test scores — a prediction,” she said. “That is like me coming in here and predicting that the board of supervisors cannot do what it needs (for Adams County) and asking each of you to step down.”

During recent protests of changes in personnel in the school district, Doughty’s name was a constant refrain of a person protestors thought should not have been non-renewed.

“I came to speak on behalf of the teachers and educators who cannot speak up because they feel they have a mark on their back,” she said.

Doughty said she was offered an opportunity to return to the classroom, but chose to seek a similar administrative position elsewhere even though it means she will have to leave her family during the week.

But she will not move out of the community, Doughty said.

“I have built relationships with teachers and students, and I know if you get out and talk to them, they will say the same thing,” she said. “I will continue to support the Natchez-Adams School District with everything in me.”

Many of the people appointed to positions that were non-renewed did not have as much experience as those they supplanted, Doughty said, and even though she was given notice her school’s scores performance scores needed to improve, she was never given an improvement plan by the central school board office.

Even so, Doughty said she thinks the release of test scores in the fall will vindicate her.

“If I was non-renewed on my job performance I would (go), but a prediction? I can guarantee they will be better,” she said.

Supervisor Mike Lazarus said Doughty was known in the community for giving of herself and creating an environment in which students wanted to excel.

President Darryl Grennell said if the supervisors had the power to reinstate Doughty, they would, and every member of the board has an interest in each child in the school system.

Members of the school board have consistently backed the central administration’s decisions, Lazarus said, but there is little the supervisors can do about it, and they are not entitled to speak at school board meetings if they are not on the agenda.

Grennell said the board has a meeting scheduled in August with the area’s legislators to motivate them to pass legislation that will make the school board an elected body.

“Any time you have the power to levy taxes and affect the taxes of the people, you should be elected,” he said.

The board also took nominations to replace school board member Ruth Nichols, who was appointed earlier this year but has since resigned.

Two county residents — Diane Good and Cynthia Smith — were nominated, but the board decided to leave nominations open after Supervisor David Carter said the public should be able to review the process.

“This should be an open interview process, just like if they were running for office,” he said. “The only reason I think it would be closed is if they have a job and this would impact that, but in this case, it doesn’t.”

In other news, the board voted to enter a contract with AT&T that will allow the company to install U-verse service in the county outside the Natchez city limits.

Residents of the Beau Pré subdivision asked the board to approve the contract because the area has never had Internet service.