By Myra Bean

Lifelong Panola Countian Alecia Johnson-Hines is living her passion as the center director ICS Head Start in Batesville.

She started working for ICS at age 23 and has worked for the agency for 28 years.

Johnson-Hines came before the Panola County Board of Supervisors last week to ask the county to buy buses for the schools located in Batesville and Crenshaw.

Supervisor James Birge said he was glad to see ICS come before the board. “I want to see us help them,” Birge said.

The board asked Johnson-Hines to get  prices and specs for the buses. She turned the requested details into Panola County Administrator Kate Victor.

She said one of the type of buses they use costs approximately $85,000 and comes with air conditioning and seat belts. The ICS businesses are further required to have harnesses for the smaller children which are not equipped on the buses.

Johnson-Hines was told by other center directors the costs for those are about $60 per harness.

Johnson-Hines is a head start product and is passionate about her role as center director.

“It’s my passion because I can understand where the children and families are coming from. I have always had a love for people,” Johnson-Hines said.

She compares herself to her late father, James Johnson. She described him as the most meek and mild-mannered person she had ever met. “My dad was humble. I kind of want to be more like him. I never seen a man who never get upset. He got along with everybody. He had a mild-mannered personality.”

The ICS Head Start in Batesville caters to 234 children, ages 3 and 4, with 60 staff personnel. They have seven buses, but if one breaks down, there is no substitute.

Crenshaw’s center director of two years, Tawanda Pryor, said Crenshaw has 94 students but they are still going through registration at this time. They have three buses total but two stay out of commission a lot. Sub buses are used.

Crenshaw runs three routes but lately have only run one or two routes so 25 to 30 children are not able to go to school.

Johnson-Hines said children have to take tests to see what level they are on. Their progress is tracked and the information given to kindergarten when they get old enough.

If the buses are not running and the children miss days attending, the Head Start staff has to start over with them, according to Johnson-Hines. “They come back crying, not wanting to be here. Three- and four-year olds get in a repetition. They are just trying to adjust,” she said.

Buses not running hinders progress, Johnson-Hines said. Head Start serves low income families.

“If our babies are not coming and they come in a lower level and they are missing days, how are we going to get them where they need to be or let the public school know where they started from? These children need to be in school. We don’t need the bus to add to the problem,” she stated adamantly.

The ICS Our Mission statement is, “ICS enriches and strengthens children, families and communities for future success,” Johnson-Hines said.

Johnson-Hines received her BS in social work and MA in early childhood education from the University of Mississippi.