The Lauderdale County School District is looking at an online tool to train and certify some of its staff members.

School board members on Thursday discussed using the 3D Institute Coaching website for athletic coaches and bus drivers. The training will be part of the district’s professional development on Jan. 7, 2020.

3D Institute Coaching was established in 2014 to help meet the professional development needs of the international coaching community, according to the company’s website. The company’s mission is “to provide a framework for coaching that addresses all 3 dimensions of an athlete, which are physical, psychology and heart,” the website says.

Lauderdale County schools athletic director Tim Moore said the program teaches coaches how to focus on the whole child and not just athletics. Topics include how to teach students motivation and compassion, he said.

“It gives coaches some new approaches to change the culture,” Moore said.

Mitch Hull, a representative from the company, said the certification involves 25 modules that are 20 minutes each. 

In other business, Mickey Perez from Entergrity gave the board updates on the district’s energy efficiency program.

Perez said the company is in the process of finishing fitting LED lights at West Lauderdale elementary, middle and high schools.

In January, the company will work to get LED lights at the Clarkdale schools. Also in January, there are plans for a water conservation project, designing the HVAC systems,  security upgrades, dropping ceilings, replacing windows and updating the district’s phone system to include voice operation.

The project was approved in October. The cost, which will be financed over 20 years, is $14 million including interest. The project includes installing solar panels at various school campuses, installing LED lights, improving HVAC systems and improving school security. The project will also place LED lights in classrooms by making the areas brighter. 

Installing LED lights is expected to save the district $189,000 a year and using solar panels is expected to  save $31,000 a year. The solar panel system will allow school officials to monitor how much energy is being used via a dashboard at the school.