Bianca Moorman / The Meridian Star Southeast High graduation coach Donna Sprayberry and student services coordinator Blair Miles work at the new student success center athe school.    

The Lauderdale County School District is using federal COVID-19 relief money to help struggling students.

Students at each high school have access to graduation coaches, which were hired to address learning loss caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The positions are being funded through the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund. The money will be allocated until Sept. 30, 2024.

Southeast High School principal Russell Keene said the coach will assist with ACT prep and work with the school’s testing coordinator to track student data.

“These are students who are struggling academically and need extra help,” he said. “It’s going to be a big help for us, especially in the learning gaps.” 

The coach, student services coordinator and special populations coordinator will be housed in a student services center in the office at Southeast.

At Northeast High, Principal Josh Herrington said the graduation coach will work as a liaison between the high school and middle school. The goal is to identify struggling students before they reach high school, he said. 

“They will help us identify students are at risk,” Herrington said, noting that pandemic likely caused an increase in the number of those students.

“This position will help us compensate for that learning loss,” he said.

“The purpose of that position, first and foremost, is to increase the graduation rate,” he added.