Superintendent of Education Terry Brister spoke up at Tuesday’s Lincoln County school board meeting about the fact that his office and many employees out in the district have been saddened by the recent deaths of several Lincoln County residents over the Labor Day Weekend.

Emily Presley, 31, died Saturday in an accident on Old Red Star Road in Copiah County. She was the daughter of Assistant Superintendent Letha Presley and retired Loyd Star coach Don Presley. Emily was also a former employee of the Child Nutrition Department at central office in Brookhaven.

“It’s been a hard few days for us,” Brister said, “from a community standpoint and from an administration standpoint. We’ve been very saddened by their deaths.”

Brister added that Hayden Paul Hux, 18, who also died in the Saturday accident, was a Loyd Star student, and Hope Lashanna Norris, 31, another victim of the same wreck, was a former Loyd Star student.

“Our prayers go out to their families and friends,” Brister said.

In county school business, the board:

• Approved the addition of Stacy Britt to the substitute teacher list at Loyd Star for the 2013-14 school year.

• Approved emergency certification for one year for Shelby Beach to teach Introduction to Biology.

• Approved placing a public notice in the Daily Leader for permission to destroy special education files that are 26 years or older.

• Approved Scientific Learning Corp. of Passadena, Calif., as a “sole source” provider of “Fast Forward” and “Reading Assistant” software.

• Agreed to accept $3,500 from the West Lincoln Booster Club to split the costs of new wall mats in the gym and funding for the Robotic Team.

The Lincoln County School Board will meet again at 5 p.m. Monday, Sept. 16, at the Lincoln County School District offices.