The Brookhaven School Board was treated to a sneak previewTuesday night of what prospective Lipsey Middle School studentswill see when they ask for information on the school.

Lipsey Principal Rob McCreary, Assistant Principal TrevorBrister and some Lipsey students appeared before the board and agathering of parents for the first showing of the video they haveput together to send to children whose families are interested insending them to Lipsey.

“We have people request information on the school, and this wasan idea for something to send them besides just our curriculum andlocation,” McCreaary said. “It was something to show what we haveto offer at Lipsey for the average person.”

McCreary said the video was an idea he picked up as assistantprincipal at Mamie Martin Elementary. Martin Principal Danita Hobbshas a video that she shows prospective students and parents whenthey visit the school, and McCreary said he liked the idea andwanted to expound on it.

“There’s a powerpoint they use for tours, so parents would havea quick concise thing to look at about the school, and I wanted tothink of a way to incorporate it at a higher level,” he said.

McCreary said the video was a collaborative effort between theteaching staff and the school’s Lamplighter hospitality group.

“We just got it finished,” he said. “We started working on itabout a month ago, and we’re going to eventually post it on the Website.”

The video, which is about five minutes long, gives parents andkids a chance to take a look at Lipsey from the comfort of theirown homes. Until it’s on the Web site, McCreary said, a disc withthe presentation on it will be sent to prospective students withthe other information from the school.

And the feedback so far from students and teachers has beenpositive, he said.

“It’s turned into something that’s very comprehensive,” McCrearysaid. “It’s still short enough you can sit and watch it, but longenough to let you know what’s going on here. And the kids love it,they love anything where they get to see themselves.”

In other news, District Superintendent Lea Barrett told theboard that the school district would have to absorb a 5 percentreduction in their budget, which would include about $596,000 inMississippi Adequate Education Program funds. Overall, she said,the district budget will be cut $612,514.

“And that’s not including the gifted and special educationprograms,” she said.

Barrett told the board that Gov. Haley Barbour has said thereare more cuts possible in the future, as well as in the next twoyears.

“Mrs. (Business Manager Susan) Quin and I are looking at thebudget to see where we can begin to cut back,” Barrett said.

The school board also conducted routine business, includingvoting to accept the revised 2008-09 budget with what Quin called”some minor adjustments” at Tuesday’s board meeting.