Students, family mourn loss of beloved principal

By Rupert Howell
During a subdued meeting Tuesday night, on the day that followed the sudden death of the popular 32-year-old Green Hill Elementary School Principal Lisa Williams Boothe, Superintendent Cedric Richardson said the playground she so much wanted for her K-2 students would be dedicated to her memory.
Booth died unexpectedly late Monday, of complications from a broken leg. She was recovering from the break with her leg in a cast and had gone shopping Monday following the long weekend holiday. Not uncharacteristically, she had gone by her school on her day off.
Richardson told his board of trustees that just the week before he had met with and heard Booth’s request to raise money for the playground at the Sardis school.
Richardson began Tuesday’s meeting by eulogizing Boothe’s work as a student, teacher and principal praying for her family as well as her school family.
“She really wanted those children to have a nice playground on that campus,” Richardson said while reflecting a recent conversation. ”She definitely felt passionate about that.”
School administrators had gathered the night before with Booth’s family and arrived early to school on Monday to be with teachers as they prepared for a long day at Green Hill without their leader according to longtime NP administrator Michael Britt.
Britt said that students reacted, “about as well as could be expected under the circumstances,” but noted that staff members were more visibly shaken by the vacuum caused by their principal’s untimely death.
Britt said all school counselors were pulled in to Green Hill to assist with grief counseling and older students were called upon to help the little ones cope with or better understand what had happened.
Assistant Superintendent Jamone Edwards confirmed that state testing scheduled to begin Tuesday morning was rescheduled for next week at Green Hill after administrators contacted the State Department of Education notifying them of sudden circumstances.
Britt remarked Tuesday night that the Green Hill Principal had confided in him that she felt good about her students facing upcoming testing.
Memorials for the proposed memorial playground may be sent to North Panola School District (Please note for Green Hill Playground) 470 Hwy. 51N, Sardis, MS 38666.
Services for Lisa Williams Boothe will be Sunday, April 23 at Batesville Civic Center at 1p.m. Visitation will be at Cooley’s Mortuary Saturday from 10 a.m.-4:00 p.m. and family hour is from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. The memorial service is from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in Cooley’s Mortuary Chapel.