Superintendent Search: South Panola School District

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Superintendent Search

South Panola School District

The Mississippi School Boards Association is currently conducting the Superintendent Search for the South Panola School District.

The South Panola School District is seeking an innovative and data-driven educational leader who has a proven record of raising student achievement, who has current, hands-on experience with the Mississippi accountability system, and who has demonstrated the ability to develop positive relationships with all stakeholder groups.

About the District

DISTRICT DATA

School District Rating: B
Total Number of Students: 4,306
Graduation Rate: 84.8%
Per Pupil Expenditure: $13,258
Number of Licensed Teachers: 351
Student / Teacher Ratio: 12:1
Total Number of Schools: 6

ABOUT THE DISTRICT

The mission of South Panola School District is to provide opportunities of educational excellence to all students. SPSD has a "B" accreditation rating with three of the six schools having an "A" rating.

SPSD serves approximately 4,300 students on six campuses throughout Batesville and the southern portion of Panola County. SPSD is fully accredited by the Mississippi Department of Education. The school district employs 351 certified teachers with 145 having advanced degrees and 38 holding National Board Certification. A rigorous curriculum is in place to challenge students each day through regular course offerings, as well as the opportunities for the students to excel in MERIT (gifted curriculum), Dual Enrollment, AP, and Accelerated course offerings in all four subject areas at the secondary level, which offers students the opportunity to earn college credits before leaving high school. Each classroom teacher is offered a desktop and laptop computer, while classrooms are outfitted with SMART Board Interactive Display Televisions to enhance the educational instruction of students.

SPSD offers 18 career and technical programs to secondary students. The SPSD athletic department offers 22 sports teams on the high school level and 14 teams on the junior high level. The district offers many activities and extracurriculars such as band, choir, theater, and a variety of clubs that students may participate in.

ABOUT THE COMMUNITY

Panola County has a strong sense of community. It is located in the northwestern region of the state of Mississippi approximately 60 miles south of Memphis, America's top distribution hub, and 25 miles west of Oxford, home of the University of Mississippi. The main campus of Northwest Mississippi Community College is located 25 miles north with The Concourse, a division of NWCC, located in Batesville. The Concourse is an adult technical and learning center.

The population of Panola County is 34,190 (American Community Survey Data, 2019). The median household income is $38,304 and the median house value is $83,300. The largest industries in the county are health and social services, manufacturing, and educational services.

Applicant Criteria & Qualifications

The Superintendent of Education serves as the chief executive officer of the school district and is responsible to the Board of Trustees for ensuring compliance with all board policies and Mississippi State Board of Education rules and regulations, as well as state and federal laws.

Only applicants who fit the following criteria and qualifications defined by the board will be considered for the position.

CRITERIA

Must meet criteria outlined in MS Code 37-9-13.

QUALIFICATIONS DEFINED BY THE BOARD

Evidence of a recent documented track record of raising the achievement level of all students
A minimum of three years of experience in an “A” or “B” school or district or experience in moving a school or district to an “A” or “B” rating
Is an advocate for students
Skill as an effective communicator, including speaking, listening, writing, and technology
Ability to develop a formal process for communicating with stakeholders, including the board members
Ability to develop a climate of trust/openness with all stakeholders
Willingness to maintain an open-door policy with all stakeholder groups to benefit students and the district
Is approachable and is a good listener
Willingness to and ability to work cooperatively with the school board members
Ability to develop a positive rapport, while providing strong leadership to administrators, teachers, and other school personnel
Uses a team management approach
Will reside in the school district with his/her family and is committed to becoming an active and visible member of the community
Will be visible in the schools and at school events
Knowledge of strategic planning, including development, implementation, monitoring, and reporting
Has experience in diverse educational settings, working with schools with diversified populations
Has a track record of strong decision-making; is firm, fair, and consistent
Proactively cultivates a disciplined, safe, and orderly school environment
Ability to recruit, retain, and invest in the development of highly qualified personnel
Has experience in developing a climate of high expectations and accountability
Honest and transparent; high moral and ethical standards of conduct; a strong work ethic