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Team in place to lead schools By BARRY BURLESON
Editor  | Photo by Brenda Bailey
Ready for new school year
Marshall
County School District administrators include (first row, from left)
Nashonda Cowans (English language coordinator for the district), Jerry
Moore, Pat Kennedy, Leigh Anne Sanderson, Jennifer Gurley, Landon
Pollard; (second row) William Oliver, Shane Stone, Carrie Skelton, Todd
Sanderson, Summer Pannell, Gail Moreland; (back row, from left) Don
Jackson, Demeka Smith, superintendent Don Randolph, Sonya Cross, Andrae
Sims, Chris Ferrell. |
A new school year will bring a few administrative changes in the Marshall County district. The summer break is almost over. Students return to classes Thursday, Aug. 5. “I
am excited about our new administrative team,” said Jerry Moore,
assistant superintendent of education. “They should be good. I think
they all fit their spots well.” Byhalia Middle Landon
Pollard will be the new principal at Byhalia Middle School. He
graduated from Ole Miss and the Mississippi Principal Corps. “We
recruited him from Clinton High School,” Moore said. “He will have nine
new teachers on his staff which we recruited from all over (St. John’s
University, Amherst College, Rhodes College, Millsaps and Ole Miss).” Many
of the BMS teachers taught in the free summer school program in
partnership with the Holly Springs School District and Ole Miss. “So, we’ve seen them teach already and are excited about what they can do,” Moore said. Carrie Skelton returns to the assistant principal position at Byhalia Middle School. Byhalia Elementary Demeka
Smith will be the new principal at Byhalia Elementary School. The Ole
Miss graduate has been with the county school district as an assistant
principal for a couple of years. “She’s ready to be a principal - lots of good ideas and an excellent work ethic,” Moore said. Todd Sanderson will be new assistant principal, moving over from Byhalia High. “He
is familiar with the high school’s problems academically since he has
worked there the past two years as an assistant principal and we’re
hoping by moving him to the elementary he can work on those academic
issues that might become a problem later on for the high school. They
(Smith and Sanderson) make a good team as well.” Byhalia High Don Jackson and William Oliver return to their principal and assistant principal roles, respectively, at Byhalia High School. Summer
Pannell, a former coach at the high school, will shift back there from
Byhalia Middle as as assistant principal and instructional facilitator. “She is very familiar with the high school and will fit right back into the team,” Moore said. Byers Elementary Chris Ferrell will be new principal at H.W. Byers Elementary School. He was formerly an assistant principal at the high school. “He
has already hired some great teachers from across the state, here
locally and from Tennessee,” Moore said. “He lives in the Byers
community, so he should be extremely aware of the community and its
needs.” Byers High School Sonya Cross remains as principal at H.W. Byers High School and Gail Moreland as assistant principal. “We
added fifth and sixth grade to H.W. Byers High School last year in
order to work on academic issues in those two grades,” Moore said.
“We’ve done well with those two grades and will continue to work with
those two grades to bring their scores up to the level of grades seven
through 12.” Galena Andrae
Sims will be the new principal at Galena Elementary. He has served as a
classroom teacher, reading specialist and instructional facilitator at
H.W. Byers High School. “He knows academics and will be a great fit for Galena,” Moore said. Potts Camp There
are no administrative changes at Potts Camp – Leigh Anne Sanderson is
principal and Shane Stone and Jerry Martin are assistant principals. “They
have done well academically and in the areas of activity and parental
involvement,” Moore said. “They could possibly be a high performing
school this year.” Mary Reid Pat Kennedy will remain the principal at Mary Reid Elementary. Fourth
graders will be moved to the Mary Reid campus from Potts Camp as soon
as the new P.E. building with extra classrooms is complete. Alternative School Jennifer
Gurley takes over new leadership duties at the Marshall County
Alternative School, moving from principal at Byhalia Elementary. The alternative school is located in Holly Springs and is a joint effort between the county and city school districts. She started her new position in mid-July. |
