Holly Springs School District rated Successful

The Holly Springs School District maintained its Successful rating for the 2022-2023 school year based on the Mississippi Department of Education’s Accountability System for Schools, according to superintendent Dr. Irene Turnage.

“With the exception of one year 2018, the district has received a Successful rating each year for the last twelve years,” Turnage said.

Turnage is in her 17^th year as superintendent. The district was AtRisk of Failing when she took the position.

The district received a C-rating, which is considered Successful under the present accountability model, according to the superintendent.

“There were a lot of positives in the data, and there are some areas where we still have a lot of good work to do,” said Turnage.

In addition to the district receiving a Successful rating, some of the positives include:

• the Holly Springs High School moving from a D-rating to a C-rating, raising it to a Successful status.

• the District’s graduation rate increasing to 93 percent from 90 percent.

• the District increasing in Acceleration, which is the percentage of students participating in college courses and obtaining national certifications while in high school. The percentage of students taking college courses and obtaining national certifications increased from 66 percent to 79 percent, a big plus.

The District also needs improvement in several areas. The data showed more improvements are still wanted. Holly Springs Intermediate and Holly Springs Primary showed significant progress with the Intermediate coming within 10 points of a C-rating and Primary coming within 13 points of a C-rating. But both schools received a D-rating.

Holly Springs Junior High did not meet expected goals and received an Frating.

So three schools need improvement, and the district is setting goals to correct those deficiencies in the Intermediate, Primary, but mostly Junior High, Turnage said.

Intensive strategic improvement plans and support systems have been put in place for all schools. The District expects all schools to advance to a Successful or higher rating in the 2023-2024 school year, Turnage said.

The COVID-19 pandemic is likely a major factor in the deficiencies at some schools, according to Turnage. The pandemic has been taxing for the school district’s children, teachers staff and parents, in fact the most challenging in the history of the school district.

The impact of the pandemic has made the last few years the most challenging in educational history, according to Turnage.

“Many of our students have not only experienced learning loss due to school closures and exposures, they have experienced the loss of loved ones critical to the family unit such as grandparents and other relatives,” she said.

Turnage lost a family member to the pandemic so it is up close and personal to her as well as many others in the Holly Springs and Marshall County family.

“Speaking from the personal experience of losing a brother whom I loved dearly to COVID, the impact of the pandemic will not be over for a long time, if ever,” Turnage said. “We must continue to provide ongoing educational, social, and emotional supports to students, families and staff.”

The superintendent also spoke of the importance of the community and stakeholders coming together now more than ever before to support education.

“As in the past, it will take all of us including school and district staff, parents, and community members to work together to ensure our students and schools are successful,” Turnage said. “The district cannot do it alone, but I know together, we can and will make it happen!”