Video: Starkville Schools Staff Kick Off School Year with Convocation

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STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) -Tteachers and faculty in Starkville are kicking off the new school year with praise and honor. Leaders held an opening convocation ceremony at First United Methodist Church, recognizng their hard work. WCBI’s Caresse Jackman attended the event and has more.

Waltrine Jones received a round of applause from her Starkville School District family. Leaders honored her along with more than 40 teachers and faculty at this year’s opening convocation ceremony .
“I received the certificate of appreciation from non certified salaried personnel. It’s such a privilege I tell you. This will be my 20th year going into it. I thank God for giving me the opportunity to receive this award and I work with the best staff at Sudduth Elementary School.” ”

Nicole Dozier is an 8th grade English teacher at Armstrong Middle.
“I was an outstanding teacher for Armstrong Middle School, 8th grade English and it was an honor to receive this award and to be recognized among such great educators here.teaching is such a passion of mine. this is my 10th year in the classroom. I love going in with different innovative ideas each year, meeting the different faces, is something I look forward to continuing in the years to come.”

The convocation ceremony kicks off the beginning of the school year.
“We try to make it inspirational and congratulate people and have a good time. and I think we achieve that.”

Superintendent Lewis Holloway says the focus is so often on exams and major changes, and he wants to put the spotlight on the great achievements and sacrifices made throughout the year from staff members.
” The state has changed how it rates schools again and now the focus is on raising the bottom 25 percent up. And we don’t look at our highest score tile and seeing where they were and figuring that into the percentiles and Starkville has a great higher percentile and we struggle with the lower percentile just like everybody else. But to ignore the high achievement that you’ve seen today seems wrong.”

The 2014-2015 school year marks the end of the Starkville School District as we know it. Starting next year, when the district merges with the county, they’ll be known as the Starkville Consolidated School District.
“Last year was somewhat difficult with the committee with consolidation and we got through that and we have a positive plan in place, and we still have issues as we come forward with consolidation coming up this next year. I believe we have the people that are going to be able to make this happen.”

In Starkville, Caresse Jackman , WCBI News.
Classes  begin August 6th  in Starkville.