The DeSoto Digest
A publication of DeSoto County Schools
Newsletter
October 2015
Record Number of National Merit Semi-finalists Named at DeSoto County Schools
     Twenty-two DeSoto County School District high school seniors have been named semifinalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program.
     "We need to recognize our teachers and our curriculum department for setting high standards," said Supt. Milton Kuykendall.  "Several years ago we began offering test-preparation classes, called "PSAT", in all of our high schools under the direction of Dr. April Holifield-Scott.  These classes have helped students increase their speed and accuracy on national exams.  I am so proud of our students and staff. Also, every teacher who taught these students helped them achieve this honor."
       The students are:
Center Hill High School
From left: Carolyn Baggett, Carly Golding, Travis McKnight, Michael Dollar and CHHS Principal Doug Payne
DeSoto Central High School
From left:  Hannah Honeycutt, Jennifer Sanders and
DCHS Principal and Superintendent-Elect Cory Uselton
From left: Sarah Barch and Mason Hayes
Lake Cormorant High School
LCHS Principal Rhonda Guice and Jason Tomasi
Lewisburg High School
From left:  Madison Shidler, Hannah Phillips Ryan Byrd, Ian Arguin and LHS Principal Chris Fleming
Olive Branch High School
From left front row:  Ally Dees, Rudy Ramos
From left back row: Michael Drake, Hunter Cole
Southaven High School
From left: Meagan Millier, Jacob Hayes, Erin Webb, Landon Calvert and Terrell Gray
     A history of National Merit winners at DeSoto County Schools is as follows:
2003-3
2004-5
2005-2
2006-1
2007-1
2008-3
2009-4
2010-8
2011-11
2012-8
2013-10
2014-14
2015-22
 
     Approximately 16,000 students across the country were named National Merit semifinalists on Wednesday. They will now continue to compete for about 7,400 National Merit scholarships that will be offered next spring.
     About 90 percent of semifinalists are expected to be named finalists, according to the National Merit Scholarship Corp.  About half of the finalists are expected to win National Merit scholarships.
     The semifinalists represent less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, and includes students who had the highest scores on the 2014 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. The number of semifinalists in each state is proportional to the state's percentage of the national total of graduating seniors, according to the corporation.
     Semifinalists must have outstanding academic records, be endorsed by a high school official, write an essay and earn SAT scores that confirm their performance on the qualifying test.
 
 Cliff Johnston Named
New DeSoto Central High School Principal
     The DeSoto County Board of Education approved a key administrator as principal.
      Cliff Johnston, presently serving as assistant principal at DeSoto Central High School, will take the helm as the principal at DCHS, replacing Superintendent-elect Cory Uselton, effective January 1.
    Johnston earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Education at Delta State University and his Master of Arts Degree in Educational Leadership from Arkansas State University.
     Johnston began his teaching career at Independence High School in Independence, MS, in 2000.  In six years, he worked as the head high school baseball coach, defensive coordinator for the varsity football team, and junior high basketball and football coach.  He also taught  MS studies, world geography and 7th grade science. In August 2006, he joined DeSoto County Schools.  At Horn Lake High, he worked as a teacher/football coach/powerlifting coach. He was named Rotary Teacher of the Month  and in 2008 he was named Powerlifting Coach of the Year for the state of Mississippi. From June 2011 to present he has been an assistant principal at DeSoto Central High School. He has worked as the 9th Grade Principal.
    "Cliff Johnston is a strong instructional leader," said Supt. Milton Kuykendall.  "All of his administrative experience has been at DeSoto Central High School so his transition should be seamless."
    "This is my fifth year at DeSoto Central and I loved it when I walked into the doors," Johnston said.  "I am honored and excited for the opportunity to lead this great school. Following Mr. Uselton will be big shoes to fill, but I am glad I have the next several months to ease into this new position.  Mr. Uselton has been a great mentor to me and I want to continue the standard of excellence he has set at DCHS."
  He and his wife, Robin, have two sons, Taylor and Jake.
 
Shadow Oaks Elementary and Chickasaw Elementary Recognized for 25 Years of Continuous Accreditation
     In September, Shadow Oaks Elementary and Chickasaw Elementary Schools were recognized in front of the DeSoto County School Board for maintaining 25 years of continuous accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI).  
From left,  Dr. Keith Shaffer, Shadow Oaks Principal Traci Suiter and Supt. Milton Kuykendall.
      "All DCS schools are accredited. Fourteen schools have more than 25 years of continuous accreditation However, many of our facilities are new and have not had the opportunity to reach the 25 year benchmark. They are headed in the right direction," said Lucy Hasselman, director of accreditation.
DeSoto County Schools received their system accreditation for the next five years. From left, Dr. Keith Shaffer with AdvancED, Supt. Milton Kuykendall and Lucy Hasselman, director of accreditation.
     SACS CASI, an accrediting division for AdvancED, assists schools and school systems through the accreditation process and helps those institutions demonstrate a continuous commitment to providing quality education programs that are aimed at improving student performance.  To earn accreditation, schools must meet AdvancED's high standards, be evaluated by a team of professionals from outside the school, and implement a continuous process of school improvement.  
     "We are proud of our tradition of accreditation," stated Supt. Milton Kuykendall.  "It demonstrates to parents and our community that we are dedicated to providing students with a quality education and that we are open to external scrutiny.  It assures them that we are focused on improving learning for all students."  
From left, Dr. Keith Shaffer, Chickasaw Principal Selina Hall, and Supt. Milton Kuykendall.
     Dr. Mark Elgart, President/CEO of AdvancED, the parent organization of SACS CASI, commended the schools for their achievement.  "Achieving 25 years of continuous accreditation is an exceptional accomplishment.  The staff and school community at Shadow Oaks and Chickasaw deserve our highest praise for their ongoing pursuit of quality and excellence." 
     Parents and interested community members can learn more about accreditation at www.advanc-ed.org. 
 
New Dyslexia Program
Launched at DeSoto County Schools
Paige Norwood (left) uses a schedule chart in her Center Hill Elementary classroom.  The chart uses symbols that are easy for the students with dyslexia to recognize.  Jennifer Weeks (middle), assistant superintendent of academic education, helped bring the dyslexia program to DCS. Center Hill dyslexia program teacher Wendy Jumper will work with students.
     No one is born knowing how to read;  all have to learn.
     If you are born with dyslexia, this is a very hard task.  DeSoto County School District is addressing this problem with a new program being piloted at two schools: Center Hill Elementary and Walls Elementary.
     What is dyslexia?  According to Medical News Today, dyslexia is a specific reading disability due to a defect in the brain's processing of graphic symbols. It is a learning disability that alters the way the brain processes written material. It is typically characterized by difficulties in word recognition, spelling and decoding.
     Just about every person starts talking without having to learn how to talk.  Reading, however, is different.  Our brain has to be trained to connect letters with sounds and put those sounds together in the right order to understand what they mean. 
     "I had a parent call me who felt we weren't doing enough to help our students with dyslexia.  Since 2013, we've been looking at doing more," said Jennifer Weeks, assistant superintendent of academic education for DeSoto County Schools.
     This year there are four teachers dedicated to the new dyslexia program.  They are Paige Norwood and Wendy Jumper at Center Hill Elementary, and Alison Black and Melissa Burnside at Walls Elementary.  They will serve around 80 students.
     A grant from the Homer Skelton Foundation helped launch this program.
 
Summer Program at Pleasant Hill Elementary
Math Facts, Science Experiments and
Fun Fill Summer for PHES Students
     Educators understand the term "summer slide," or regression in students' skills over the vacation months. 
     Instead of sitting by the pool, a group of educators at Pleasant Hill Elementary School spent Tuesday and Thursday mornings drilling math and science facts to upcoming 4th grade students.  They volunteered their summer vacation to keep kids on track.
 Principal Jamie Loper and 3rd Grade Teacher Todd Willis piloted a summer camp at PHES.  With a simple message about the camp being offered, they had a full classroom each day.
     Christy Bennett, DeSoto County Schools' Elementary Math Specialist, helped Willis choose workstations with various math games and science experiments for students to complete.  Math games targeted skills for review.   
     "Data interpretation, fact fluency and mathematical literacy were chosen to help students begin the new school year with a head start on new and more demanding skills." Bennett said. 
     Science workstations focused on exploration and research, specifically the Mississippi River Watershed and an entomology project.  Willis used ideas he learned, equipment and supplies he received, as part of NOAA's B-WET workshop he attended in June at Dauphin Island Sea Lab in Alabama.
     "Parents viewed the camp as just one more reason Pleasant Hill Elementary and DeSoto County Schools goes the extra mile for students," Principal Loper said.
     "I am going to be following up with these students to see what impact this summer program may have on academic progress over the new school year.  In my mind, it is not a question of if, but how much it helps.  I am already planning a camp here again in 2016," she added.
 
 
The DeSoto Digest is a publication of the
Communications Department
DeSoto County Schools
5 East South Street, Hernando
Mississippi 38632
Katherine Nelson, Director
The DeSoto County School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups.
The DeSoto Digest is produced by the Communications Department and delivered to all employees and subscribers on the first of each month.

For additional news about DeSoto County Schools, please visit  DCS News or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

 

Katherine Nelson
Director of Communications

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Calendar 2015-16
October 12th
Columbus Day Holiday
November 3rd
Professional Development
(Student Holiday)
November 23rd - 27th
Thanksgiving Holidays
Dec. 21st - Jan. 1st
Christmas Holidays
January 4th
Teachers & Students Return
January 18th
King/Lee Holiday
February 12th
Professional Development
(Student Holiday)
February 15th
Washington's Birthday Holiday
March 14th -18th
Spring Break
March 25th
Good Friday Holiday
March 28th
Easter Holiday
May 20th
Students' Last Day
May 25th
Teachers' Last Day
May 30th
Memorial Day Holiday

Homecoming Season
at DeSoto County Schools
     Homecomings at DeSoto County Schools' eight high schools are really a celebration of pride and school spirit, and this year several schools incorporated activities that increased community support.
     Southaven High began a new tradition that included six special needs students as homecoming maids.  Student ambassadors nominated the girls, and Principal Shane Jones supported their idea.  These six young ladies wore crowns and were escorted on the field with the thirteen other maids.  Hundreds of new fans came to see the special halftime.  Three television stations covered the event. 
     "I love the fact that everybody has come together to make them feel as special as they are," said SHS special needs teacher Becky Lantrip.
     Lewisburg and DeSoto Central High Schools had parades around their campuses featuring the schools' marching bands.  Each grade built floats and students threw candy to cheering elementary and middle school students.  Supt. 
Milton Kuykendall served as the Grand Marshal of the Lewisburg parade.
Courtney Tuggle
LES Principal Amanda Samples and LPS Principal Jeannie Treadway 
Rachel Dunlap
Eli Kyle, Brock Moorehead, Aiden Shaw, Joehiro Vega, Hayden Turner 

Picture Returns Home
      For years a painting of Horn Lake High hung in the principal's office while Milton Kuykendall was the principal.  After he was elected superintendent, he hung that painting in his office in Hernando.  Now that he is retiring, he wanted the painting to "go home."  Supt. Kuykendall  presented the painting to HLMS Assistant Principal Joshua McIntyre and Principal Nick Toungett.

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Teacher Chosen for International Honor
     Mary Davis, a Spanish teacher at Lewisburg High School, was one of two teachers selected nationwide to earn an all-expense paid educational tour of Ecuador to study the rain forest, visit the schools and study their culture.  She traveled to Ecuador in August and said being able to "share their culture" has enriched her classroom.
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What's For Lunch?
Supt. Milton Kuykendall  dropped in to see the new cafeteria at Southaven Middle School.  Principal Levi Williams said the renovations have helped move students faster through the lunch lines.
     There is a new bistro in town where more than 1,200 to 1,300 students eat each day.
     It is at Southaven Middle School.  A new, state-of-the-art kitchen and dining hall have transformed a cafeteria into  an inviting, bright, casual environment where students gather for a choice of a hot lunch, salad or loaded baked potato.
     "We renovated SMS because it is our largest feeding site," said Cynthia Coleman, director of child nutrition.  "We used school colors, booths and bistro style tables to give the cafeteria an updated look.  The students love it."
     Coleman said the kitchen was totally revamped to be more functional to feed and store food for large numbers of servings.
     "These renovations have helped move students faster through lunch lines," she said.  "Our principals are pleased with the changes."
     The project started in May and was completed in August. 
     "We continually work to make the food attractive, wholesome and compliant with nutritional guidelines," Coleman said.  "Outside tables are another added feature that students love."
SHS Student Makes Army All-American Marching Band
     The blended notes of the award-winning Southaven High School band filled the gymnasium to honor one of their own members-senior Matthew Duck.
Matthew Duck, center, with parents, Lynn and Kenneth Duck
     Duck was selected by the U.S. Army All-American Marching Band to be one of the 125 members selected nationwide who will play at halftime at the Army vs. Navy Bowl Game on January 9th in San Antonio. TX.  This is the fourth time a band student has been selected from SHS for this national honor.
Andy Sanders (far right), retired SHS band director, was recognized for helping Matthew develop into the musician he is today.
     Nominated by retired Band Director Andy Sanders, Duck said he is thrilled that he will get to represent his school and meet outstanding band students from around the country.
Supt. Milton Kuykendall, Matthew Duck, and SHS Principal Shane Jones
     "We are so proud of Matthew," said SHS Principal Shane Jones.  "When your students get national recognition, it honors the work we do here."
     Students are nominated by their band director in the fall of their junior year, submit application materials in the spring of their junior year and are notified of acceptance in late July. Members receive  an all-expenses paid trip to bowl week  during January.