West Tallahatchie School District

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The West Tallahatchie School District (WTSD) is a public school district with its headquarters in the Charles M. George Facility for Educational Services in unincorporated Tallahatchie County, Mississippi (USA), adjacent to Sumner. [1]

Contents

In addition to Sumner, the district also serves the communities of Tutwiler, Webb, and Glendora. [2] Additionally it includes unincorporated areas of Brazil, [3] Philipp, [4] and Vance. [3] The parts of the Mintner City area in Tallahatchie County are in the West Tallahatchie district. [2] [5]

History

In 1993 most classrooms were not air conditioned. [6]

In 1997 the district got little money from local taxation, and it reported that it had a shortage of qualified teachers. Superintendent Reggie Barnes asked area housing authorities to build affordable housing next to West Tallahatchie High School so area teachers had affordable housing. [7]

In 1999 there were two schools in the district, and both received intercom systems and were given a $1,071,000 renovation. [8]

In 2022, West Tallahatchie High School received an award from GreatSchools.org as a College Success-Gold Honoree for its success in preparing its students for life and enrollment in both two-year and four-year colleges and universities, respectively. [9]

Schools

Former schools

Demographics

As of November 1997, 99% of the students were black and 1% was white. As of that time, 92% qualified for buying lunches at reduced or no expense. [7] In 1999 there were 1,500 students. [24]

2007-08 school year

There were a total of 947 students enrolled in the West Tallahatchie School District during the 2007–2008 school year. The gender makeup of the district was 53% female and 47% male. The racial makeup of the district was 99.89% African American and 0.11% Hispanic. [25]

Previous school years

School YearEnrollmentGender MakeupRacial Makeup
FemaleMaleAsianAfrican
American
HispanicNative
American
White
2006-07 [25] 1,03253%47%99.90%0.10%
2005-06 [25] 1,03451%49%99.10%0.10%
2004-05 [25] 1,14552%48%0.09%99.30%0.09%0.52%
2003-04 [25] 1,15251%49%0.17%99.48%0.17%0.17%
2002-03 [26] 1,20851%49%0.17%99.25%0.17%0.41%

Student achievement

In 1997 the graduation rate was 86%. [7] The class of 1999 was the only class of the 1990s decade to graduate 100% of the seniors that enrolled.

Accountability statistics

2007-08 [27] 2006-07 [28] 2005-06 [29] 2004-05 [30] 2003-04 [31] 2002-03 [32]
District Accreditation StatusAccreditedAccreditedAccreditedAccreditedAccreditedAccredited
School Performance Classifications
Level 5 (Superior Performing) SchoolsNo School
Performance
Classifications
Assigned
00000
Level 4 (Exemplary) Schools00000
Level 3 (Successful) Schools11000
Level 2 (Under Performing) Schools11212
Level 1 (Low Performing) Schools00010
Not Assigned00000

Other facilities

The Charles M. George Facility for Educational Services, the headquarters of WTSD, was dedicated on July 23, 1995. Charles M. George, the headquarters' namesake, was a principal and a superintendent of the district. [33]

As per the Mississippi Critical Teacher Shortage Act of 1998, a duplex was built for $200,000 next to West Tallahatchie High School. Priority was for district teachers but people not employed by the district are welcome to rent. In 2015 Monique Harrison-Henderson of The Hechinger Report stated "In the end, instead of being an exciting recruitment tool, the duplex has been filled in recent years by people with no direct ties to the school system." [34]

See also

Related Research Articles

Glendora, Mississippi Village in Mississippi, United States

Glendora is a village in Tallahatchie County, Mississippi. The population was 285 at the 2000 census.

Sumner, Mississippi Town in Mississippi, United States

Sumner is a town in Tallahatchie County, Mississippi. The population was 407 at the 2000 census. Sumner is one of the two county seats of Tallahatchie County. It is located on the west side of the county and the Tallahatchie River, which runs through the county north-south. The other county seat is Charleston, located east of the river. Charleston was the first county seat, as settlement came from the east, and it is the larger of the two towns.

Tutwiler, Mississippi Town in Mississippi, United States

Tutwiler is a town in Tallahatchie County, Mississippi, United States. The population at the 2010 census was 3,550.

Webb, Mississippi Town in Mississippi, United States

Webb is a town in Tallahatchie County, Mississippi. The population was 565 at the 2010 census.

Minter City, Mississippi Unincorporated community in Mississippi, United States

Minter City is an unincorporated community in Leflore County and Tallahatchie County, Mississippi. It is part of the Greenwood, Mississippi micropolitan area, and is within the Mississippi Delta.

Philipp, Mississippi Unincorporated community in Mississippi, United States

Philipp is an unincorporated community in southern Tallahatchie County, Mississippi, United States, along Mississippi Highway 8. Philipp is 6 miles (9.7 km) east of Minter City and 14 miles (23 km) west of Holcomb. Although Philipp is an unincorporated community, it has a post office with a ZIP code of 38950.

The Western Line School District (WLSD) is a public school district based in the community of Avon, Mississippi (USA).

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Brazil, Mississippi Unincorporated community in Mississippi, United States

Brazil is an unincorporated community in Tallahatchie County, Mississippi. Brazil is on Mississippi Highway 321 approximately 8 miles (13 km) north of Webb and 12 miles (19 km) south of Lambert.

Strider Academy was a PK-12 school in Tallahatchie County, Mississippi, United States, which operated from 1971 until 2018. The school was established in 1971 as a segregation academy to allow white parents to avoid sending their children to racially integrated public schools. The school was sited on Mississippi Highway 32, about 10 miles (16 km) west of Charleston and about 8 miles (13 km) north of Tippo. The school ceased operations at the end of the 2017–18 school year.

Charleston High School is a public high school in Charleston, Mississippi, United States.

West Tallahatchie High School (WTHS) is a public high school in unincorporated Tallahatchie County, Mississippi, near Webb. A part of the West Tallahatchie School District, its nickname is "West Tally".

R. H. Bearden Elementary School is a public elementary school in unincorporated Tallahatchie County, Mississippi, near Sumner. It is a part of the West Tallahatchie School District.

A Tale of Two Schools is a documentary program produced by PBS. An hour in length, it is a part of the "Reading Rockets" series by WETA-TV. Noel Gunther and Christian Lindstrom are the producers, and Morgan Freeman is the narrator. It was first aired on October 6, 2003.

References

  1. "Directions". West Tallahatchie School District. Retrieved 2021-05-20. School district office · Charles M. George Facility for Educational Services, 1096 West Friendship Road - Map searches show that address as having a Sumner address, but outside of the Sumner city limits.
  2. 1 2 "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Tallahatchie County, MS" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau . Retrieved 2021-05-20.
  3. 1 2 "About WTSD". West Tallahatchie School District. Retrieved 2021-05-20.
  4. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Philipp
  5. "Minter City". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey.
  6. 1 2 "Schools preparing for start of classes". The Charleston Sun-Sentinel . Vol. 70, no. 31. Charleston, Mississippi. 1993-08-05. p. A1. - Clipping from Newspapers.com.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Hayden, Cathy (1997-11-22). "Tracking Teachers for Poorest of Poor: Wisely cast net lands Delta educators". Clarion Ledger . pp. 1A, 16A. - Clipping of first and second pages from Newspapers.com.
  8. "Local schools to resume classes". Charleston Sun-Sentinel . 1999-07-22. p. 2. - Clipping at Newspapers.com.
  9. "West Tally lauded on college readiness honors list | The Sun-Sentinel". www.tallahatchienews.ms. Retrieved 2022-04-23.
  10. "West Tallahatchie High School". West Tallahatchie School District. Retrieved 2021-05-20. West Tallahatchie High School 2104 High School Road Webb, MS 38966 - Compare to the map of the city of Webb and it is apparent the school is outside of the city limits.
  11. "R. H. Bearden Elementary School". West Tallahatchie School District. Retrieved 2021-05-20.
  12. 1 2 "County schools to resume classes soon". Charleston Sun-Sentinel . Vol. 64, no. 31. 1987-08-13. p. 1. - Clipping from Newspapers.com.
  13. 1 2 3 Mikell, Ray S. (1988-08-14). "West Tallahatchie students face longer classes, new staff". The Greenwood Commonwealth . Greenwood, Mississippi. p. 7A. - Clipping from Newspapers.com.
  14. "Charleston, Glendora schools to receive computer facilities". Charleston Sun-Sentinel . Vol. 66, no. 25. 1989-06-22. p. 1. - Clipping from Newspapers.com.
  15. 1 2 3 4 "School bells to ring out start of 1997-98 session". The Charleston Sun-Sentinel . Vol. 74, no. 31. 1997-07-31. pp. 1, 12. - Clipping of page 1 and Clipping of page 12, Newspapers.com.
  16. "West Tallahatchie schools launch building projects". The Charleston Sun-Sentinel . 1998-02-12. - Clipping from Newspapers.com.
  17. McFerrin, Clay (2004-04-22). "Ground Broken for ICS Center". Charleston Sun-Sentinel . Vol. 81, no. 17. pp. 1, 8. - Clipping of first and second page from Newspapers.com.
  18. "[...]State of Mississippi, in witness whereof[...]". The Sun-Sentinel . Vol. 5, no. 15. Charleston, Mississippi. 1924-07-17. p. 2. - Clipping from Newspapers.com.
  19. 1 2 "Brazil School to Close". The Sumner Sentinel . Vol. 56, no. 49. 1965-06-17. p. 1. - Clipping from Newspapers.com.
  20. "Notice to Contractors". The Greenwood Commonwealth . 1947-02-24. p. 4. - Clipping from Newspapers.com.
  21. "Brazil School to be Erected Soon". The Clarksdale Press Register . 1936-09-25. p. 1. - Clipping from Newspapers.com.
  22. "Notice of Sale". The Sumner Sentinel . 1965-09-16. p. 4. - Clipping from Newspapers.com.
  23. "Notice for Sale". The Sumner Sentinel . Vol. 48, no. 52. 1957-07-18. p. 4. - Clipping from Newspapers.com
  24. "Delta Blues". Education Week . 1999-05-26. Retrieved 2021-06-08.
  25. 1 2 3 4 5 "Mississippi Assessment and Accountability Reporting System". Office of Research and Statistics, Mississippi Department of Education. Archived from the original on 2007-03-23.
  26. "Mississippi Report Card for 2002-2003" (PDF). Office of Educational Accountability, Mississippi Department of Education. 2004-09-02. Retrieved 2007-08-31.
  27. "2008 Results". Mississippi Statewide Accountability System. Mississippi Department of Education. 2007-10-09. Archived from the original (XLS) on 2011-08-07. Retrieved 2007-10-24.
  28. "2007 Results". Mississippi Statewide Accountability System. Mississippi Department of Education. 2007-09-13. Archived from the original (XLS) on 2011-08-07. Retrieved 2007-09-15.
  29. "2006 Results". Mississippi Statewide Accountability System. Mississippi Department of Education. 2006-09-06. Archived from the original (XLS) on 2011-08-07. Retrieved 2007-06-24.
  30. "2005 Results". Mississippi Statewide Accountability System. Mississippi Department of Education. 2005-09-09. Archived from the original (XLS) on 2011-08-07. Retrieved 2007-06-24.
  31. "2004 Results". Mississippi Statewide Accountability System. Mississippi Department of Education. 2004-09-26. Archived from the original (XLS) on 2011-08-07. Retrieved 2007-06-24.
  32. "2003 Results". Mississippi Statewide Accountability System. Mississippi Department of Education. 2003-11-21. Archived from the original (XLS) on 2011-08-07. Retrieved 2007-06-24.
  33. "District Office." West Tallahatchie School District. Retrieved on October 15, 2010.
  34. Harrison-Henderson, Monique (2015-09-27). "For rural districts, housing not enough to attract teachers". Hechinger Report . Retrieved 2021-06-09.

Further reading