Three Mississippi administrators made the cut as finalists for Columbus Municipal School District’s superintendent opening.
The district revealed the finalists’ names on Wednesday evening. They include Stanley Ellis, assistant superintendent of Tunica County School District; Victor Hubbard, principal of Hattiesburg High School; and Hilute Hudson, superintendent for Kemper County School District, CMSD Public Information Officer Mary Pollitz told The Dispatch.
“We narrowed the list down to three great candidates,” Board President Telisa Young said. “We look forward to continuing conversations with each candidate to find the next leader of our district. Each leader we’ve chosen could do amazing work here, and we’re excited for the community to meet all three (Thursday) night.”
The public is invited to Joe Cook Elementary Auditorium at 6 p.m. Thursday to hear from the three finalists about what they intend to do in their first 100 days as CMSD superintendent if hired for the job.
Ellis has served TCSD for nearly 10 years, seven of those years as assistant superintendent of personnel and operations. According to his LinkedIn, he has worked nearly 30 years in education in various positions like professor of education and sociology at Strayer University and teacher of social studies, school administrator and counselor at Mississippi Youth Correctional Complex Oakley Campus.
Hubbard has served as the principal at HHS since March 2020 and before was the principal at Meridian High School for 11 years, according to The Pine Belt News. He has more than 20 years of experience in education.
Hudson has served as KCSD’s superintendent since 2019. He serves as a District 3 representative on the Mississippi Association of School Superintendents board of directors, and in 2021, he was named Mississippi Association of Colleges for Teacher Education Outstanding Educational Leadership Graduate Student award from Mississippi State University.
The CMSD board of trustees received information last weekend from its search consultant, the Mississippi School Boards Association, regarding 10 qualified applicants for the job. Trustees narrowed that list to three finalists, whom they will interview Thursday morning at Mississippi University for Women Fant Memorial Library.
The new superintendent will succeed Cherie Labat, who resigned abruptly in August after more than four years with the district. Dennis Dupree served as interim until mid-March. Since then, Craig Chapman, who was previously an assistant superintendent, has served as interim superintendent.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 43 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 43 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
Join the Discussion