Change is afoot at Annunciation Catholic School, from a new principal to the addition of an eighth-grade class this fall.
Barbara Calland, who has served as principal for the past three years, spent Thursday afternoon packing boxes, tying up loose ends and giving final instructions to Joni House, who takes over as principal on Monday.
House, a native of Houma, La., currently lives with her family in Starkville, where they are active members of St. Joseph Catholic Church.
For the past two years, she has worked as an interventionist at Ward-Stewart Elementary in Starkville, helping teachers develop strategies to improve student performance and potential. Before that, she taught first grade for nine years at Sudduth Elementary in Starkville.
House said she was drawn to Annunciation because of her own parochial school education and the school”s participation in the Arts in the Classroom program, an initiative funded by the Mississippi Arts Commission and utilizing dance, art, drama and music to teach state academic benchmarks.
House received her master”s degree in education administration from the University of Southern Mississippi and holds a bachelor”s degree in elementary education from Mississippi University for Women. She is also a National Board Certified Teacher.
Calland said Thursday that she will miss the students, parents and faculty members who make Annunciation “a very special school.”
“It”s a wonderful Christian community,” Calland said. “Everybody looks out for each other. We do special things for all of our children, teaching them about their faith, family, responsibility and academics. What”s exciting is seeing all those things come into play while we”re raising the kids here.”
Calland said a major benefit to the parochial school system is its ability to teach “the whole child” rather than focusing on exams.
“Although many people see our school as an academic school, we really focus on the whole child,” Calland said. “We don”t teach to the test. Because our environment is child friendly and child centered, our students learn well. It”s an exciting place for the students.”
Calland and her family are moving to Pennsylvania to be closer to relatives.
Annunciation Catholic School was founded in 1963 as St. Mary”s before changing its name in 1993.
Last year was the first year for Annunciation to offer seventh-grade classes, and this fall, the school will offer pre-kindergarten through eighth grade classes. The total enrollment is 113 students.
Carmen K. Sisson is the former news editor at The Dispatch.
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