It won’t take much to prepare the office for the arrival of the new Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science executive director. Removing “interim” from her name plate will probably suffice.
The State Board of Education on Thursday appointed Ginger Tedder as the school’s next executive director. She has served as interim executive director since Donnie Cook was fired from the post in September 2023.
Tedder joined the MSMS administration in February 2023 as associate executive director.
“I am deeply honored by the opportunity to serve as the Executive Director of the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science,” Tedder wrote in an email to The Dispatch. “As an alumna of the Class of 1992, MSMS holds a special place in my heart, and I am excited to collaborate with the faculty, staff, students, alumni, and the Mississippi Department of Education to propel MSMS forward. Together, we will continue to cultivate an opportunity for excellence, ensuring that current and future scholars have access to innovative educational opportunities.”
Tedder received a bachelor’s degree in secondary education and teaching from Mississippi State University and a master’s in educational leadership and administration from Arkansas State University.
Before coming back to MSMS, Tedder was a project manager for MSU’s Technical Education Professional Learning and Innovative Programs at the Research and Curriculum Unit. She worked as a teacher, instructional coach and administrator in the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District for 15 years.
MSMS, started in 1987 on the Mississippi University for Women campus, is a residential school for gifted high school juniors and seniors throughout the state. Roughly 240 students attend each year.
Tedder’s responsibilities as executive director include continuing to oversee all operations, functions and activities at MSMS, according to a MDE press release. Mississippi Department of Education’s Director of Communications Jean Cook told The Dispatch in an email the position will pay $115,000.
“One of our primary objectives moving forward is to develop a comprehensive plan to address our facility needs,” Tedder wrote. “We will work closely with the Mississippi Department of Education, the Mississippi Legislature, and the Mississippi University for Women in this endeavor. … Our focus remains steadfast on providing the best possible educational experience for our students.”
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