Columbus Municipal School District trustees hired Stanley Ellis as the new district superintendent following an hourlong executive session Friday at Brandon Central Services.
Ellis, currently an assistant superintendent for Tunica County School District, will begin his new role on June 19. He will be paid $160,000 annually on a three-year contract.
Board president Telisa Young said Ellis was chosen for his experience in education spanning since the mid-1990s. He has served as a teacher, principal, director and assistant superintendent in various districts across Mississippi.
“Ellis brings a vast array of knowledge to CMSD,” Young wrote in a statement to The Dispatch. “His experience will provide us with a well-rounded unique perspective to the superintendency. … Ellis has studied CMSD thoroughly and is prepared to lead the district to the next level in academic excellence.”
Ellis was one of three finalists the board was considering, all of whom spoke at a public forum Thursday night at Joe Cook Elementary. The other finalists were Victor Hubbard, the principal at Hattiesburg High School, and Hilute Hudson, the superintendent for Kemper County School District.
Ellis’ plan presented Thursday involved six steps which he broke into weeks – the first two weeks being the most detailed. All of his steps incorporated communicating with various district stakeholders and learning from them to set the stage for the next phase of his leadership. He also plans to compare district job descriptions to make sure none overlap to avoid wasting financial resources.
“As we collaborate and have conversations, I will begin to understand those movers and shakers,” Ellis said. “… From my understanding, you guys have an advisory council with the superintendent, and I would like to keep that because it’s very important. It allows us to collaborate and get feedback. … Sometimes you have concerns and no one ever follows up with you. That’s not going to be an issue.”
The advisory council was created by former Interim Superintendent Dennis Dupree as a working lunch among stakeholders such as parents and business leaders. The input of the roundtable helped move along plans for a modified calendar, which will begin next school year.
Ellis has served TCSD as the assistant superintendent of operations and personnel, in which he has served since July 2016. He previously served TCSD as the federal programs director for roughly three years.
He is executive director for JW Community Resources Inc. – a nonprofit that focuses on educational assistance for students in areas with high needs, according to the JWCR website.
CMSD has been without a full-time superintendent since former Superintendent Cherie Labat resigned in August. Dupree, who was retired, stepped in to run the district as interim superintendent from early September to mid-March. When Dupree’s contract was up, the board appointed Assistant Superintendent Craig Chapman to serve as interim.
Trustees hired Mississippi School Boards Association in January to lead the superintendent search.
Other finalists
Hubbard has served as the principal of HHS since March 2020 and previously was the principal at Meridian High School for 11 years.
“Our work during the 100-day entry plan will be driven by the proverb of the lion and gazelle,” Hubbard said during Thursday’s forum. “Every morning in Africa a gazelle gets up, and it knows it must outrun the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning a lion wakes up, and it knows it must run the slowest gazelle or it will starve. It doesn’t matter if you’re the lion or the gazelle, when the sun comes up you better be running. The implications of this proverb impels us not to waste any time because we do not have a moment to lose.”
Hudson has served Kemper County School District as superintendent since January 2020 after being appointed in November 2019. He also served as an assistant superintendent, principal, assistant principal, math teacher, athletic director and coach in Louisville Municipal School District.
When Hudson took over KCSD, it was an F-rated district on the brink of being taken over by the Mississippi Department of Education. Under his leadership, the district has risen to a C-rating, just seven points shy of a B.
Hudson honed in on transparency of the district and willingness to hear from stakeholders and employees.
“Districts don’t change in a forum at night,” Hudson said. “Nothing I can say tonight will change your outlook on the district. It’s what we do after that. … If you don’t remember anything else regardless of who is selected, whether it’s me or one of these other gentlemen, demand excellence from the district, demand transparency, and demand accountability from the district.”
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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 46 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
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