R.I.P., Simpson County Super Bowl?

[Maroon Eagle]

Sources: Magee and Mendenhall are going to consolidate and the timeline for the first year of the consolidation will be the 2024-2025 school year. It’s still unknown the name the school will be and schools mascot.— Brandon Shields (@bshields0244) January 12, 2022

 

[dorndawg]

Sources: Magee and Mendenhall are going to consolidate and the timeline for the first year of the consolidation will be the 2024-2025 school year. It’s still unknown the name the school will be and schools mascot.— Brandon Shields (@bshields0244) January 12, 2022

Hopefully they are leaders for the dozens of other districts who should also consolidate.

 

[Smoked Toag]

Hopefully they are leaders for the dozens of other districts who should also consolidate.

If you're trying to save money, then I would agree. If you're trying to educate, then I don't. I think it's well documented that students do better in smaller classrooms. Plus more schools provide more jobs for the community.

I've never seen a good argument for school consolidation other than just to save a little bit of money, that won't mean a thing in the grand scheme of things.

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

Then why does Desoto County have some of the best test scores? 35000 kids, one school district with pretty large classrooms.

 

[dorndawg]

If you're trying to save money, then I would agree. If you're trying to educate, then I don't. I think it's well documented that students do better in smaller classrooms. Plus more schools provide more jobs for the community.

I've never seen a good argument for school consolidation other than just to save a little bit of money, that won't mean a thing in the grand scheme of things.

Larger school districts do not mean larger classroom sizes. In fact the opposite is more often the case. Economy of scale is a real thing.

 

[Smoked Toag]

Then why does Desoto County have some of the best test scores? 35000 kids, one school district with pretty large classrooms.

Smarter kids? More parental involvement? Could be a number of reasons. Not to mention test scores aren't the only end game.

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

In general what is considered a large classroom?

 

[Smoked Toag]

Larger school districts do not mean larger classroom sizes. In fact the opposite is more often the case. Economy of scale is a real thing.

If there are added options for the kids, then I wouldn't stand in the way of it. I just hope that no one loses a job over some whacked out conservatards who want to save $50,000/year so they can waste it another way.

 

[GloryDawg]

If you're trying to save money, then I would agree. If you're trying to educate, then I don't. I think it's well documented that students do better in smaller classrooms. Plus more schools provide more jobs for the community.

I've never seen a good argument for school consolidation other than just to save a little bit of money, that won't mean a thing in the grand scheme of things.

Consolidating district would not close schools or make classrooms smaller.

 

[ababyatemydingo]

Sources: Magee and Mendenhall are going to consolidate and the timeline for the first year of the consolidation will be the 2024-2025 school year. It’s still unknown the name the school will be and schools mascot.— Brandon Shields (@bshields0244) January 12, 2022

That should go well. The Superintendent of that district is a lunatic (allegedly)

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

There’s demand for teachers and admin everywhere.

 

[johnson86-1]

If you're trying to save money, then I would agree. If you're trying to educate, then I don't. I think it's well documented that students do better in smaller classrooms. Plus more schools provide more jobs for the community.

I've never seen a good argument for school consolidation other than just to save a little bit of money, that won't mean a thing in the grand scheme of things.

Well hell, why not make every adult in the community an employee of the school district if we want to pay people that aren't needed?

Also, I would bet that the local school district being a relatively large employer for the community is positively correlated with the schools being bad.

 

[Smoked Toag]

That should go well. The Superintendent of that district is a lunatic (allegedly)

Looks like they aren't really consolidating, they are just getting rid of one of the schools (i.e. cutting). They are both already the Simpson County District. Maybe they are tired of building maintenance or something?

Apparently there's another school down there called Simpson Central. Never had heard of that. Edited: Never mind it's just a middle that feeds into Mendenhall.

 

[Uncle Ruckus]

I believe he's talking about consolidating schools, not districts. I am 100% on board with district consolidation. Get rid of 6 figure superintendents that are over one small school where you'll have one over several schools making similar pay.

 

[Uncle Ruckus]

They are (allegedly).

 

[Smoked Toag]

I believe he's talking about consolidating schools, not districts. I am 100% on board with district consolidation. Get rid of 6 figure superintendents that are over one small school where you'll have one over several schools making similar pay.

Just curious, what you you rather do with the 500K you saved?

 

[Smoked Toag]

Well hell, why not make every adult in the community an employee of the school district if we want to pay people that aren't needed?

Also, I would bet that the local school district being a relatively large employer for the community is positively correlated with the schools being bad.

Holy exaggeration, batman.

 

[garddog]

Smaller schools do not offer the same # of classes as larger schools. Arts, foreign languages, etc just aren't offered. I talked to a friend in administration and the smaller schools are having to send kids to the larger schools in district to get all their college prep classes. Used to be Votech kids rode the bus from their home school, now over 60% in some small districts do so for regular classes also.

 

[johnson86-1]

Holy exaggeration, batman.

Then what is the appropriate number of unnecessary employees for a school or district to carry?

 

[Smoked Toag]

Then what is the appropriate number of unnecessary employees for a school or district to carry?

3-4 people aren't going to hurt anything or make anything better once they are gone. It's just an empty improvement.

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

Could be any number of reasons. Perhaps the buildings are old and instead of costly repairs just build a larger school that houses everyone in one place.

 

[Maroon Eagle]

Simpson Central is in Pinola and used to be a K-12 school. It played 1A ball until the mid-1980s and it's - as you mentioned - a feeder school for Mendenhall.

 

[615dawg]

Mendenhall's (4A) enrollment is 565 and Magee's (3A) is 368. Combined school will 6th largest 5A school. They would need 104 more students to be a 6A school, so they are safe.


Will push Vancleave to 4A.

Likely region would be

New Simpson School
Brookhaven
Florence
Hattiesburg
Natchez
South Jones
West Jones
Laurel

 

[Leeshouldveflanked]

Consolidate Districts and put savings toward schools…. We don’t need 152 (or whatever it is now) Superintendents and support staff, assistant superintendents, program managers, transportation directors, grant writers, maintenance directors, cafeteria directors, admins, relatives and friends of the superintendent, cutie pies that answer the phone at District Office, etc.
We need more Education and less Administration.

 

[Cooterpoot]

Hopefully they are leaders for the dozens of other districts who should also consolidate.

Education shouldn't be about money. If schools in a district are struggling educationally, sure. But stop overpaying admins etc. and you can save that money when the education is solid.
The worst thing I've seen is the counties appointing superintendents. People who we've voted out by the people are being appointed in places. And people wonder why our education sucks?

 

[Maroon Eagle]

What's the trend on the district's enrollment?

Up? Down? Stable?

 

[Smoked Toag]

Consolidate Districts and put savings toward schools…. We don’t need 152 (or whatever it is now) Superintendents and support staff, assistant superintendents, program managers, transportation directors, grant writers, maintenance directors, cafeteria directors, admins, cutie pies that answer the phone at District Office, etc.
We need more Education and less Administration.

What do you mean, by this, exactly and specifically?

 

[Cooterpoot]

What's the trend on the district's enrollment?

Up? Down? Stable?

I think they've been pretty stable. But both are poor performing districts. Lots of people send their kids to the academy, as well as a couple other schools in other counties.

 

[Bill Shankly]

As a long time observer of this stuff, it hasn't happened yet. The funny thing is it may not even save any money. Does either one of the schools have enough extra space to handle that many more students? I they have to do a major building project then.........

 

[615dawg]

Stable. Its actually one of the healthier small communities in MS. Its close enough to Jackson and Hattiesburg that you have some people who commute.

I don't think it will be a 6A school or anything, but just interesting. I'm not sure this is the right thing for them.

 

[Maroon Eagle]

I was thinking that it was pretty stable too which is why I find this move interesting. I just don't know if it's necessary.

 

[Uncle Ruckus]

Facility upgrades. Increase district supplement to attract better teachers. Implement more dual credit classes. More funds for PD.

 

[Cooterpoot]

I was thinking that it was pretty stable too which is why I find this move interesting. I just don't know if it's necessary.

It's been talked about for a couple years. So have a couple other counties in that area. I've got some land up that way, and have been hearing about it. I won't be surprised if Covington Co. is next.

 

[Maroon Eagle]

Yeah, I can easily see Covington County making that move as well as Smith & Jasper-- but it'll take the legislature for the latter to happen since there are two districts in Jasper County.

 

[Cooterpoot]

Yeah, I can easily see Covington County making that move as well as Smith & Jasper-- but it'll take the legislature for the latter to happen since there are two districts in Jasper County.

No chance in Jasper Co. Smith Co is another that's been rumored, but not as loudly as Covington. Smith just invested in all their athletic facilities, so I doubt anything happens there either.

 

[Maroon Eagle]

I think Jasper County's population decrease over the past several years makes it something to look at-- and there are two 2A schools and a 1A.

Edit to add: I think you're right though.

 

[johnson86-1]

Education shouldn't be about money. If schools in a district are struggling educationally, sure. But stop overpaying admins etc. and you can save that money when the education is solid.
The worst thing I've seen is the counties appointing superintendents. People who we've voted out by the people are being appointed in places. And people wonder why our education sucks?

That can go both ways. The politics involved in appointing superintendents can result in backroom deals favoring incompetent superintendents, or it can result in good superintendents being able to keep their jobs despite being poor politicians. I think on net appointing superintendents is better, but I could be convinced either way.

 

[johnson86-1]

3-4 people aren't going to hurt anything or make anything better once they are gone. It's just an empty improvement.

I think very few of the districts that are candidates for consolidation are well funded enough to sneeze at a few hundred thousand dollars a year, which you can get to pretty easily between salary and benefits for a superintendent, vice superintendent, accountant, and receptionist.

 

[Cooterpoot]

That can go both ways. The politics involved in appointing superintendents can result in backroom deals favoring incompetent superintendents, or it can result in good superintendents being able to keep their jobs despite being poor politicians. I think on net appointing superintendents is better, but I could be convinced either way.

I do not. Then it becomes 100% politics of just a few in most places in MS. MS education is eat up at the local level by politics already. Especially in more rural areas. If there was an actual requirement of education for the board choosing, I'd agree. But those guys are just locals with no experience in education in most cases.

 

[patdog]

Jasper & Covington need to do this last year. Smith could use some consolidation too. Ridiculous to have so many 1A & small 2A schools within 15 miles of each other.