Pitcock Tapped As Interim Superintendent
PROTECTED CONTENT
If you’re a current subscriber, log in below. If you would like to subscribe, please click the subscribe tab above.
Username and Password Help
Please enter your email and we will send you a password reset link.
Drew Pitcock
WATER VALLEY –The Water Valley School Board of Trustees voted unanimously to appoint Drew Pitcock as interim superintendent for the remainder of the school year. The appointment comes after superintendent Jerry Williams announced that he will retire on Dec. 31. The vote followed discussion in executive session during a meeting held on Dec. 21.
Pitcock came to work in the district as high school principal in 2015 and has helped guide the high school from a D-rating to a B-rating. Pitcock told the Herald that his goal as interim superintendent is to be a servant-leader for the school district, his same approach as principal.
“We have worked hard at the high school, we have a building full of leaders. I also want to build off of Mr. Williams’ approach and mindset, and that is strong support for the teachers. They are in the classrooms every day getting it done,” Pitcock said.
Williams served as superintendent for four-and-a-half years, leading the school district to its first B-rating for the 2021-2022 school year and again for the 2022-2023 school year. The B-rating, meaning a high performing district, is the highest rating the school district has earned since the Mississippi Department of Education changed to the A-F accountability model in 2014.
Pitcock said he plans to spend a lot of time in the classrooms during the upcoming semester supporting teachers and students, especially at Davidson Elementary School (DES).
Year-end business during the Dec. 21 meeting included board officer appointments for board members. The school trustees appointed Joseph Flippin to serve as board president in 2024. Rodney Phillips was reappointed vice-president.
Jill Clark tendered her resignation as Position One Trustee in the final agenda item for the meeting. Clark has served as school trustee for five years, starting when she was appointed in 2019. She ran unopposed in a special election for the position in the November General Election in 2019 and served the remainder of the five-year term that ended Dec. 31, 2022.
Clark ran unopposed in the 2022 General Election and started a new five-year term in January, 2023. The remaining four board members – Flippin, Phillips, Kathryn York and Tonya Eubanks – will appoint a replacement. The appointee will serve in 2024 and the position will be back on the ballot in the 2024 November General Election. The winner of the election will serve the remaining three years of the term.
Other school board activity:
• School board members voted 3 – 2 to accept Williams’ recommendation for James Watson’s dismissal as Davidson Elementary School District (DES) principal. Board members Clark, Eubanks and Flippin voted in favor of Williams’ recommendation. Board members York and Phillips voted against it.
The decision followed a lengthy process that started when Watson was removed from duty by superintendent Williams on October 5. Watson requested an employment hearing that was held on Nov. 3. The hearing included testimony from Williams and DES Assistant Principal Melinda Allen about allegations relating to academic growth, failure to collaborate with teachers and assistant principals at the school and other issues.
Per protocol for a mid-year termination hearing, members of the Water Valley school board were not present during the hearing. They received a copy of the testimony to review before making a final determination in a meeting held Dec. 6. A second meeting was held on Dec. 11 to provide a written response to Watson.
Assistant DES principals Allen and Lee Gray are sharing principal duties at the school for the remainder of the 2023-2024 school year.
