New principals named at three elementaries By Fabvienen Taylor
JACKSON — Three Catholic elementary schools in the Diocese of Jackson received new principals for the 2007-2008 school year.
In Columbus, Helen Murphey took over the reins as principal of Annunciation Catholic Elementary School.
Murphey was assistant principal and fourth grade teacher at the school last year. Prior to that she was fourth grade teacher from 2000-2006.
Before coming to Annunciation, Murphey taught at Sale Elementary School in Columbus.
She received a bachelor of science in secondary education from Pennsylvania State University and Mississippi University for Women in Columbus where she earned a bachelor of science in elementary education.
Murphey is past president of Kappa Delta Epsilon, the honorary professional education fraternity, a member of the National Catholic Education Association and Mississippi Professional Educators.
Millie Smith is principal of Holy Family Elementary School in Holly Springs.
Before coming to Holy Family, Smith was site administrator of Oakhaven Success Academy, Memphis, Tenn., and prior to that an instructional facilitator.
She began her career as an educator teaching at Gardenview Elementary School in Memphis from 1995-1999 where she also served as media specialist for kindergarten through sixth grade.
From 2001-2005 Smith taught seventh grade pre-algebra at Ida B. Wells Academy, also in Memphis.
Smith received a bachelor of communications from the University of Southwestern Louisiana, Lafayette, La., a master of arts in teaching, and a master of educational administration and leadership from Trevecca Nazarene University, Nashville, Tenn.
She is a member of Kappa Delta Pi, an international honor society for education, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, and served on the Tennessee Education Association Board of Directors.
The new pricipal of Cathedral Elementary School is Shannon Bland.
Bland began her tenure at Cathedral in 2003 as pre-school teacher for four-year-olds and from 2004-2007 as elementary school guidance counselor.
Prior to that she taught kindergarten at St. George’s Episcopal School in New Orleans from 1995-99.
While at St. George’s Bland founded and directed Dragons Summer Camp, a reading program affiliated with the school.
Before that, Bland taught kindergarten at St. Louise de Marillac School in New Orleans from 1992-95.
Bland received a bachelor of arts in communications and a master of science in guidance and counseling from Loyola University, New Orleans, and a master of science in educational administration from the University of Scranton, Scranton, Pa.
Jackson received new principals for the 2007-2008 school year.
Success Academy, Memphis, Tenn., and prior to that an instructional facilitator.
