Clinton District and Mississippi College Team Up for 2013 Convocation

Cindy Melton, chair of MC’s Teacher Education and Leadership Department in the School of Education

Mississippi College leaders will welcome Clinton public school teachers and administrators to the district’s convocation on the MC campus to launch the 2013-14 academic year.

Hosting the district’s back-to-school program on Friday August 2 is another instance of the growing Mississippi College-Clinton partnership at work.

Speakers at the Swor Auditorium event will include Clinton Mayor Phil Fisher, School Board President Sheila Grogan, and MC education professor Cindy Melton. The Clinton High Attaché show choir will perform, and the Clinton-based 114^th unit of the Army National Guard will present the colors. CHS Student Body President Nia Sims will lead the Pledge of Allegiance.

“We have traditionally held this event at Clinton High, but we’re looking forward to working with MC for a new venue this year,” said Assistant Superintendent Tim Martin.

The MC-Clinton partnership is already quite strong. Over the years, MC education students have worked as student-teachers in the Clinton district. A number of the Baptist-affiliated university are employed as Clinton teachers. Every year, a number of Clinton High graduates stick around their hometown to become MC students.

“MC also offers a top-notch educational leadership graduate program that many of our principals, assistant principals and other administrators have gone through to obtain graduate degrees,” Martin said. “We encourage teachers to continuously look for ways to grow professionally. MC offers both convenience and quality.”

The Mississippi College School of Education is providing box lunches on Friday to the Clinton educators, while the Baptist Healthplex is offering a continental breakfast.

Members of the Mississippi College family heartily welcome the Clinton teachers and administrators to the MC campus.

“We are so thankful for the longstanding partnership we have with Clinton schools and we are absolutely thrilled to host CPSD for their convocation this year,” Melton says.

Melton chairs MC’s Teacher Education and Leadership Department in the School of Education.

“It is a natural fit for us to have them on campus since, we in essence, share a backyard with them,” she said. “It’s like having your neighbors over for dinner.”

The Clinton district, Melton added, is a valuable resource for education majors with many of them serving as student-teachers in the local schools.

“Hosting their convocation is only a small way to say thank you for their contribution to Clinton and MC students,” said Melton, a parent with two children attending Clinton schools.

MC administrators like Steve Stanford are also delighted the convocation is coming to the Clinton campus, and they hope it’s the start of another outstanding academic year.

“Along with our encouragement and support, we offer our hopes and prayers that the district has another successful and safe school year,” said Stanford, MC’s vice president for administration and government relations. His wife, Cindy, is an award-winning Clinton teacher.