Education

AP: Exchange student sponsor out over abuse claims

An organization has lost its government designation to bring foreign exchange students to the United States after facing allegations of mismanagement and lax oversight that included students being placed in homes where they were sexually abused.

State Department spokeswoman Susan Pittman told The Associated Press that Pacific Intercultural Exchange, or PIE, was removed from the department’s list of official sponsors. […]

Education

MDCC names Dr. Larry Nabors as next president

The Mississippi Delta Community College Board of Trustees announced that Dr. Larry Nabors, Executive Vice President at Northeast Mississippi Community College, has been named President of the College.

Nabors will replace interim president Dr. Lynda Steele who has held the position since June 1, 2012 following the retirement of Dr. Larry Bailey. […]

Education

High school obesity rate drops in Miss. students

Mississippi’s obesity rate in high school students has dropped, knocking the state’s teens out of the number one spot down to number five in obesity nationwide.

A 2011 survey finds the rate of obesity among Mississippi high school students down to 16.5 percent from 18.1 percent in 2009. […]

Education

Ole Miss police says FBI looking into in vandalism

Police at the University of Mississippi say they have turned over to the FBI information regarding vandalism apparently aimed at an African-American freshman.

“We are presenting everything we have about this case to them,” University Police Chief Calvin Sellers said in The Oxford Eagle “They will investigate to see if this is a hate crime or civil rights violations.”
[…]

Education

Campaign employs fitness to improve test scores

Mississippi elementary and middle school teachers have a new tool to improve academic performance in the classroom.

The Mississippi Department of Education has launched a new campaign to help teachers incorporate physical activity into lesson plans. The “Move to Learn” campaign is based on two academic studies that show a correlation between increased fitness and improved test scores, as well as fewer absences and fewer disciplinary incidents at school. […]

Education

Columbus School District seeking eCenters partners

The Columbus School District is recruiting churches, community groups and others to help high school dropouts throughout the region complete either their high school diploma or GED.

Schools Superintendent Dr. Martha Liddell tells WCBI-TV that the planned eCenters are the next major step in the Project 2020 dropout recovery program.
[…]

Education

Meridian area rail history available in new book

Without railroads Meridian wouldn’t have a history, and these two men, and many more like them over the years, might have found themselves in completely different lines of work.

One of those is Charles “Skeeter” Lang, who turned 92 years old earlier this month. […]

Education

Analysis: Miss. GOP renewing charter school push

Gov. Phil Bryant and fellow Republicans who lead the Mississippi House and Senate say they have big plans to overhaul public education during the 2013 session.

However, their inability to enact a new charter schools law in 2012 shows it’s easy to talk about ambitious plans and difficult to round up enough votes to challenge the status quo.
[…]

Education

Documentary captures history of 100 Men Hall

The rich history of the 100 Men Hall in Bay St. Louis is being immortalized in a documentary entitled “Call Before Demo: Resurrecting a Legendary Blues Hall.”

The 100 Men Hall gave black entertainers a place to perform during the days of segregation.

Many of the artists who performed there went on to become world famous musicians. […]