By Rupert Howell

Dr. Matthew Dillon was named high school principal and Jeremy Stinson was named Intermediate School principal Tuesday night at the regular meeting of South Panola’s board of trustees.

Trustees approved employment for 225 teachers, three nurses and several administrators.

Jeremiah Burks, who formerly served as director of curriculum, instruction and personnel, was named deputy superintendent and will now direct pupil services along with personnel.

Patricia Gleaton was promoted to Alternative School administrator and Mario Willis was approved for an assistant principal position at the high school.

LaShunda Hamilton will fill an assistant principal position at Batesville Intermediate and Hank Farish was approved as an assistant principal at Pope School.

Scootie Murphree was promoted to director of transportation services.

The 225 teacher recommendations approved included no new teachers as district officials are still uncertain about school funding and are awaiting final legislation and word from the state Department of Education before contracting with new hires or replacements.

Depending on degree classification and experience, those teachers will receive between $32,150 and $66,120 in yearly compensation with $1,250 of that coming from a local supplement that is paid above the state pay scale.

Administrative pay scales were not available at the May meeting.

Dillon, the new high school principal, has been working in South Panola, first at Batesville Junior High where he was teacher then assistant principal, since 2002. He was transferred to the high school as assistant principal in June 2008 where he worked closely with Dr. Gearl Loden who was recently named superintendent in Amory.

Dillon had prior experience in the Harrison County School District were he taught and coached at West Wortham Elementary/Middle School in Saucier and Harrison Central.

He plans to move from Oxford with his family, wife MaryAnn and two-year-old son Nathan, to the principal’s house on Tiger Drive. They are expecting a baby girl in August.

Dillon earned both post graduate degrees at Ole Miss and  his bachelor’s degree at USM after attending Jones County Junior College.

Stinson has been serving Batesville Intermediate School as assistant principal since 2003, coming there after four years at Pope where he taught integrated science.

Stinson earned his bachelor of arts degree in education and master of education degree at Ole Miss and plans to complete his Ph.D in educational leadership at Ole Miss in May of 2011. He also attended Northwest Community College.

Stinson’s hometown is Arkabutla. He and his wife, Sharon, have a son, Carter, 4.