By Billy Davis

Jamone Edwards, lead teacher at North Panola High, will now lead that school as principal, Robert King, the school district’s new conservator, has announced.

Edwards, 29, replaces Demond Radcliff, who has served as high school principal since 2008. Radcliff is said to be taking an administrative job outside the district.

North Panola High has approximately 500 students in grades 9 through 12.

Poor student test scores at the high school helped trigger the current state takeover of the school district, though the high school advanced from “at risk of failing” to “academic watch” last fall.

The Panolian reported at the time that high schoolers showed a jump in “proficient” scoring in English II, algebra, and biology.

Sixty-four percent of students scored proficient in biology.

Radcliff reported improved test scores as recently as February, telling school board trustees that Cougar students were showing admirable pass rates in geometry (91 percent), Algebra II (91 percent), and world history (97 percent).

Edwards has been employed within North Panola since 2005. He was a special education teacher at Green Hill Elementary before he was named lead teacher at the high school.
Edwards obtained a bachelor’s degree in educational psychology from Mississippi State and completed a master’s degree in educational leadership from Ole Miss. He is a 2000 South Panola High graduate.