By Rupert Howell

Former South Panola High School principal and current Pearl High School principal Matthew L. Dillon will become an assistant superintendent of Tupelo schools July 1.

The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal reports the school board approved Dillon’s appointment at its meeting last Tuesday.

Not by accident, Dillon will be working under former boss Gearl Loden who was South Panola principal while Dillon was assistant principal here.

Dillon, who holds a Ph.D, previously served as assistant principal at South Panola  and Batesville Junior High School and has also worked on the Gulf Coast.

South Panola reached High Performing school status under Loden, a status Dillon maintained while at SPHS’s helm.

After leading South Panola, Dillon guided Pearl from a High Performing school to a Star school — the highest state ranking — in his first year as principal there.