Staff report

Dr. Dolores W. Barnett, director of federal programs for the South Panola School District, is the recipient of the Excellence In Education Award for Mississippi for 2012. 

The award is presented annually in states served by  AdvancED, a company which works to advance excellence in education through accreditation, research, and professional services.

Dr. Barnett has worked in education for 54 years, and has served in the South Panola District for 45 years.
She is the longest serving school administrator in the district.

“Dr. Barnett has demonstrated unparalleled leadership in promoting and advancing excellence in education,” a news release from AdvancED stated. “Dr. Barnett is being honored not only because she meets the criteria established by AdvancED, but because of her outstanding qualities and her personal and professional commitment to excellence in every area of her life.”

She received the bachelor of arts degree in English from Texas Christian University, the master of education degree and the specialist in education degree in elementary /reading from the University of Mississippi, and the doctor of education degree in elementary education/reading from the University of Mississippi.

Dr. Barnett began her career in education teaching the sixth grade in Fort Worth, Texas.  She has invested 47 years in the public schools in Mississippi. 

She also taught at the University of Mississippi as an adjunct professor for 30 years.

She is a member of the American Association of School Administrators, the Mississippi Association of Federal Education Program Directors, the National Association of Federal Education Program Administrators, the National and the Mississippi Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development, and a member of the Mississippi and National Reading Associations.

She has served seven years on the Mississippi Department of Education State Committee on 21st Century Learning Centers.  She has served 29 years as a member of the State Federal Programs Advisory Committee and she has served 33 years as a consultant to interpersonal skills workshops.

“The quality of Dr. Barnett’s professional life is an inspiration and a role model,” the AdvancED news release continued.

“She has a distinguished career at every level of education, the elementary school classroom, as well as a distinguished career in administration, and teaching at the college and university levels.  When there was an educational need, she reached out to meet it.”