Chad Spence will serve as South Panola’s assistant superintendent beginning July 1 and Jay Cossey will be Pope School’s new principal beginning on the same date following action Tuesday night by the South Panola School District Board of Trustees.

“We are very pleased with the experience both of these men bring to the South Panola School District,” said SPSD Superintendent Tim Wilder who made the recommendation to employ the administrators.

Spence has served in an administrative role for the past 10 years – four of those in his current position as assistant superintendent of the Houston School District.

At Houston, Spence, 41, holds an array of duties outside of assistant superintendent, as he is also the director of federal programs, maintenance, transportation, alternative school, and student services.

The Corinth native has spent 16 years in the education field, serving as a teacher for five of those years and as a principal for seven years.

Panola County will not be new to Spence, as his wife, VerLena-Holmes Spence, is originally from Courtland. The couple has two children – Christian and Kyoshi.

“ My family and I are looking forward to becoming a part of the Batesville and Panola County community,” Spence said.

Cossey, 42, currently serves as assistant principal at Rankin Elementary School in Tupelo School District, where he has been for the past three years.

A native of Alcorn County, Cossey has spent a total of 16 years, 13 as a teacher and coach, in the education system.

Cossey will bring with him his wife, Kyra, along with his son and daughter – Logann and Meredith.

“I am very excited about joining the South Panola School District in serving as the principal at Pope,” Cossey said. “My family and I look forward to becoming an integral part of the Pope and South Panola family.”

Both vacancies being filled are currently held by successful administrators who will be relocating nearer their original homes for reasons concerning family.

Assistant Superintendent Charles Beene was the first recommended hire by Superintendent Tim Wilder when he was appointed superintendent. Beene had previously been employed as Batesville Junior High Principal for two years when that school’s test scores showed noticeable improvement.

Smith’s verbose personality had won the hearts of most students and staff at Pope School where he served as principal.