Local education officials welcome visitors

By By Georgia E. Frye / staff writer
October 2, 2004
David Little believes a school is no better than what a community demands it to be and in Lauderdale County, the community expects a lot from its schools.
That's why the county school superintendent said he was proud to show off one of the district's best performing schools when Mississippi's top education officials visited Meridian this week.
West Lauderdale was one of a few stops made by David Potter, the state's higher education commissioner; Henry Johnson, state superintendent of education; and Randall Bradberry, assistant executive director of the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges.
The three were in Meridian on Thursday to visit West Lauderdale, Poplar Springs Elementary School in Meridian, Meridian Community College and Mississippi State University-Meridian Campus.
The visit was the second of six stops the education leaders will make across the state over the next couple of months.
While in town, they discussed the need for a strong education system that covers elementary schools all the way through higher education. Such a system, they said, is crucial to the future of the state.
At a reception and news conference at MSU-Meridian Campus after the school tours, state Rep. Greg Snowden, R-Meridian, said he believes people are beginning to understand that education is tied to quality of life.
Snowden said he appreciated the opportunity for Meridian to put its best foot forward for the education leaders. He said the visit shows that the state's top educators are committed to improving education.
Meridian School Superintendent Sylvia Autry agreed, saying the visit boosted the morale of students, parents and teachers.