• Category 1

    Selected in 2023

  • Grades: 9 - 12
    School Setting: rural
    Town Population: 763
    Student Enrollment: 242
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 1%
    White/Caucasian: 97.9%
    Hispanic: 1%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0%
    Asian: 0.1%
    Native American: 0%
    Other: 0%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:16
    % Reduced Lunch: 72%
    % ELL Learners: 0%
    Founded: 1925
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Kenny Sparks
  • CONTACT:
    1020 Highway 4 East
    New Site, MS 38859
    256-483-2552
    ksparks@pcsdk12.com
New Site High School
New Site, MS
When our students see our teachers experimenting with new strategies and thinking outside the box, it inspires them to do the same.
1. Tell us about your school’s success.
New Site High School has a long-standing tradition of high expectations for academic and extracurricular excellence. Our administrators, teachers, students, and community members take great pride in our academic and athletic performance along with our involvement in community enrichment.
2. Talk about the greatest contributing factor(s) that promoted positive change in your school.
The greatest contributing factor for positive change in our school is the positive leadership style of our administration and teachers. Our principal is highly supportive, understanding, patient, and encouraging towards our teachers and effectively communicates expectations. Mr. Sparks praises teachers’ strengths and works with teachers to identify areas needing improvement. He provides opportunities and resources to teachers to help them better themselves and the instruction they provide to our students. Mr. Sparks’ positive and supportive leadership style trickles down through our teachers to our students. Since our teachers feel supported, encouraged, and understood, they are more willing to show patience, understanding, and support to our students. At New Site we understand we are all on the same team working towards the shared goal of academic excellence.
3. How has ESEA funding supported the school's success?
ESEA funding has supported our school’s success by allowing our teachers to access professional development and resources for improved, strategic, and rigorous instruction.
Funds have been used to purchase smart TVs, calculators, and instructional resources which allow our teachers to identify deficiencies in students’ mastery of objectives and specialize instruction to enable growth in student achievement.
4. What professional development activities were used to improve teaching and learning?
A large portion of our professional development activities involves working with consultants who collaborate with our teachers to analyze data from end of course exams and benchmark exams throughout the school year to identify areas of weakness in instruction of objectives, areas of growth in student learning, and students in the bottom 25%.
5. Talk about the cultural shift leading up to your school's success.
The most recent cultural shift at our school occurred when Mr. Sparks became Principal three years ago. Prior to Mr. Sparks’ arrival at New Site, our staff morale was low, and teachers didn’t truly feel united, valued, and heard. Mr. Sparks’ understanding and supportive leadership helped our teachers feel validated and valued. They have a voice in setting goals for academic achievement and collaborate in the vision for New Site’s future academic progress. Because they feel valued and appreciated, they are eager to explore new instructional strategies and utilize new resources which represents the concept of being lifelong learners. When our students see our teachers experimenting with new strategies and thinking outside the box, it inspires them to do the same.
6. How has community involvement strengthened your success?
Community involvement plays a huge role in strengthening our academic success. Many of our students have parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents who graduated from New Site High School. Our alumni are willing not only to donate money for projects around our school and extracurricular activities, they are willing to roll up their sleeves and donate time, energy, and materials to help improve our facilities and enhance educational opportunities for our students. Because our teachers, parents, and community members take pride in our school’s accomplishments, our students also value our school and want to go above and beyond to help New Site High School be the best it can be.
Stats
  • Category 1

    Selected in 2023

  • Grades: 9 - 12
    School Setting: rural
    Town Population: 763
    Student Enrollment: 242
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 1%
    White/Caucasian: 97.9%
    Hispanic: 1%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0%
    Asian: 0.1%
    Native American: 0%
    Other: 0%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:16
    % Reduced Lunch: 72%
    % ELL Learners: 0%
    Founded: 1925
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Kenny Sparks
  • CONTACT:
    1020 Highway 4 East
    New Site, MS 38859
    256-483-2552
    ksparks@pcsdk12.com