Starkville High School Assistant Principal Sean McDonnall has been promoted to the school’s top position.
McDonnall was named SHS’s new principal by the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District’s Board of Trustees during Tuesday’s meeting. He is a longtime employee of the school, working as a coach and teacher before becoming an assistant principal in 2007.
McDonnall said he saw what at the time was a “revolving door” of personnel in the assistant principal offices, which motivated him to pursue an administrative position and stay in it for the long haul.
“I’m just excited to work with our talented faculty,” McDonnall said. “I’m thankful to (SOCSD Superintendent Lewis Holloway) and the school district for giving me this opportunity.”
Board member Lee Brand said the vote to hire McDonnall, based on the recommendation of a search committee, was unanimous. McDonnall replaces David Baggett, who was hired to fill a new assistant superintendent position in the district earlier this year.
“He’s taken a lot of strides to prepare himself,” Brand said of McDonnall. “He was part of the leadership cohort that administrators have put together to bring out the best in people and he is one of those people.”
McDonnall began working at SHS in 1994, five years after he graduated from the school. He spent three years working as a teacher and soccer coach at East Mississippi Community College, but the rest of his career has taken place at SHS.
The new principal’s immediate goals include continuing to expand the school’s advance placement and dual enrollment course offerings, as well as finding ways to make sure faculty are utilized to the best of their ability. He will also soon begin a search for two new assistant principals.
Holloway said a racially diverse committee of school district officials and community members reviewed 27 applications and interviewed approximately six candidates. The superintendent credited McDonnall for spending his career in his hometown, which he said is a difficult thing to do.
“In the four years I’ve been here, I’ve seen Mr. McDonnall grow tremendously,” Holloway said. “We’re feeling very positive about the hire.”
The school board also approved two other internal hires for leadership positions in the district on Tuesday.
SHS Assistant Principal Lenora Hogan was hired as the new director of the Millsaps Career and Technology Center. Hogan replaces Ray New, who will step down on June 30.
Hogan went through the Millsaps program when she was a student at Starkville High.
“We think she has the vision to lead Millsaps,” Holloway said.
Armstrong Middle School Assistant Principal Watress Harris was named principal of the SOCSD alternative school, which will relocate from Overstreet to the current East Elementary campus over the summer. Harris replaces Overstreet Principal Lisa Thompson, who is retiring.
Harris, also a SHS graduate, has spent most of his career in the SOCSD, according to Holloway.
“It’s great that he can move into this leadership position at the alternative school,” Holloway said.
Brand said it is good for the school district to put out the message that qualified internal candidates will not be overlooked for leadership positions.
“All three applicants are qualified,” Brand said. “That’s the first thing. Each hire has experience and strengths that have been shown in our district. These moves will benefit our district.”
Editor's Note: This article has been modified since its original posting.