House Resolution 97

(As Adopted by House)

A RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING AND COMMENDING MR. LARRY B. MITCHELL FOR HIS OUTSTANDING SERVICE AS SUPERINTENDENT OF EDUCATION FOR THE ALCORN SCHOOL DISTRICT UPON HIS RETIREMENT.

WHEREAS, after more than 34 years of dedicated and zealous service to the Alcorn County community, Mr. Larry B. Mitchell is retiring from his position as Superintendent of Education for the Alcorn School District, leaving a lasting legacy that will be remembered for years to come; and

WHEREAS, born in Alcorn County in 1943, Mr. Mitchell was raised on his family's farm with his six siblings, and it was on the farm where his diligent work ethic was cultivated, and he attended Kossuth Elementary School and Alcorn Agricultural High School, which was renamed Kossuth High School in 1960, and he was a member of the varsity football and baseball teams and a member of the first graduating class of Kossuth High School in 1961; and

WHEREAS, after graduating from high school, Mr. Mitchell attended Northeast Junior College and Mississippi State University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in agriculture education, a master's degree in entomology, and an education specialist certificate, and he completed many other graduate level courses in school administration at the University of Mississippi and the University of North Alabama; and

WHEREAS, upon completion of his master's degree, Mr. Mitchell received job offers from chemical companies in Atlanta, Georgia, Kansas City, Missouri, and St. Louis, Missouri, but by that time, he had married his high school sweetheart, Barbara Newcomb, and they had a child, and since he believed that there was no better place to raise his children than Mississippi, he declined the offers, returned to Alcorn County and accepted his first position with the Alcorn County School District in 1967, at Alcorn Central High School, remaining there until 1970; and

WHEREAS, during his tenure at Alcorn Central, Mr. Mitchell was named the first vocational director for the Alcorn County Vo-Tech Center, and while serving in this position, he implemented adult vocational education night classes, and for his tremendous efforts, he was honored as the first Mississippi Vocational Director of the Year for 1975-1976, and was elected President Elect of the Mississippi Vocational Directors Association in 1977; and

WHEREAS, in 1978, Mr. Mitchell was chosen to be the principal of Kossuth High School, and during his time there, he made both academic and facility improvements a top priority, and some of the structural enhancements that were made during his tenure include constructing an addition to the cafeteria and purchasing bleachers and a press box from Northeast Junior College for the football field, which were disassembled and then reassembled at the high school using his personal farm equipment, which saved the district thousands of dollars by avoiding equipment rental and outside labor costs; and

WHEREAS, in addition to the numerous structural improvements made to the high school's campus, Mr. Mitchell was instrumental in the many academic improvements that were made during his time at Kossuth High School, including establishing the gifted program in the county schools; initiating the seven-period school day to allow students to participate in extracurricular activities as well as completing the required courses; and measuring students' progress using ACT scores; and

WHEREAS, following Mr. Mitchell's retirement, he was honored for his devotion to the school when the football stadium at Kossuth High School was renamed "Larry B. Mitchell Stadium," and during his lighter years he was a full-time farmer and remained an avid supporter of Kossuth High School by sponsoring a yearly scholarship for a graduating senior that is deemed a scholar athlete; and

WHEREAS, as an invaluable asset to the Magnolia State, Mr. Mitchell's exceptional performance garnered him much admiration and respect and afforded him the opportunity to leave retirement in 2016, to become the Superintendent of Education for the Alcorn School District, and during his time as superintendent, he had numerous objectives, such as creating and maintaining a budget that would provide financial stability for the district; increasing classroom rigor; and providing a safe, orderly and clean environment for students and teachers; and

WHEREAS, as a man of outstanding character and superb stature, Mr. Mitchell accomplished many feats during his time as superintendent, some of which include implementing pre-K classes; acquiring 20 new school busses and building four new classrooms at Alcorn Central Elementary School and six new classrooms at Kossuth High School; and

WHEREAS, throughout his distinguished career, Mr. Mitchell has been tremendously dedicated to educational excellence, and his efforts were instrumental in Alcorn County achieving success in numerous ways, such as becoming a B-rated school district with three A-rated schools, achieving the rank of 34th out of the 149 school districts in the state, having ACT scores that are above state average and having graduation rates that are among some of the better in the state; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Mitchell has always been, and will continue to be, a firm believer that academics, athletics and other extracurricular activities are partners in the development of well-rounded young people; and

WHEREAS, in addition to his distinguished career as an educator, Mr. Mitchell is a faithful member of Kossuth Baptist Church, where he currently serves as deacon and chairman of the finance committee and where he has diligently served in numerous other capacities; and

WHEREAS, committed to the Alcorn County community, Mr. Mitchell served as a member of the Alliance Board of Directors and the Alcorn County Farm Bureau Board, and is currently serving as a board member for Northeast Mississippi Community College, Alcorn County Co-op and the Magnolia Regional Health Center Foundation; and

WHEREAS, synonymous with unparalleled service to the Alcorn County community, Mr. Mitchell's consistency in performance never waivered from the date of his initial hire until his decision to conclude his prestigious career, and his dedication and commitment to public service inspires all of those around him to strive for excellence each day; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of the House of Representatives to recognize outstanding Mississippians, especially those such as Mr. Larry B. Mitchell, whose legacy of selflessness, hard work, and overall commitment to improving the lives of his students, his community and his state, has made an indelible mark on the Alcorn County community and all those who have been privileged to know and work with him:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby recognize and commend Mr. Larry B. Mitchell for his outstanding service as Superintendent of Education for the Alcorn School District upon his retirement, and extend to him best wishes for continued success in all of his future endeavors.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Mr. Larry B. Mitchell and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.