(Public Schools)
Chickasaw Elementary 895-6664
Patrica Hefley, Prinicipal
Olive Branch Elementary 895-2256
Sunni Barkley, Principal
Olive Branch Intermediate 893-1221
Joe C. Eoff, Principal
Olive Branch Middle 895-4610
Ken Reid, Principal
Olive Branch High School 893-3344
Dr. Charles Garrett, Principal
Northwest Mississippi Community College
Olive Branch Campus 895-7600
Southaven Campus 342-1570
(Private Schools)
DeSoto Academy 895-6385
Mrs. Bruce Graybel, Administrator
Sacred Heart School-Walls 781-0650
Ms. Cathleen Fuccaro, Principal
SBEC 349-3096
Paul Young, Administrator
The Olive Branch Schools (two elementary, one
middle, one intermediate and one high school)
are part of the DeSoto County School system,
the second largest in the state and highly
ranked academically.
Jerry Baird, Superintendent
DeSoto County Schools
5 East South Street
Hernando, MS 38632
(601)429-5271
Northwest Mississippi Community College opened
its new DeSoto Center only minutes from Olive
Branch in late 1995. The Center is designed to
accomodate overe 1,400 students at a time, with
25 classrooms, four computer labs, two science
labs, one practical nursing lab, a spacious
library and other facilities.
Keith Godbold, Director DeSoto Center Northwest Mississippi Community College 5197 W.E. Ross Parkway Southaven, MS 38671 (601)342-1570
Northwest also offers a Skill/Tech program to, among other things, bridge the gap between the skills of the available labor pool and the performance needs opf area employers.
Joyce Brasell, Center Director 510 N. Panola Street Senatobia, MS 38668 (601)562-3458 FAX (601)562-3951
Allied Enterprises, part of the State Department of Rehabilitation, located in Olive Branch, serves disabled people training to re-enter the work force.
Tarea Stout, Facility Manager Allied Enterprises of Olive Branch P.O.Box 550 Olive Branch, MS 38654 (601)895-4363 FAX (601)893-2792
DeSoto Students beat U.S. average By Stephen D. Price The Commercial Appeal (2/12/99)
DeSoto County Schools students scored better than state and national averages in achievement tests taken in the fall of 1998. District test coordinator Peggy Slaugther credited the improvement on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills, the Test of Achievement and Proficiency and the Functional Literacy Exam to "students' hard work and parents being concerned." In composite test scores that include reading, language and math, DeSoto County fourth-graders scored in the 54th percentile nationally, which means they scored equal to or better than 54 percent of other students. In 1997, fourth-graders scored in the 53rd percentile. Fifth-graders scored in the 54th percentile, up from the 52nd percentile in 1997; sixth-graders were in the 55th percentile, dipping from the 56th; seventh-graders scored in the 57th percentile, up from the 55th; eight-graders scored in the 57th percentile, up from the 55th. Ninth-graders took the Test of Achievements and Proficency and scored in the 54th percentile, compared with the 50th the preceeding year. In Mississippi students must take the Functional Literacy Exam and score at least 770 percent to graduate from high school. In DeSoto County 96 percent of students passed in 1998, compared with 94 percent in 1997.