Two juveniles charged with possession of a firearm by a minor at school
Gulfport High students on Wednesday reported to administration the possibility of a gun on campus. Administration officials investigated the report and confiscated a…
Education
Students on Coast named National Merit Scholar semifinalists
Thirty-three students from 16 schools on the Coast are among 163 students statewide who have been named National Merit Scholarship Program semifinalists.More than 16,000 semifinalists were named nationwide. The students were selected based on their Preliminary SAT or National Merit…
Bay High principal reassigned in wake of misdemeanor arrest
The Bay-Waveland School District is looking for a new principal at the high school. The move comes in the wake of Amy Yarbrorough Necaise's August arrest on misdemeanor shopping charges at Waveland Walmart. Necaise is accused of taking $123 in…
Former Hancock County superintendent suing district for wrongful termination
A former Hancock County superintendent is suing the district for wrongful termination and is seeking damages. A suit asking for damages was filed in Southern District Court on Wednesday. Teresa Merwin was terminated on August 18, 2022 in a special…
Dollar General awards grants to help nonprofits improve literacy in state
The Dollar General Literacy Foundation has announced the award of nearly $65,000 in youth literacy grants to Mississippi nonprofit organizations, libraries and schools. The funds are part of nearly $2.6 million recently awarded across the country for recipients to use…
Five Coast schools recognized for literacy programs
One of five local schools received some huge recognition this week. The Mississippi Office of Elementary Education and Reading's Literacy Division recognized Pass Road Elementary School as an…
South Mississippi teacher takes crown at Miss Mississippi Senior America
A Pascagoula High School teacher added a crown to her achievements after winning the Miss Mississippi Senior America competition in Picayune. Dr. Cherie Bowe, the choral director at PHS, competed against women from across the state in evening gown, philosophy…
USM offers 'Moana' at Cinema Under the Oaks
USM is heading to the high seas on July 14th with a screening of "Moana." The Gulf Park campus is hosting Cinema Under the Oaks on Friday, July 14.…
Application process open for Leo W. Seal Innovative Teacher Grants
Applications are now open for the 2024 Leo W. Seal Innovative Teacher Grants. Funded by Hancock Whitney administered by the Gulf Coast Community Foundation, the Seal grants recognize up to 10 teachers with individual grants of up to $2,000 to…
The Supreme Court rejects Biden's plan to wipe away $400 billion in student loans
WASHINGTON (AP) — A sharply divided Supreme Court ruled Friday that the Biden administration overstepped its authority in trying to cancel or reduce student loans for millions of Americans. The 6-3 decision, with conservative justices in the majority, effectively killed…
Supreme Court rules that colleges must stop considering the race of applicants for admission
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Thursday struck down affirmative action in college admissions, forcing institutions of higher education to look for new ways to achieve diverse student bodies. The court’s conservative majority overturned admissions plans at Harvard and the University of North…
Harvard Business School recognizes MGCCC’s workforce training
A local community college has been recognized by Harvard University for being a catalyst for regional economic growth and opportunity. Over the years, MGCCC has become the leader in…
Harrison Central transgender student skips graduation
A U.S. District Court judge denied a temporary injunction that would have allowed a transgender girl to wear female clothes to the Harrison Central High School graduation on Saturday. The student, identified only as L.B. in court records, was represented…
Trans girl is told not to wear dress to Mississippi graduation, lawsuit says
By EMILY WAGSTER PETTUS JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — A Mississippi school district is refusing to let a transgender girl wear a dress and heeled shoes with her graduation cap and gown for high school graduation this weekend, her family says…
Preschool report recognizes Mississippi as a top five state for high-quality pre-K
The National Institute for Early Education Research recognized Mississippi in its latest report on pre-K quality as one of only five states whose state-funded pre-K program meets all…
Meet the 2023 winners of the Leo W. Seal Innovated Teacher Grants
Eight of South Mississippi’s most accomplished, creative teachers earned 2023 Leo W. Seal Innovative Teacher Grants for their commitment to educational excellence and to pay for original teaching projects designed to enrich students’ education with hands-on learning opportunities. Here are…
2023 graduation dates, times
Graduation season is upon us -- with cap and gown ceremonies scheduled starting Wednesday and running through the end of the month. Wednesday's graduation will be Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, which will be held at the the Mississippi Coast…
Pascagoula-Gautier teacher, principal recognized as best in state
An administrator and a teacher -- both from the Pascagoula-Gautier School District -- have been selected as the top in their fields in the state. The Mississippi Department of Education today announced the 2023 Mississippi Administrator of the Year is…
Substitute teacher who worked at Ocean Springs Middle School charged with sex crimes
A man hired as a substitute teacher at Ocean Springs Middle School has been charged with sex crimes in an investigation that began Tuesday. 21-year-old KeShawn Belcher was arrested and charged with one count of exploitation of a child and…
South Mississippi students earn National Merit corporate scholarships
Three South Mississippi students are among the first group of winners in the 68th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. The students are among more than 800 seniors nationwide and seven in Mississippi to earn money for college. The scholars were…
Substitute teacher dismissed from school district
A substitute teacher at Ocean Springs Middle School is under investigation. A social media post said the substitute teacher -- who was in a long-term position while another teacher was on extended leave -- allegedly asked students to friend him…
Hancock middle school student arrested for making threats
A Hancock County middle school student was taken into custody on Sunday night after threatening to "shoot up the school" on the social media app Snapchat. The student was…
D'Iberville High investigates threat sent by phone during school
D'Iberville High School had a threat sent by phone to other students during school hours today. This came on the heels of a lockdown at Harrison Central High School on Thursday morning after the protocol was activated in error. The…
Harvey, Pannell promoted to lead St. James Parish School
St. James Parish School Assistant Principal Tricia Harvey will be the next principal at the school. She will replace Jennifer Broadus, who will move into the role of Superintendent of Schools for the Catholic Diocese of Biloxi after this school…