Jim Ferguson, DeSoto County Schools Superintendent candidate.

DeSoto County, Miss. – In August, DeSoto County residents will take on the task of selecting a new superintendent of DeSoto County Schools. As the largest school district in the state of Mississippi in one of the fastest growing counties in the United States, the superintendent essentially holds the futures of these students in his or her hands.

Jim Ferguson, who currently serves as chief academic officer for DeSoto County Schools, is one candidate who believes that he has what it takes to successfully step into the role that Milton Kuykendall will be leaving behind, and continue to guide the already illustrious school district to further accomplishments.

A veteran in the field of education, Ferguson’s career spans over 25 years. He got his start by teaching mathematics at Horn Lake High School in 1990, and after almost a decade of teaching and interested in furthering his impact in education, he made the move from teacher to administrator. Ferguson spent two years as a principal at Hernando High School before moving to Horn Lake High School, where he served from 2003 to 2011.

For Ferguson, the transition from teacher to administrator was driven by his strive for furthering his involvement with the students with whom he spent every day.

“For me it was a desire to expand my influence…to be able to have influence over the whole school,” Ferguson said.

One of those students that profited from the impact of Ferguson’s guidance is Nick Watkins. Watkins, 24, is a graduate from Horn Lake’s class of 2008, where he graduated in the top five of his class.

“I would say that he was a great role model and mentor for me,” said Watkins, who is now a student at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, Miss. “He was always willing to go out of his way or spend a little bit of time to teach me things, or to advise me on certain things in life.”

“I think that was one of his many strengths…his ability to really connect with his students,” Watkins said of Ferguson.

By establishing this connection with DeSoto County students, Ferguson has come to understand how the county’s diversity affects each individual school system. Ferguson acknowledges that there are challenges within the district, but feels as though his experience and knowledge give him an advantage when making important decisions for the county’s schools.

“Our students are very diverse,” Ferguson said. “The issues that are going on in Horn Lake and Southaven are not what’s happening in some of the outer areas of the county. I’m concerned that if we lose those schools in Horn Lake and Southaven, that if we don’t provide, if we don’t begin to retain teachers at those schools, if we don’t begin to train those teachers…we’re going to be in real trouble with those schools. And some of them already are in trouble, and I think that’s got to be a real priority for the next superintendent.”

Perhaps it will be up to Ferguson to see to it that those schools in the county that are struggling are put back on track, and according to Bonnie Reid, he may be the person for the job.

“I think he’s very qualified,” Reid said.

Reid, a retired English literature teacher who resides in Nesbit, taught at Horn Lake High School while Jim Ferguson was there teaching mathematics. She saw him return in 2003 and assume the role of principal until her retirement in 2007.

“Of course, by that time we were a very large school,” Reid said. “We had 1,840 students at the maximum I think at that time. And Mr. Ferguson was out in the halls. He was frequently in the classroom.”

As far as handling those students is concerned, Reid has nothing but positive memories of Ferguson.

“He was definitely a professional,” Reid said of Ferguson. “I’m sure he had to make tough decisions regarding discipline, but when he did, the well-being of the student was his first priority. If a student was a real problem, or had real problems, he wanted that turned around.”

“I think he’s a man with great integrity,” Reid added.

On Aug. 4, voters will have the option of putting Ferguson into position to implement his vision for DeSoto County Schools, a vision that includes continuing the success of the school system, as well as emphasizing the importance of a college education to the county’s students.

“I want every school to be an environment in which students can prosper, students can thrive,” Ferguson said. “And I think that’s a school administrators want to lead, where teachers want to teach, and where students want to learn…It’s what I believe and know to be true. And so I want every school to have that.”

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