Magnolia School District

In the book Billy Sure Kid Entrepreneur, the main character is a twelve-year-old boy who is an inventor and CEO of his own business. Tatum Carter, a sixth grader at Magnolia Middle School, is also twelve years old and began her business, Tatum’s Tasty Treats, in the spring of 2020.

Click on the link below to watch Tatum share her adventures as a baker and business owner.

https://youtu.be/-mF5mmBq1dc

Scott Nipper

TALLEY CHOSEN AS EAST SIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL’S TEACHER OF THE YEAR

East Side Elementary School teacher, Jessica Talley, was recently selected as the campus 2021 Teacher of the Year. Talley is a 2003 graduate of Magnolia High School and a 2007 graduate of Southern Arkansas University with a degree in Early Childhood Education.

Jessica has taught in the Magnolia School District for 14 years. She began her career teaching first grade, taught 10 years in second, and has been the technology lab teacher for the past three years.

Talley represents East Side as an ambassador for many educational technology platforms and early coding robots. She has also transformed her old second grade classroom into a Makerspace using East Side’s technology. Her students have learned how to make green screen videos, do stop motion animation, and create posters and cards using educational photo collage apps. She loves helping her K-2 students find new ways to use technology besides just gaming and hopes that some of the projects she has done with them will spark further curiosity as they grow up in this digital age.

Talley is married to Zachary Talley and has three children: Brin, age 10; Sebastian, 5; and Barrett, 1. She enjoys decorating, watching movies and doing crafts with her children, and cheering on the Muleriders with her family.

Scott Nipper

ZACKERY RECEIVES SAU TRACK SCHOLARSHIP

Magnolia High School senior, Jakamron Zackery, recently signed a letter of intent from the Southern Arkansas University track program and will be throwing the shot and discus for the Muleriders next school year.

Jakamron has earned many accolades while competing for the MHS Panther track team. In 2019, he placed second in the discus at the 4A State Track Meet and placed seventh in the Meet of Champs.

During the 2020 season, he placed first in the discus at the SAU Relays, Hog Relays, and Wolf Relays and placed third in the shot put at the Hog Relays. Jakamron was also a member of the 2020 4A state champion team.

This year, Jakamron has placed first in the discus at the Hog Relays, Wolf Relays, Oil Belt Relays, and Panther Relays. At the Oil Belt Relays, Jakamron set a personal record in the discus with a throw of 160’ 6”. He also placed second in the shot put at the Oil Belt Relays and Panther Relays and placed third at the Hog Relays.

Magnolia School District

Kory Waller, a 1994 Magnolia High School graduate and owner of Waller Wealth Management, talks about his path to becoming a business owner and entrepreneur.

Click the link below to view Kory's video.

https://youtu.be/OO6oa7nHUAg

Scott Nipper

HEATHER CREECH SELECTED AS MMS TEACHER OF THE YEAR

Magnolia Middle School English teacher, Heather Creech, was recently selected as the campus 2021 Teacher of the Year. Heather still resides in her hometown, where she graduated in 1993 from Stamps High School. She received her Bachelors of Arts degree in English and certification in secondary education from Southern Arkansas University. After earning her degree from SAU, Heather began her teaching career at Lafayette County High School; during her time there she taught 10th, 11th, and 12th grade English; AP Language and Composition; Creative Writing; and Mythology. Since joining the faculty of Magnolia School District in 2018, she has taught 8th grade English – both regular and Pre-AP. This year, she is serving as the MMS English department chair.

Heather has been married to her husband, Ronnie, for eighteen years. They have four children: Amber and Cory, both in the work force; Nate, a junior Meteorological Science student at the University of Missouri; and Peyton, a junior at Magnolia High School. They are also blessed to be “Heddie and Poppie” to two grandchildren, Rayney and Dakota. She is an active member of Stamps Landmark Missionary Baptist Church, where she serves as music director and church clerk.

In addition to teaching English to her students here in the U.S., she enjoys getting up each day before coming to campus and teaching English as a second language to students in China, who range in age from five to fifteen. Outside of teaching, she enjoys cheering Peyton on at Panther football games, reading, singing, cooking, and spending time with her family.