When administrators, faculty and students at Dundee Elementary School learned they had achieved “Star” school status from the Mississippi Department of Education, the staff of the University of Mississippi’s Center for Excellence in Literacy Instruction rejoiced with them.
CELI personnel have worked with Dundee Elementary in Tunica County for three years. UM faculty Ashley Parker and Tamara Hillmer deliver professional development, work with the school’s literacy leadership team and mentor about 10 teachers.
Through teamwork, strategic planning and a concentrated effort to improve, Dundee moved up in the rankings this year, making it one of 65 Star schools in the state and the only one in the Mississippi Delta. MDE officials annually evaluate K-12 school systems throughout the state. Criteria include accreditation status, graduation and completion data, state exam and ACT scores, expulsions and out-of-school suspensions. Labels from lowest to superior are: Failing, Academic Watch, Low Performing, Successful, High Performing and Star.

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