The Starkville Okitbbeha School District has an enrollment of almost 5,000 students and graduates an average of 290 seniors annually. The Starkville Oktibbeha School District is also the second largest employer in Oktibbeha County with more than 800 employees.
The mission of the Starkville Oktibbeha School District is to achieve excellence by facilitating the discovery and development of each student’s passion, purpose, and potential.
The District operates nine campuses to serve Starkville students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade:
- Sudduth Elementary
- West Elementary
- Henderson Ward Stewart Elementary
- Overstreet Elementary
- Partnership Middle School
- Armstrong Junior High School School
- Starkville High School
- The Learning Center
- Emerson Preschool
Jumpstart to College
Starkville High School was named to the College Board’s Advance Placement Honor Roll two years in a row. SHS offers 10 Advanced Placement (AP) courses, more than any other high school in the Golden Triangle.
Starkville High School students can take advantage of the dual credit/dual enrollment partnership the District has with Mississippi State University and East Mississippi Community College to earn as many as 18 college credit hours while still in high school.
In addition, Pre-AP courses allow students to begin preparation for college curriculum long before enrollment in an institute of higher learning. SOCSD pre-AP courses in math and English begin in the 7th grade.
Academic Houses at Starkville High School
Starkville Oktibbeha School District has partnered with educators, employers, and community leaders to create a new kind of high school experience. The Academic Houses at Starkville High School provide students the advanced skills they need to be successful, productive citizens in college, career and life through small learning communities and real-world experiences that link school and work place to prepare our students for excellence in an ever-changing world.
To learn more about the Academic Houses at Starkville High School, visit www.starkvillesd.com/
Early Honors College at Mississippi State University
Starkville High School and Shackouls Honors College at Mississippi State University have partnered to offer an early honors program for the District’s highest performing high school students.
Early Honors is part of the Academic Houses at Starkville High School, and it is designed to challenge advanced learners during their senior year of high school. The program offers up to four seminar courses taught by Shackouls Honors College faculty that focus on intense learning experiences and include research opportunities, critical thinking, problem solving and collaboration.
The dual credit honors college classes are held on the MSU campus at Griffis Hall, home to the Shackouls Honors College.
Fine Arts Focus
The Starkville Oktibbeha School District boasts a nationally recognized fine arts program with its award winning visual and performing emphasis. From photography and charcoal drawing to honor choir and jazz band, children in SOCSD participate in music and art education beginning in kindergarten. The music program expands to include band and piano lab in 6th – 12th grades. Art and drama programs also expand continuing through high school. From the halls of the United States Capitol to Carnegie Hall, SOCSD students are recognized on the national stage for their talents in the performing and visual arts.
Athletic Excellence
SOCSD students are competitive not just in academics and the arts, but also in athletics where SHS student athletes compete in a variety of sports including football, baseball, basketball, tennis, track, cross country, and soccer. Our athletes have garnered numerous individual state awards as well as a total of 23 state championship titles. Go Jackets!
Environmental Education
SOCSD students also enjoy unique learning opportunities at the Larry Box Environmental Center located at the Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge. Kindergarten through sixth graders are immersed in nature during field trips to the Center, hiking along trails and bird watching on the 48,000 property.
Discovery Center
The District’s Discovery Center is home to more than a dozen grant-based programs aimed at connecting home, school and community with excellence. Our passion is to strengthen and encourage healthy families in Oktibbeha County by offering year-round programs to assist children, support parents, and empower families to focus on the importance of family, school and community working together. Programming emphasizes family protective factors through proven practices. Family services are funded through federal, state, local and private foundation grants, as well as, donations from the community. Strong collaboration with community organizations strengthen our ability to provide comprehensive services to the families of young children and students in the district’s service area.
We invite you to explore the programs and opportunities offered through Discovery Center as we connect home, school and community with excellence through learning collaborations, family services, school services, and community services.
Accolades and Awards
Accreditation and Teachers
- Henderson Ward Stewart Elementary School recognized by the Mississippi Department of Education as a Science of Reading School for best practices in reading instruction.
- Fully accredited school district, offering high-quality education
- 380 full-time teachers
- 143 teachers hold advanced degrees
Faculty, Student, and Staff Awards and Recognitions
- Mississippi Teacher of the Year
- Mississippi Teacher of Year, Finalist
- Mississippi Administrator of the Year
- National Merit Semifinalist
- National Merit Finalist
- Presidential Scholar
- Presidential Award for Excellence in Science and Mathematics
- Governor’s Award for Partnership Excellence
Test Scores and Scholarships
- Starkville High School recognizes students annually for their scores of 30 plus and 25 plus on the ACT with induction into the ACT Honors Club. In 2021, 33 students were inducted into the 30+ Club for a score of 30 or higher on the ACT while 65 students were inducted into the 25+ Club for a score of 25-29 on the ACT.
- Starkville High School seniors are awarded millions of dollars in scholarships annually to colleges and universities across the country.
To connect with the Starkville Oktibbeha School District, follow them on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram @StarkvilleSD. To learn more, visit their website at www.starkvillesd.com.
