MSMS has always been a school that has defined not only by its student achievement but also by its faculty. As this year is coming to an end, it is clear that the landscape of MSMS will not be same next year, as we will be losing four key parts of the close MSMS family.

Mrs. Karin McWhorter will be moving with her family to Colorado where she will teach mathematics for the US Air Force. The location for this is still to be disclosed.

Mrs. Michelle Leonard will be moving with her husband who is being stationed in Texas with the Air Force.

Ms. Marguerita Baquero was hired this year to replace Mrs. Wagner, and she will work to get her visa renewed as she looks for opportunities in biology.

Mr. William Funderburk will be pursuing his doctorate at Ole Miss, where he will become a graduate instructor in physics.  

These members of our MSMS family will be dearly missed. Each one has contributed heavily to the advancement of our school, and we all wish them a happy and bright future.

“I want to express my gratitude to each of these faculty members.  MSMS is a special place because of the people who make up the MSMS family.  These four individuals have gone above and beyond their work in the classroom: coaching swimming, sponsoring the Strings Ensemble and running the Distance Learning classroom. They will be greatly missed, “ Mrs. Kelly Brown stated.

With so many key members of our MSMS family leaving, three new faculty members have been hired to fill in their place.

Dr. Tina Gibson, a teacher from a private school in Florida and also an AP Biology Reader for College-Board, will be teaching biology or chemistry. She possesses a strong passion for medical missions in Honduras, and she works for the CDC in infectious diseases.

Dr. Robert Grier, a biotechnical teacher from Georgia, will be teaching biology and hopes “to eventually merge biology and computer science to make a new course for MSMS students.”

Finally, Dr. Philip Benge, an alumni from the Louisiana School of Mathematics and Science and a graduate of Washington University, will be teaching mathematics.

With new faculty, MSMS will change. Hopefully, these new faculty members will be able to fill the holes left by the previous ones. With each coming year, it seems that the history of MSMS continues to evolve and expand, and this shows no signs of slowing down.