DeSoto Serves to make a difference in the lives of our students by instilling a sense of community and responsibility, providing a positive and collaborative culture, and promoting excellence through innovative educational experiences and service to others.
DeSoto Parish Schools
Superintendent's Message:
In DeSoto Parish Schools, we know that excellence doesn't happen by accident — it’s built day by day, choice by choice, in every classroom and every interaction. As we finish out the spring semester, I am proud of the dedication I see across our campuses, from our students striving toward their goals to our staff members working tirelessly to make a difference.
This month’s DeSoto Digest highlights the incredible momentum we continue to build together. Whether it’s celebrating the accomplishments of our students and staff, deepening community partnerships, or expanding opportunities for growth, these stories are a powerful reminder of the impact we can have when we stay focused on what matters most — serving our students.
As we enter the final stretch of the school year, let’s stay committed to our core values: High Performance, a Positive and Caring Culture, Small-Town Traditions, and Making a Difference. Every day offers a chance to move closer to our mission of creating brighter futures for all DeSoto Parish students.
Thank you for your continued support, partnership, and belief in the DeSoto Difference. We are better together!For Students’ Sake,
Clay Corley
Superintendent of Schools
Empowering Tomorrow’s Leaders: College & Career Readiness Spotlight
On March 28th, we had the incredible opportunity to gain insights into the Leader in Me program at North DeSoto Upper Elementary and witness firsthand the powerful connection between their annual Leadership Day and our district’s core values.
From the inspiring student-led activities to the emphasis on responsibility and collaboration, it was clear that these young leaders are embracing high performance, a positive and caring culture, small-town traditions, and making a difference every day!
In DeSoto, all students are career students! Thanks to our business partners for taking part in our first CTE signing day and offering 10 student interns full time employment upon graduation. These students have taken the next step and have be employed in high wage, high demand jobs. They are #TheDeSotoDifference!
Recently, two Stanley High School students, Tyler and Kaden, represented DeSoto Parish Schools at the Louisiana SkillsUSA Championships!
Out of 18 skilled competitors who qualified for the State Competition, both students showcased their talent and hard work in a rigorous challenge involving:
Multiple welding processes
Procedure and welding plan adherence
Online skills testing
Resumes
Safety protocols
We’re proud of their accomplishments and the way they represented our school and community!
Welding students from LHS participated in the Panola Junior College welding competition. They placed 1st, 3rd, and 5th amongst competitors from Louisiana and Texas. These students won various prizes including a $1500 scholarship, welding machine and PPE. They are #DesotoStrong!
Congratulations to these 8 exceptional North DeSoto High School seniors who will be graduating from BPCC on May 9th!
Five students will receive their Associate of General Studies, and three students will earn a Certificate of Technical Studies.
We are incredibly proud of your hard work, dedication, and accomplishments. Your success inspires us all—congratulations on this amazing milestone!
Great News
DeSoto Parish Schools Announces Melanie Matthews as Assistant Principal of NDHS
DeSoto Parish Schools is proud to announce the appointment of Melanie Matthews as the new Assistant Principal of North DeSoto High School. A dedicated educator with 14 years of experience, Mrs. Matthews brings a wealth of knowledge, leadership, and a deep-rooted commitment to student success.
Mrs. Matthews has served in various educational roles across DeSoto and Caddo Parishes, including 10 years as a classroom teacher and four years in administration. She holds a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership and has consistently demonstrated a passion for helping students thrive academically and personally.
As a proud resident of DeSoto Parish and the parent of two students currently attending North DeSoto schools, Mrs. Matthews is deeply connected to the community and is eager to contribute to the continued growth and excellence of North DeSoto High School.
“I am thrilled to step into the role of Assistant Principal at North DeSoto High School,” said Matthews. “It is a true honor to serve in a leadership position at a school with such a strong tradition of excellence. I look forward to supporting our students, staff, and the greater community while helping shape the future of our school and upholding its legacy of success.”
The addition of Mrs. Matthews to the administrative team underscores the district’s commitment to investing in strong, experienced leadership to guide its schools forward.
Please join us in welcoming Melanie Matthews to her new role. We look forward to the positive impact she will make in the lives of students, staff, and families at North DeSoto High School.
DeSoto Parish Schools Names Lyndsey Rhoads as the next Principal of NDMS
DeSoto Parish Schools is proud to announce that Mrs. Lyndsey Rhoads has been named the next Principal of North DeSoto Middle School. With a strong background in education and leadership, Rhoads brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to the students, faculty, and community of North DeSoto.
A long-time resident of Stonewall, LA, Rhoads and her husband, Andrew, have called the community home for 15 years. Their three children—Mallory, Maddox, and McCoy—are all proud students of North DeSoto High School, North DeSoto Middle School, and North DeSoto Upper Elementary, respectively.
Rhoads holds an undergraduate degree from Jackson State University and a graduate degree from Northwestern State University. She began her career with DeSoto Parish Schools in 2010 as a teacher at North DeSoto Upper Elementary, where she later served as both a Lead Teacher and Master Teacher. In 2020, she transitioned to North DeSoto High School as an Assistant Principal of Instruction.
Expressing her enthusiasm for this new role, Mrs. Rhoads shared, "I am honored to step into the role of Principal at North DeSoto Middle School. I look forward to building meaningful connections with the staff, students, and stakeholders. Together, we will continue the school's mission of nurturing growth and preparing students for leadership, learning, and service."
The DeSoto Parish Schools community welcomes Mrs. Rhoads to her new position and looks forward to her leadership in continuing the mission of promoting excellence through innovative educational experiences for North DeSoto Middle School students.
DeSoto Parish Schools Announces the Launch of Star Academy at Mansfield Middle School
DeSoto Parish Schools is proud to announce the launch of an exciting new academic program, STAR Academy, set to launch at Mansfield Middle School during the 2025-2026 school year. STAR Academy represents a visionary, student-centered initiative designed to elevate student achievement and engagement through hands-on, project-based learning.
Targeted toward select 8th grade students, STAR Academy offers a robust curriculum that spans core academic subjects—science, math, English Language Arts, and Social Studies—all aligned with national standards. What sets STAR Academy apart is its commitment to real-world application: students will engage in interactive modules that expose them to over 50 diverse career pathways, fostering both academic growth and early career exploration.
“We are proud to bring STAR Academy to Mansfield Middle School as a unique opportunity for our students to engage in learning that is hands-on, future-focused, and deeply relevant,” said Superintendent Clay Corley. “This program sets MMS apart as a model for what’s possible when we invest in innovative pathways that connect academics to real-world success.”
Research indicates that when students are immersed in student-centered, hands-on learning environments, there is a marked improvement in attendance, behavior, and academic performance. STAR Academy embraces this philosophy, aiming to boost outcomes by deeply engaging students in their learning journey.
The program comes fully equipped with classroom furnishings, modern technology, instructional materials, and ongoing support for both educators and students. Teachers involved in STAR Academy will receive intensive professional development, including on-site coaching and summer training, ensuring the highest quality instruction.
Student selection will be based on academic progress during 7th grade and analysis of LEAP assessment data. While the program is limited to selected students, all 8th graders will benefit through enhanced academic support blocks and specialized WIN (What I Need) classes that incorporate STAR Academy components.
“This initiative reflects our long-term commitment to innovation and excellence in education,” said Mansfield Middle School Principal, Corey Hill. “We are thrilled to introduce STAR Academy as part of our strategic vision for student success and look forward to seeing its impact unfold over the next three years.”
NSU Develops Partnerships with A+PEL, DeSoto Parish to Help Teachers on the Path To Master's Degrees
Northwestern State University’s School of Education signed two agreements April 8 that will facilitate credit articulation for teachers seeking master’s degrees.
One agreement signed between NSU and the Associated Professional Educators of Louisiana (A+PEL) addresses the articulation of the Ready to Teach Louisiana (RTL) curriculum developed by A+PEL that leads to alternative teacher certification and Louisiana Level 1 teacher licensure. Per the partnership with NSU, students who complete the Ready to Teach curriculum and earn a Louisiana Level 1 teacher certificate can receive 15 hours of credit from NSU towards a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction with a Transition to Teaching concentration.
Another agreement between NSU and the DeSoto Parish School Board creates a path of credit flow for teachers who complete Mentor Teacher Training, Master Teacher Training and/or Operation LEAD Training. With those completions and a bachelor’s degree, DeSoto Parish educators can receive up to 12 hours of credit towards a Master of Education in Educational Leadership at NSU.
“This is what makes teachers stronger, districts stronger and students succeed,” said Dr. April Giddens, interim director of NSU’s School of Education.
Dr. Dylan Solice, coordinator of NSU’s Educational Leadership program, was instrumental in developing the partnerships, which will help meet the need for high quality educators. He credited administration -- Giddens, Dr. Katrina Jordan, immediate past director of the School of Education; Dr. Neeru Deep, dean of the College of Education and Human Development; NSU Executive Vice President and Provost Dr. Greg Handel; NSU President James Genovese and colleagues with A+PEL and DeSoto Parish Schools -- for supporting the initiative.
“RTL is an alternative certification program approved by BESE [Louisiana’s Board of Elementary and Secondary Education],” Solice said. “Northwestern State has its own alternative certification program, and we already articulate credit for NSU’s program to a concentration in our master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction. We are now partnering with A+PEL to articulate credit from their alternative certification program to our master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction.”
“DeSoto has a wonderful multilayered leadership pipeline from where they develop mentor teachers, master teachers and educational leaders,” Solice continued. “We are working with their program to articulate different levels of credit towards our M.Ed. in educational leadership.”
“Northwestern has truly been at the forefront of educating the masses for such a long time, especially in the field of education, so this is a tremendous opportunity for us,” said Dr. Torrence Williams, RTL executive director, South Louisiana. “We're looking forward to putting out folks who are both qualified and certified in the field.”
Clay Corley, DeSoto Parish Superintendent of Schools, said partnerships are the result of professional relationships and working together.
“This opens a lot of doors for our Mentor Teachers, our Master Teachers and our Operational LEAD participants to gain college credit. It’s a very rigorous process,” Corley said. “We are excited about bringing more of our leaders through this institution.”
Information on NSU’s School of Education, degree programs and steps to alternate certification is available at https://www.nsula.edu/education/
Reflecting on Discover DeSoto Day 2025
Resident teachers and prospective educators joined us for Discover DeSoto Day on Wednesday, April 9. The day was an inside look at what makes our schools truly special. From engaging classroom tours to meaningful conversations with our incredible staff, guests experienced our mission firsthand — “Promoting excellence through innovative educational experiences and services to others.”
We proudly live our core values every day: High Performance, Positive and Caring Culture, Small-Town Traditions, and Making a Difference.
This wasn’t just a tour — it was a glimpse into the heart of DeSoto. And the heart of DeSoto is our PEOPLE.
District Happenings
Celebrating Assistant Principals
April is National Assistant Principal Month! Earlier this month, we celebrated the incredible members of the DeSoto Parish team who serve in this capacity across the parish. This group of passionate educators bring so much to our buildings each and every day and we are grateful for them! Check out our Facebook page for more about this great group of people.
AmeriCorp Seniors Foster Grandparent Appreciation Luncheon
This month, we proudly celebrated the incredible impact of our Foster Grandparents at the AmeriCorps Seniors Foster Grandparent Annual Appreciation Luncheon!
These devoted volunteers embody the very heart of our DeSoto Parish Schools core values of making a difference and a positive and caring culture. Through their kindness, wisdom, and commitment to our students, they are not just mentors, but true role models who make a difference every single day.
Thank you for the love you pour into our classrooms and the lives you touch. You are a cherished part of #TheDeSotoDifference!
You Matter Campaign
The “You Matter” Campaign: A Movement of Support, Compassion, and Mental Health Awareness
At DeSoto Parish, we believe in the power of community, connection, and compassion. With this belief at the heart of our mission, we are excited to announce the launch of the "You Matter Campaign"—a heartfelt initiative designed to promote mental health, well-being, and suicide prevention for both students and staff.
This campaign focuses on reminding every individual within our school community that they are valued, seen, and heard, especially during difficult times.
June ACT Testing
Save The Date - Back-to-School Blast-Off is July 19!
Do not wait! Register now for our 3rd annual Back-to-School Blast-off Event! Click the registration form to get signed up!
Around Our Schools
MES students celebrated a great Dibels performance with a “block party” for K-2 while a group of MMS Student Council and JAG students took a trip to New York City! At MHS, juniors stepped into tradition and pride during the Junior Ring Ceremony.
The Stanley Panthers kicked off LEAP Testing with a Pep Rally! It was truly a success with lots of encouragement and advice for students. There was dancing, singing, and testing cheers and great tips to tackle the test. It was a great way to motivate students to do their best.
Logansport High School students covered over five miles of roads around Logansport on Thursday, April 10 for Love the Boot Week. In total, they picked up 22 55-gallon bags of litter and eight bags of recyclables. What a great way to serve the community!
Students at NDLE have been working hard in the classroom and celebrating success along the way. NDUE students have also been celebrating A.R and Math Winners while NDMS students had fun at the second annual robotics showcase. NDHS students also participated in the Red Coat induction Ceremony
Dates to Remember
May 8 - Last Day Seniors Attends
May 22 - 4th Grading Period Attends/Last Day of Student Attendance
May 23 - Staff Work Day
May 12- Logansport High School Graduation
May 13- Stanley High School Graduation
May 15- North DeSoto High School Graduation
May 16- Mansfield High School Graduation
Important Resources
We have compiled a list of resources to help you throughout the school year! If you have any additional questions, please feel free to fill out the "Ask a Question" form on our website.
Transportation Resources or call us at (318) 872-2798
Download the DeSoto Parish Mobile App
(318) 872-1198
(318) 872-2836
www.desotopsb.com
399 Jenkins Street
Mansfield, LA 71052