Mississippi Board of Education honors four 2024 National Blue Ribbon Schools

The Mississippi State Board of Education on a December morning recognized four Mississippi schools selected as 2024 National Blue Ribbon Schools by the U.S. Department of Education.

Ocean Springs’ Magnolia Park Elementary, Mansdale Upper Elementary in Madison County, Ripley High School and Stone Elementary in Stone County were honored in categories for exemplary high performance and for closing achievement gaps. Mike Lindsay, superintendent of the Ocean Springs School District, accepted the recognition for Magnolia Park and said the honor reflected the work of teachers and the principal, Allison Graham, thanking "the dedication, work ethic, and amazing teachers" who supported the school.

Dr. Nicole Cockrell, who spoke for Mansdale Upper Elementary, told the board her staff approaches their work "from a place of heart" and that the school has celebrated the designation throughout the year. A Ripley representative noted the school’s dual-credit participation and diverse student population and thanked the district leadership; Stone Elementary principal Sandy Danzy described acceptance of the award as an emotional honor on behalf of students and staff.

The board’s recognition segment included an overview from Mississippi Department of Education staff explaining the two National Blue Ribbon categories: exemplary high performing schools and exemplary achievement gap‑closing schools. MDE staff noted the national selection process and said the designation highlights schools that are among the highest performing in their state or have made significant progress in narrowing gaps between student groups.

Board members and presenters framed the awards as community and staff achievements. There was no formal board action tied to the recognition beyond ceremonial remarks. Attendees were invited to depart after the presentations, and the board moved on to its regular report and action items.