By Staff
RETIRING Ken Pouncey, superintendent of the Enterprise School District since 1994, is retiring at the end of June. Pouncey went to school at Enterprise and played for Coach L.J. Davis. Photo by Steve Swogetinsky/The Meridian Star
By Steve Swogetinsky/The Meridian Star
March 27, 2001
ENTERPRISE Ken Pouncey's life in education will come full circle later this year.
Pouncey's first day of first grade started at Enterprise. And at the end of June, he retires as superintendent of the Enterprise schools, a post he has held since 1994.
Born and raised in the Fellowship Community near Enterprise, Pouncey played under Davis. After graduating from Enterprise in 1957, he attended Jones Junior College, where he played football for two years. He finished his undergraduate education at the University of Southern Mississippi, and got his first teaching/coaching job with the Enterprise schools.
When he finished his time in the Army, he took a head coaching job at South Choctaw High School in Alabama, where he stayed for three years. Wanting to get back to Mississippi, he took an assistant coach position at the East Central Junior College. In 1966, he was named head coach at East Central, a position he held for 16 years.
From there, he went into private business for five years, then he was elected superintendent of schools for Newton County for one term. It was during that time that the schools at Hickory, Beulah Hubbard and Decatur were consolidated to form Newton County High School.
At first, the school board tried to pass a bond issue which would have created a central high school while leaving the elementary schools at the three locations. It failed.
But closing the schools also cost Pouncey his job.
After losing the election, he served two years as principal at Bay Springs Middle School. Then one day while he was in Enterprise on some business, the school board president approached him.
The school system has grown during Pouncey's time at the helm. The high school has a new library and field house, and the agricultural center wasrenovated to house the band hall and tech prep. The school district has a new middle school on the elementary school campus. A new cafeteria has been built there, and eight additional classrooms have been added to the elementary school.
Pouncey's goal for the school district has been for it to reach the Level 5 status. Currently, it's a Level 3.5.
His wife, Alice, has taught Home Economics and psychology at East Central for 35 years. After they retire, they plan to visit their grown children, Alicia, Amy and Nick, and tend to their property in Clarke and Newton counties.
Steve Swogetinsky is regional editor of The Meridian Star. E-mail him atsswogetinsky@themeridianstar.com.