So Long, Starkville

Another school year has come and gone, and it is time for the Swinneys to leave Starkville.

I can’t even express the amount of gratitude I have for this place. Starkville, as a city, has been so welcoming to us. Our first city, Gulfport, taught us how to be independent. Then, Tupelo brought us back to family and helped us get on our feet as parents of young children. The decision to move to Starkville was a difficult one, but I am so thankful that we made it.

Starkville is the first city where I really felt like we had a strong friend group of like-minded adults (outside of college!). We were embraced by First Baptist Church in a way that showed me the power and value of having a strong group of friends who can walk alongside me in certain stages of life. My husband, my children, and I all benefitted from the relationships we cultivated throughout our time in Starkville.

My job at Starkville High School has blessed me in ways that I will remember for the rest of my life. The department I worked in (English 2 Hot To Handle) was comprised of women who supported one another in personal and professional endeavors, and the empowerment I felt from this cannot be understated. I have never laughed so hard, nor have I ever felt so emboldened to be myself and to enjoy my job. Outside of this phenomenal group of women, I got to work under principals who are so selfless in their pursuit of nurturing students. It is easy to listen to and respect leaders whose hearts are aligned with your own in the journey of bettering the lives of children.

Every school gifts me with amazing students who help me become a better teacher and a better person, but there is something special about these Starkville kids. I don’t know if it is because I am in a stage of life where I am becoming comfortable in my role as a mother, or if these students are just so hungry for mentorship and love that they have clung to me, but I have felt overwhelmingly important and loved in my role as a teacher at SHS. Outside of the typical ways I have grown as an instructor (whoop whoop to finally achieving my doctorate), I have developed a capacity for empathy that will make me a better mother and teacher for years to come. These SHS students will forever have a special place in my heart.

I am SO thrilled for our new journey in the Jackson area. Our transition to Madison has been seamless and feels ordained—from our adorable house to us both accepting jobs that make us eager to get to work and give us more opportunities to spend time together. Moving to Madison and accepting jobs at Jackson Academy means that all four of us will get to be together every single day. As I get older, family unity is the most important thing to me, so this makes me both comforted and excited. I hope this move will offer us some stability and a community where we can contribute to and benefit from those around us.

To Starkville and SHS, thank you for loving the Swinneys so well.