Dr. Terri Rhea has a simple, but powerful, teaching philosophy when it comes to educating students.
“They don't want to know how much you know until they know how much you care,” she said.
And her philosophy has proven that it works.
For close to four decades, Rhea describes her educational career as a passion, not merely a vocation. From working directly with students inside the classroom to the more detailed administrative roles, the Laurel native feels that she truly is working within the roles that were always intended for her. Whether it be instructing an individual student or molding the next team of educational leaders, Dr. Rhea is where she is supposed to be.
“I absolutely love education and working with students,” she said. “Additionally, I have always enjoyed ‘teaching teachers’ and establishing professional learning communities for teachers to have the opportunity to be the best that they can be – ROCKSTARS – if you will! It is my obligation…to grow, shape, mold, and provide wisdom to the next generation of ‘ROCKSTAR’ educators and administrators.”
Rhea will assume the role as superintendent of the Yazoo County School District on July 1, following the retirement announcement of current leader Dr. Ken Barron. She has served as assistant superintendent for the local school district for the past seven years.
“Over the course of the last seven years, I have driven three hours a day, one and a half hours going and coming, to get to the Yazoo County School District, which is the best kept secret around,” Rhea said. “I love this school district as evidenced by my willingness to drive such a distance to and from my home.”
Rhea was born and raised in Laurel, where she originally worked within the Jones County School District. After earning a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education in 1989 from the University of Southern Mississippi, she went onto earn her Master of Science degree in curriculum and instruction minoring in literacy and reading methodology. But her education did not stop there. She would then reenter graduate school in 1994 and graduated in 1999 with a Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum and Instruction, double minoring in school leadership and supervision and statistics. Additionally, in 1999, she earned National Board Certification in the concentration of Middle Childhood Generalist.
“I have humbly served in the field of education for 36 years,” Rhea said. “I love what I do every day. It is truly a passion, and I cannot imagine doing anything else.”
Rhea’s career has taken her to several different educational roles within the Jones County School District. Beginning as a sixth and seventh grade teacher, she would later serve as an instructional facilitator, an assistant principal and principal.
"After approximately nine super-fast years, I was named as the District Assessment Director where I navigated all of the state testing for a 10,000-student membership school district in South Mississippi," she said. "But after just one year, in the same school district, I was named the Director of Gifted, Special Services, and Elementary Curriculum. I absolutely loved this part of my educational journey."
After the passing of her husband, who was killed in a car accident, Rhea decided to retire from the Jones County School District, relocating to Carthage.
"Upon arrival to Carthage, two days prior to the start of the new school year, I agreed to serve as an elementary school principal for the MS Band of Choctaw Indians and Choctaw Tribal Schools and truly had a unique and eclectic experience for the next two years" Rhea said. "Next, after leaving the tribe, I worked full-time, as an educational consultant, across the state of Mississippi, coaching and mentoring teachers, administrators, and superintendents."
And now her journey embarks on a new chapter in Yazoo County, where she said she has been incredibly impressed with Yazoo's best commodity…her people.
“What is impressive about our school district is first the resilience, of all of the students,” she said. “It reminds me of an old country song entitled, ‘Roll with the Punches,’ meaning the faculty, staff, and the students are hugely adaptable and flexible and exhibit resilience on a daily basis.”
Another great impression of the local county school district for Rhea is what she describes as the district’s “athletic prowess.”
“It is very evident and impressive in Yazoo County, despite any lack of ‘top-rated’ practice facilities, if any facilities at all exists; for example, with track and cross-country,” she said. “The student athletes simply still perform, at the top of his/her game – anyway! Additionally, there appears to always be a ‘culture of help’ within the YCSD and a willingness to take on a task wholeheartedly for the common good of the school district.”
Abd Rhea applauds the work of the district teachers and staff, which completely highlights a teamwork mentality.
“Teamwork is evident in each of the four schools while constructive criticism is accepted for growth to sustain improvement efforts while life-long continuous learning is embedded into the workflow and cycle much of the time,” she said. “These are only a few of the many positive traits which serve as evidence of the characteristics proven to be quite impressive in a small rural, poverty-stricken school district.”
As Rhea assumes her leadership role this summer, she has several goals she would like to implement within the local district. Those goals include a 100-day action plan, increase overall ACT composite scores, increase the graduation rate, develop a community-based collaborative initiative, conduct a deep data dive and increase the district’s digital platform.
“I have the unique opportunity to shape the educational environment for almost 1,200 students; getting to witness the improvements in student achievement, well-being, and engagement, which is deeply fulfilling,” Rhea said. “I am hugely passionate about getting to lead educational change and innovation. To be able to provide support to principals, teachers, and staff is hugely rewarding. Helping educators grow professionally and succeed in their roles is truly special. Superintendents build supportive cultures that empower teachers, which ultimately benefits students.”
Rhea is aware that her new carries its share of challenges. But she is ready to steer through those obstacles.
“Successfully navigating these challenges brings a sense of accomplishment,” she said. “You have to be able to shape the future of education by influencing long-term planning and vision for our school district, helping to create an equitable, rigorous, and high-quality education for all students.”
Other challenges include the economics of a rural, more poverty-stricken community, retaining certified teachers and a declining student population.
“The students of the Yazoo County School District may have many challenges, which hinder him/her in being the best #NexGenLeader that he/she can be,” Rhea said. “However, for the most part the students ‘make the best of it’ and are very successful throughout his/her school career.”
But despite those challenges, Yazoo County students and staff members have greatly impressed Rhea over the last seven years.
“The students are not defeated easily at all,” she said. “For example, surrounding school districts may have artificial turf and a nice state-of-the-art running track. Whereas our students practice on the asphalt frontage road of Highway 49. By all accounts, all the athletes should have shin splints from running extensively on the pavement; however, they are not bothered or stopped, by this hindrance, in the least. Our students are not at all easily defeated by his/her lack of opportunities due to his/her zip code of residence. It has been quite impressive to view the many students who possess such a willingness to try and not give up easily. They possess grit, the necessary ingredient for physical and mental toughness.”
“Again, just like with the students of the Yazoo County School District, there are many impressive traits of the staff as well,” she added.
Rhea is married to Alan D. Rhea, an attorney whose practice focuses primarily on chancery court matters. In addition to his regular practice, he is the municipal judge for the city of Walnut Grove and the municipal judge pro temp for the city of Carthage. Alan has, for the last eight years, been the special judge for the 11th Chancery Court District for Leake, Madison, Holmes and Yazoo counties, where he hears various chancery court matters for the three chancery court judges of the district. He is the father of two daughters, Mary Elizabeth Johnson of Madison and Emily Caroline Rhea of Jackson.
Rhea is the proud mom of four sons, two daughters-in-laws and three grandchildren. Her son and their families include Zach (Jade), Blake (Lauren), Brady, and Drew. Her grandchildren, who she considers “her greatest treasures,” include Jace, Lily Kate and Emmie Evans.
