Bovina Elementary’s McCann named District’s Administrator of the Year

Published 11:07 am Wednesday, September 16, 2020

For the third time, Bovina Elementary Principal Miki McCann has been named the Vicksburg Warren School District’s Administrator of the Year.

McCann, who has been principal at the school since 2008, said she was surprised upon hearing she had received the award again. She also won it in 2011 and 2016.

She said she had been informed of the honor in January, and a recognition ceremony had been scheduled for March. But due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was canceled.

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“But it was a nice surprise and honor to receive the award again,” she said.

McCann credited her teachers, staff and parental support for the honor.

“Our parents have been amazing and super supportive,” McCann said. “And I can’t take the credit for hardly anything we do, because without the staff around me and the extremely motivated and dedicated teachers, we would not be successful.”

Mari Taylor, who is the school’s secretary and has worked with McCann for 20 years said, “She is the best.”

“Her structure and passion for the kids reaching their greatest potential,” Taylor said, is what makes McCann deserving of the honor.

Taylor added that McCann also expects the best from the kids and the staff which, in turn, motivates everyone.

Megan Carney, a fifth-grade teacher at Bovina, referred to McCann as a “great leader.”

“She always supports her teachers and makes sure we have everything we need to be successful,” Carney said, whether it’s materials, support or professional development aid.

Carney said McCann is also a very hands-on type of principal.

“She knows what is going on in her school. She knows what is going on with her teachers and she knows what is going on with her students,” Carney said.

McCann also makes sure everyone feels like they are part of the family at Bovina.

“We are such a small school, so it’s more like a family atmosphere so she really tries to make sure everybody feels that,” Carney said.

McCann has been with the VWSD for 23 years and is pursuing her doctorate in educational administration at William Carey University.

Prior to her 12 years at Bovina, McCann was a third- and fourth-grade teacher at Redwood Elementary School. She also served as an administrative intern at Beechwood Elementary and was an assistant principal at Vicksburg Intermediate.

McCann is a member of many community service and professional organizations.

In addition to being named the VWSD’s Administrator of the Year three times, McCann’s awards and accomplishments also include receiving the Governor’s Award of Distinction in 2014 and completing the Vicksburg-Warren Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Vicksburg. She was also instrumental in helping make Bovina one of the first Lighthouse Schools in the state.

About Terri Cowart Frazier

Terri Frazier was born in Cleveland. Shortly afterward, the family moved to Vicksburg. She is a part-time reporter at The Vicksburg Post and is the editor of the Vicksburg Living Magazine, which has been awarded First Place by the Mississippi Press Association. She has also been the recipient of a First Place award in the MPA’s Better Newspaper Contest’s editorial division for the “Best Feature Story.”

Terri graduated from Warren Central High School and Mississippi State University where she received a bachelor’s degree in communications with an emphasis in public relations.

Prior to coming to work at The Post a little more than 10 years ago, she did some freelancing at the Jackson Free Press. But for most of her life, she enjoyed being a full-time stay at home mom.

Terri is a member of the Crawford Street United Methodist Church. She is a lifetime member of the Vicksburg Junior Auxiliary and is a past member of the Sampler Antique Club and Town and Country Garden Club. She is married to Dr. Walter Frazier.

“From staying informed with local governmental issues to hearing the stories of its people, a hometown newspaper is vital to a community. I have felt privileged to be part of a dedicated team at The Post throughout my tenure and hope that with theirs and with local support, I will be able to continue to grow and hone in on my skills as I help share the stories in Vicksburg. When asked what I like most about my job, my answer is always ‘the people.’

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