Welcome to Petal Schools
Our Story
Buildings
Administration
Athletics
Arts
Academics
Officially founded in 1976, there is evidence of Petal Schools servingstudents long before the incorporation of the city of Petal.There is evidence of the existence of schools in Petal that dates back to the 1890's. In October, 1894, TC West donated property for a one-room school house. The school was named Westville, in memory of it's contributor, and was located on South Main Street in the area of current day Petal Presbyterian Church. The original building was destroyed by a storm in 1900, but the school was rebuilt, and renamed Mayhaw School for the mayhaw pond across the street. The Leaf River Consolidated High School was located in Petal, and opened in time Macedonia and Sunrise each supported elementary schools serving grades first through sixth. Seventh and eigth graders attended East Forrest Junior High School. The East Forrest High School facilities were built in 1951. The Petal School system emerged in the early 1960's. The estimated enrollment in 1960 was 1,714 students. By 1974, the community of Petal had determined the future of its children would best be served by an independent school district separate from Forrest County, and so the City of Petal was established. Two short years later, Petal School District was officially a separate district with W. L. Smith Elementary, Petal Junior High, and Petal Senior High with a combined enrollment of 2,600 students and 117 instructors. Today, Petal is consistently ranked among the top districts in the state, with a strong reputation for excellence in Academics, Athletics, and the Arts. Petal Schools is classified as a 7A district serving over 4400 students with 500+ faculty and staff members. Our facilities span 5 campuses and 7 buildings.
Our Story
Buildings
Petal Upper Elementary School
Historic Central Office
Petal Middle School
Petal High School
Petal Elementary School
Petal Performing Arts Center
Petal Primary School
Petal Primary 2008
Building Home
Petal High and Elementary 1980
Building Home
Petal Middle 1951
The present-day Petal Middle School was first constructed as East Forrest High School in 1951. The "new face" was added in ---- and Petal Junior High was established. It was later, in 1989, that the present day philosophies of Petal Middle School were implemented. The name was changed to Petal Middle School, and early day Professional Learning Communities approach was applied to teaching individualized instruction to students. These philosophies are still present in Petal Schools today.
Building Home
Petal HistorticCentral Office 1927
Building Home
Petal Performing arts Center 2000
Building Home
Petal Upper/ W.L. Smith/ Petal-Harvey Elem. 1962
Building Home
Superintendents
Mike Walters 1986-1988
Dr. William Lewis 1988-1997
H.R. Nobles 1976-1986
Dr. John Buchanan 2009-2014
Dr. Matt Dillon 2014-Present
Dr. James Hutto 1998 -2009
Administration
Superintendents
Board of Trustees
Principals and Directors
H.R. Nobles
Mike Walters
Dr. William Lewis
Petal Primary 2008
Petal Primary 2008
Dr. James Hutto
Dr. John Buchanan
dr. Matt Dillon
This paragraph is ready to be filled with incredible creativity, experiences, and stories.
Academic Hall of Fame
1993 Gen.William Clark, LLD, DD
1994 Ralph R. Dunagin
1995 Truett Myers, JD.
1996 Jenny Ruth James
1988 Dr. John O. Everett
1988 Dr. Alphonso Willis
1990 Hon.David McKinnon Lee
1993 Martha Aldridge Baty, PhD
1994 Thomas Ford Ph. D.
1988 Dr. Eddie Miley Lewis
1993 Gerald Wayne Cross
2004 Mike Walters, Ed. D.
2001 Nancy McCain, RN DSN
2002 Hugh D Gray, Jr
2003 Cora Joyce Davis
2003 William Ralph Davis
1999 Quinton Dickerson, Jr., MD
2000 Barry Barlow
2001 Charles Dunagin
2005 Robert E. Hendrix, Jr.
1997 Sam T. Wilkes, Ed. D.
1998 Keith Tackett Smith
2015 Dr. Milton Baxter, Jr.
2014 Rebecca Fron14
2012 Frances Lee, Ph. D.
2013 Dr. Jerry Mixon Dr. Norma Cuellar
2012 Andrew Utter Ph. D.
2010 Dr. Norma Cuellar
2011 Tracy Powell
2007 Max Draughn
2008 Patrice Moulton, Ph. D.
2009 Joycelyn Buckley
2006 R. Neil Williams
2018 Dr. Rebecca Barker Bedell
2016 Bob Pierce
2017 Chad Steed
2020 Rear Admiral Kavon Hakimzadeh
2019 Col. Eric P. Ross
2022 Dr. Bradley Bond
2021 Brigadiere Gen. Thomas James
2025 Angela Clepper
2023 Dr. Amanda Winters
2024 Craig Smith
Athletics
football
softball
baseball
Track and field
basketball
tennis
soccer
bowling
Dance Team
Golf
swimming
archery
cheer
arts and activities
band
show choir
speech & debate
dance team
colorguard
JROTC
football
Petal High All-Americans
Championship Seasons
Dandy Dozen
NFL Panthers
football All-Americans
1961 Ray Perkins
1961 Louis "Mackie" McKissack
2012 Anthony Alford
2014 Jesse Jackson
2015 Javon Patterson
Football Home
football Championship seasons
1961 Desoto Conference Champs
2010 4-6A District Champs
1965 Desoto Conference Champs
2011 6A South State Champs
1980 District Champs
2012 3-6A District Champs/South State Runner-Ups
2015 6A South State Champs
1996 Class 4A District 7 Champs
2008 4-5A District Champs
2019 3-6A District Champs/South State Runner-Ups
Football Home
Football Home
Football Home
Football Home
Football Home
Football Home
Football Home
Football Home
Football Home
Football Home
Football Dandy Dozen
The Dandy Dozen is decided by conversations with reporters, recruiters, coaches, rankings, observations on the fireld, and indidvidual success. The Clarion-Ledger's top 12 high school prospects are listed alphabetically. High ACT scores and grade point averages are accomplishments and a handful of offers from Power 5 schools are taken into consideration. A glowing character reference from an opposing coach is an accomplishment, too. It was important to find athletes who are good students, role models, and leaders on and off the field.
Dexter Dean RB 1993
Javon Patterson OL 2014
Football Home
Panthers in the NFL
Football Home
softball
baseball
basketball
Tennis
1988 Championship Team
Soccer
Petal High's first soccer team was formed in 1992
Fall 1999 saw Petal's first Women's Soccer Team
Track and field
Cross Country
golf
Petal dance team
The year is 1️⃣9️⃣9️⃣0️⃣. Vanilla Ice released his iconic smash, and Petal High said farewell to its beautiful Starlettes. Fast #ForwardPanthers to 2020-2021 when a sweet revival thirty years in the making was realized, and a dance team again graced the events of Petal High. For your viewing pleasure, the final team of Starlettes (1990-91), and this year’s PHS Dance Team (2020-21).
PDT Competition Team took its first trip to Nationals in January, 2025. The competition took place at the ESPN Wide World of Sports in Orlando, FL. The team placed 8th overall in Jazz and
Petal Show Choirs
Soundsations and Innovations host the first annual Petal Invitational, February 2001
Band
Soundsations and Innovations host the first annual Petal Invitational, February 2001
Speech and Debate
Soundsations and Innovations host the first annual Petal Invitational, February 2001
Homecoming over the years
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Transcript
Welcome to Petal Schools
Our Story
Buildings
Administration
Athletics
Arts
Academics
Officially founded in 1976, there is evidence of Petal Schools servingstudents long before the incorporation of the city of Petal.There is evidence of the existence of schools in Petal that dates back to the 1890's. In October, 1894, TC West donated property for a one-room school house. The school was named Westville, in memory of it's contributor, and was located on South Main Street in the area of current day Petal Presbyterian Church. The original building was destroyed by a storm in 1900, but the school was rebuilt, and renamed Mayhaw School for the mayhaw pond across the street. The Leaf River Consolidated High School was located in Petal, and opened in time Macedonia and Sunrise each supported elementary schools serving grades first through sixth. Seventh and eigth graders attended East Forrest Junior High School. The East Forrest High School facilities were built in 1951. The Petal School system emerged in the early 1960's. The estimated enrollment in 1960 was 1,714 students. By 1974, the community of Petal had determined the future of its children would best be served by an independent school district separate from Forrest County, and so the City of Petal was established. Two short years later, Petal School District was officially a separate district with W. L. Smith Elementary, Petal Junior High, and Petal Senior High with a combined enrollment of 2,600 students and 117 instructors. Today, Petal is consistently ranked among the top districts in the state, with a strong reputation for excellence in Academics, Athletics, and the Arts. Petal Schools is classified as a 7A district serving over 4400 students with 500+ faculty and staff members. Our facilities span 5 campuses and 7 buildings.
Our Story
Buildings
Petal Upper Elementary School
Historic Central Office
Petal Middle School
Petal High School
Petal Elementary School
Petal Performing Arts Center
Petal Primary School
Petal Primary 2008
Building Home
Petal High and Elementary 1980
Building Home
Petal Middle 1951
The present-day Petal Middle School was first constructed as East Forrest High School in 1951. The "new face" was added in ---- and Petal Junior High was established. It was later, in 1989, that the present day philosophies of Petal Middle School were implemented. The name was changed to Petal Middle School, and early day Professional Learning Communities approach was applied to teaching individualized instruction to students. These philosophies are still present in Petal Schools today.
Building Home
Petal HistorticCentral Office 1927
Building Home
Petal Performing arts Center 2000
Building Home
Petal Upper/ W.L. Smith/ Petal-Harvey Elem. 1962
Building Home
Superintendents
Mike Walters 1986-1988
Dr. William Lewis 1988-1997
H.R. Nobles 1976-1986
Dr. John Buchanan 2009-2014
Dr. Matt Dillon 2014-Present
Dr. James Hutto 1998 -2009
Administration
Superintendents
Board of Trustees
Principals and Directors
H.R. Nobles
Mike Walters
Dr. William Lewis
Petal Primary 2008
Petal Primary 2008
Dr. James Hutto
Dr. John Buchanan
dr. Matt Dillon
This paragraph is ready to be filled with incredible creativity, experiences, and stories.
Academic Hall of Fame
1993 Gen.William Clark, LLD, DD
1994 Ralph R. Dunagin
1995 Truett Myers, JD.
1996 Jenny Ruth James
1988 Dr. John O. Everett
1988 Dr. Alphonso Willis
1990 Hon.David McKinnon Lee
1993 Martha Aldridge Baty, PhD
1994 Thomas Ford Ph. D.
1988 Dr. Eddie Miley Lewis
1993 Gerald Wayne Cross
2004 Mike Walters, Ed. D.
2001 Nancy McCain, RN DSN
2002 Hugh D Gray, Jr
2003 Cora Joyce Davis
2003 William Ralph Davis
1999 Quinton Dickerson, Jr., MD
2000 Barry Barlow
2001 Charles Dunagin
2005 Robert E. Hendrix, Jr.
1997 Sam T. Wilkes, Ed. D.
1998 Keith Tackett Smith
2015 Dr. Milton Baxter, Jr.
2014 Rebecca Fron14
2012 Frances Lee, Ph. D.
2013 Dr. Jerry Mixon Dr. Norma Cuellar
2012 Andrew Utter Ph. D.
2010 Dr. Norma Cuellar
2011 Tracy Powell
2007 Max Draughn
2008 Patrice Moulton, Ph. D.
2009 Joycelyn Buckley
2006 R. Neil Williams
2018 Dr. Rebecca Barker Bedell
2016 Bob Pierce
2017 Chad Steed
2020 Rear Admiral Kavon Hakimzadeh
2019 Col. Eric P. Ross
2022 Dr. Bradley Bond
2021 Brigadiere Gen. Thomas James
2025 Angela Clepper
2023 Dr. Amanda Winters
2024 Craig Smith
Athletics
football
softball
baseball
Track and field
basketball
tennis
soccer
bowling
Dance Team
Golf
swimming
archery
cheer
arts and activities
band
show choir
speech & debate
dance team
colorguard
JROTC
football
Petal High All-Americans
Championship Seasons
Dandy Dozen
NFL Panthers
football All-Americans
1961 Ray Perkins
1961 Louis "Mackie" McKissack
2012 Anthony Alford
2014 Jesse Jackson
2015 Javon Patterson
Football Home
football Championship seasons
1961 Desoto Conference Champs
2010 4-6A District Champs
1965 Desoto Conference Champs
2011 6A South State Champs
1980 District Champs
2012 3-6A District Champs/South State Runner-Ups
2015 6A South State Champs
1996 Class 4A District 7 Champs
2008 4-5A District Champs
2019 3-6A District Champs/South State Runner-Ups
Football Home
Football Home
Football Home
Football Home
Football Home
Football Home
Football Home
Football Home
Football Home
Football Home
Football Dandy Dozen
The Dandy Dozen is decided by conversations with reporters, recruiters, coaches, rankings, observations on the fireld, and indidvidual success. The Clarion-Ledger's top 12 high school prospects are listed alphabetically. High ACT scores and grade point averages are accomplishments and a handful of offers from Power 5 schools are taken into consideration. A glowing character reference from an opposing coach is an accomplishment, too. It was important to find athletes who are good students, role models, and leaders on and off the field.
Dexter Dean RB 1993
Javon Patterson OL 2014
Football Home
Panthers in the NFL
Football Home
softball
baseball
basketball
Tennis
1988 Championship Team
Soccer
Petal High's first soccer team was formed in 1992
Fall 1999 saw Petal's first Women's Soccer Team
Track and field
Cross Country
golf
Petal dance team
The year is 1️⃣9️⃣9️⃣0️⃣. Vanilla Ice released his iconic smash, and Petal High said farewell to its beautiful Starlettes. Fast #ForwardPanthers to 2020-2021 when a sweet revival thirty years in the making was realized, and a dance team again graced the events of Petal High. For your viewing pleasure, the final team of Starlettes (1990-91), and this year’s PHS Dance Team (2020-21).
PDT Competition Team took its first trip to Nationals in January, 2025. The competition took place at the ESPN Wide World of Sports in Orlando, FL. The team placed 8th overall in Jazz and
Petal Show Choirs
Soundsations and Innovations host the first annual Petal Invitational, February 2001
Band
Soundsations and Innovations host the first annual Petal Invitational, February 2001
Speech and Debate
Soundsations and Innovations host the first annual Petal Invitational, February 2001
Homecoming over the years