Ocean Springs Superintendent Bonita Coleman announces retirement after a decade

Ocean Springs School District Superintendent Bonita Coleman will be retiring at the end of this school year, the school district announced Tuesday in a press release.

Coleman is set to retire in July, 2023, after serving for 10 years in the position. Coleman plans to move to Jackson to be closer to family.

“We all know that there are seasons to life and as I close this chapter and enter retirement on July 1, 2023, I will forever be grateful to OSSD, and the community of Ocean Springs, for welcoming me with open arms and showing me what it means to be a Greyhound,” Coleman said in the press release. “This district has been my greatest joy and I am so proud of the efforts that we have made for our children.”

Coleman is described by her co-workers as having been an asset to the Ocean Springs community during her decade of work.

“Her strong leadership and advocacy for the children guided our district to consistently being one of the top-performing school districts in the state,” OSSD Board of Trustees President Joe Cloyd said. “She will be incredibly missed and we wish her a relaxing retirement.”

Though she is from Mississippi, Coleman has worked in public education in and out of state for the past 25 years. She was a K-12 teacher, a visiting professor, the Mississippi Department of Education associate state superintendent for academics, and Deputy Superintendent of Prince George’s County Public Schools in Maryland. She is also a member of the Mississippi Diverse and Learner Ready Council, the State Superintendent of Education’s Superintendent’s Advisory Council and the Mississippi Superintendents Collaborative.

“Under Dr. Coleman’s leadership, the Ocean Springs School District has maintained an A rating for nine consecutive years, was ranked No. 2 in the state of Mississippi for accountability and high performance, and has been recognized worldwide for excellence in academics, arts, and athletics,” the school district said in their press release. “During her tenure, all OSSD schools have grown to an ‘A’ rating from MDE, and have held that rating for more than four years.”

Since superintendents are now appointed in Mississippi, Coleman’s replacement will be selected by the school board.

The Sun Herald has reached out to Coleman for comment.