About Our School

Center Hill Elementary (CHES) is one of the forty-two schools in the DeSoto County School District. We are an “A” rated elementary school with grades kindergarten through fifth grade. We also house a special needs preschool program. Our enrollment is 738 of the 33,300 students in DeSoto County Schools. The diversity of our community reflects the diversity of our students in income levels, ethnic backgrounds, and educational levels. Center Hill Elementary School's student ethnicity data includes: 13 Asian students, 240 African American students, 36 Hispanic or Latino students, and 449 Caucasian students. Since the community is a large faction in the stakeholder presence at CHES, our goal is to encourage and incorporate the community into the school's mission. The Center Hill Community is a direct reflection of student success; therefore, the school has an inherent stake in ensuring quality educational experiences for the student body. Based on the free and reduced lunch percentage of 38.21%, the community is comprised of a mixture of middle class and lower socioeconomic families. Our goal is to provide each variant ethic group with a safe and conducive learning atmosphere regardless of ethnic background or socioeconomic status.

Center Hill Elementary is located in Olive Branch, Mississippi. Over the past two decades, this once rural city has developed into a vibrant suburban community. Olive Branch’s population is approximately 34,000. Our community is the home to many large and small businesses and is referred to as one of the strongest industrial sub markets of Memphis. Many people have chosen to make Olive Branch their home because of its booming economy but mostly its excellent schools. Due to this overwhelming growth, CHES was opened in 2002 to relieve the neighboring overcrowded schools.

Center Hill Elementary School, once located in a barren cornfield, sits on 23.56 acres in the northeastern section of DeSoto County. The first attribute one will notice as he/she approaches the campus is a five-acre lake, a white fence bordering our school, and two beautifully landscaped entrances. As one walks toward the building, he/she will pass a memorial garden honoring staff members and students who have passed away.

Through the combined involvement of the Olive Branch Rotary Club and PTO, the playground named “Rotary Park” was built in 2003. The park consists of a walking trail, a baseball field, an outdoor classroom with many pieces of play equipment, and Project Fit equipment which was granted through funds and assists the school in providing exercise for our students.

Upon entering our school, the rotunda is the hub of activities. Everyone is greeted with a beautifully painted mural of the American flag flying regally in the clouds. This mural is dedicated in memory of Mrs. Rebecca Dearden, the first principal at CHES. The rotunda is used for assemblies, combined pledge, faculty gatherings, and many other events. The center yellow square allows visibility to all of the six colored-coded, grade specific wings. The large cafeteria and connected activity room are located in the back of the building. 

The physical building has served as a pilot for other DeSoto County elementary schools built since the dedication in the fall of 2002. Center Hill Elementary School is proud of our beautiful facility, but we are most proud of what one sees when he/she walks in the halls of our building. Inside each room, whether it is a regular education classroom, special education classroom, activity classroom, or office, one will find motivated, driven people who provide on a daily basis what is best for students. One will find happy children who want to be at school and who want to do their best because they know they are somewhere special and others believe they are special. Center Hill Elementary School strives daily for a climate where we have high expectations for ourselves and for others.