June 23, 2016 - Unplug from the Daily Grind

Summer is in full swing and many are enjoying some well-deserve time off with family and friends.  Summer vacations are not only a time for adventure and excitement, but also a time to unplug from the daily grind and recharge for the year ahead.

Life gets busier and busier with each passing year and as I continue to grow, as a young father and educator, I have learned the importance of scheduling time to change my daily routine to allow uninterrupted time with family and friends.  We spend so much of our lives "plugged in," that it is imperative that we take time to unplug.  This week was a week in which I unplugged from my daily routine and invested in my family.  They are, after all, my core support system.  We have had a great time at the beach and I am actually writing this as my daughter naps beside me, between trips to the beach and the pool.  It is a time that I will treasure and am thankful for.   My wife can attest that I have a hard time stepping away from school.  I am fully committed to the success of Calhoun City Schools, but my family kindly reminds me that unless I take time to recharge I will not be of much use to The Campus or CCS as a whole.

With that said, I am ready to return to CCS, recharged, and prepared to continue the important planning that must take place in order for us to have a successful school year.  Many people are working this summer behind the scenes so that the administration is prepared to do the most important job of all... support teachers and students as they teach and learn in the classroom.  

Lastly, I want to congratulate each and every one of our staff, students, parents and community members who helped to make Calhoun City Schools the 2016 Charter School System of the Year as recognized by Lt. Governor Casey Cagle on Wednesday in Atlanta.  We had a great showing of educational leaders and education supporters in attendance.  You can view the video recognizing CCS below:

Staff Spotlight

I would like to recognize all those who are coordinating summer programs this summer through Calhoun City Schools to best prepare our students for the 16-17 school year.  From summer school led by Monica Pierson and Lynne Wilson to math camps at CMS led by the math department, we have an abundance of programs contributing to student success at Calhoun City Schools.  Be sure to thank those who are sacrificing time this summer to put on programs such as cheer, twirl-o-whirl, football, soccer, transitions, STEM, band, performing arts, ESOL, tutorials, health, math, swimming, tennis, summer feeding, etc.  The list goes on and on.  Never have I seen a community and a school system so invested in their students during the summer months!

Student Spotlight

Aubrey Marbutt will be serving as the student body president for the 2016-2017 school year at Calhoun High School.  More than that, she is a representative of all students at Calhoun City Schools.  Aubrey has served in Student Government her entire high school career and is a dedicated student.  I have known Aubrey since she was in elementary school.  She has always shown great leadership potential, and I am very proud to have her serve along side me this upcoming year as the elected student representative of her peers.  Please congratulate her and wish her the best as she works diligently this year to make it the best year at The Campus to date!

June 5, 2016 - Toes in the Sand

There's nothing quite like the feeling of watching the minutes tick away on the last day of school and running out of the doors as the heat hits your face, signaling the start of that epic time of year called summer!  Not only does this describe the last day for our students, but also that of our teachers and staff.  We often hear the faint grumbling of educational critics who scorn teachers for their excessive social media posts of beach vacation pictures and galavanting adventures across the globe.  These critics paint a canvas with broad strokes of commentary such as "they may not get a huge salary, but they have all that time off" and, "I wish I didn't have to work over the summer!"  I contest that these critics would have benefited from sitting in the classrooms of Calhoun City Schools teaching staff.  I praise our teachers for their pictures of sand covered feet gazing across the ocean.  I view this as a trade.  They have survived 10 months of 5 a.m. wakeup calls.  They have given up the privilege of seeing their own house during daylight hours.  They take care of other people's children while theirs are in daycare.  They teach for 10 hours, sponsor arts, academic, and athletic organizations in the evenings and hit stop and repeat once the clock strikes midnight.  They have most likely missed most, if not all, of their own child's classroom events, parties, field days, field trips etc. so that they can provide these same experiences for those who would criticize them.  They love unconditionally.  They carry the burden of knowing that for some of their students, school is the safest, warmest, and most loving place they will know.  They reach into their own pocket books to pay for field trips for those who cannot afford these adventures.  They sponsor their own students when Christmas comes around so that they too can feel the excitement that comes on Christmas morning.  In short... teachers are superheroes!  If allowing them two months to enjoy their own families and brag about it on social media is the price we have to pay to have these superheroes for 10 months, then I will gladly suffer the constant barrage of beach pics and poolside toes.  I love our teachers!  I love our schools!  I love our community!  We are Calhoun!

Staff Spotlight

All of our teachers and staff!  As I stated above in the blog, you are all superheroes!  We appreciate you and your commitment to our students.  Now, go and dip your feet in the water and post your obligatory sandy feet pics!!!  Have an incredible summer and drop by and visit me when you have the chance.  I would love to hear all about your adventures!

Student Spotlight

Reed Allen - For those of you who did not get to know the son of Heidi (CMS School Counselor) and John Allen (CHS Football Community Coach) you missed out on knowing an outstanding young man.  We recognize Reed this week because he has done what so few will ever accomplish...  He graduated from the United States Air Force Academy.  Reed represents what we aspire for all of our Calhoun graduates to achieve... a commitment to excellence both in and out of the classroom.  Congratulations to Reed and the Allen family!

May 30, 2016 - Remember the Fallen

Memorial Day

As we enjoy burgers and hot dogs at family and community cookouts across this great nation, let us remember those who have given their lives to protect our freedoms.  I hope you enjoy the tribute video shared below:

I am fortunate to live and work in a community where our fallen heroes are recognized and honored.  Let us always remember that freedom isn't free.

Staff Spotlight
Calhoun Middle School celebrated 2 retirees this past week and will continue to celebrate them this week as they have their last day "on the job" this Tuesday.  These two outstanding teachers are Susan Dunaway and Laura Payne!  We love them and appreciate their dedicated service to Calhoun City School.

Student Spotlight
The 8th grade class of 2016/2020 will be missed as they move on to high school, but I wanted to take a moment to recognize their outstanding behavior and positive contributions to Calhoun Middle School as we closed out the school year.  We had few, if any, issues from this class at the close of the school year and they were outstanding at their 8th grade awards assembly.  We look forward to seeing great things from these young men and women as they progress through the next four years of high school.  The future is bright at CCS!

May 22, 2016 - Stand on the Tables!

Students are in eager anticipation of the final bell that will ring on Friday afternoon, signaling that school is out for summer!  With Alice Cooper's iconic lyrics in the background, a rush of students will chant "Schools' out for summer" as they hurry home for what promises to be the best summer of their young lives!  Meanwhile, teachers will continue the planning process for the 16-17 school year as we strive to build upon a strong foundation at Calhoun City Schools. We will revisit how we have successfully moved the classroom beyond the four walls and howe we might continue this effort.  

In directing teachers across the 6-12 spectrum, I will communicate the following step in the continuous improvement process:  Stand on the tables!  What?  Did he really just tell us to stand on the tables?  Yes!  In short, we must do whatever we can to engage students and to grasp their attention and keep it!  In a world of vanilla, we must be neapolitan!  I recall sitting in a lunchroom as a senior in high school when the principal suddenly stood on the table.  He didn't say a word, but the whole cafeteria fell to silence as he engaged over 500 students with one simple action.  Why did it work so effectively?  Because it was unexpected and it was dynamic.  I will challenge our teachers this year to do the unexpected.  I will challenge them to be dynamic as we move the classroom beyond the four walls.  This is our charge!  We will reach each and every student in a way which is both familiar and unexpected in order to help them achieve success both in and out of the classroom.  Go Jackets!

Staff Spotlight 

• Trenette Patton & Laura Payne
• Trenette engaged her students in life-sized keyboarding this week.  Students went to Bernstein and learned basic keyboarding scales on a life-size scale.  Now that is moving the classroom beyond the four walls!
• Laura Payne invited Justin Lindsey's students to come make rice krispy treats with them this week.  Students from differing backgrounds worked together on one common goal.  This was an outstanding display of collaboration.

Student Spotlight

• Black & Gold 8th Grade Nominees: The following 3 boys and girls were nominate for the Principal's Black and Gold Award for outstanding character, service and behavior.  One boy and one girl will given the award at the 8th grade awards ceremony on Thursday at 1pm, but I believe it is a huge honor to have been nominated by their teachers.  The nominees are as follows:
• Boys: Julian Ipac, Kendall Servin, Joshua Tolson
• Girls: Yesenia Garcia, Anne Fogel Jones, Idacia McConnell

May 15, 2016 - New Beginnings

As we step into the last two weeks of school, a lot of changes are upon the horizon for our students, staff and parents.  Each of our students will venture into the next grade level with excitement, anxious anticipation of what lies ahead, and of course a little bit of nerves.  At Calhoun Middle School we strive to make these transitions as seamless as possible.  Today (Sunday, May 15), we hosted a student/parent orientation for rising 6th graders.  With hundreds in attendance, students and parents gathered in the gym before moving to classrooms to hear about the various programs that they will dive into in the fall.  You can see pictures of the event below for your viewing pleasure.  If these students and parents are an indication of what is in store for CMS, then we have a lot to be excited about!  Go Jackets!

Staff Spotlight 

• 6th Grade Teachers:  It would be impossible to not highlight these outstanding teachers this week!  Let me recap on what they have done in the past seven days: 
• They took 4 charter buses full of students to Orlando on what was described as "one of the most fun and engaging learning experiences of a lifetime" by one student.  After a whirlwind 3-day trip, they returned to CMS at 3:15am and EVERY teacher was present the next day to teach their classes!  Those teachers that did not go to Orlando, took several more charter buses to Six Flags on Friday on what was a long, yet fun-filled day.  To top it all off... they all attended our rising 6th grade orientation on Sunday afternoon to round out one of the busiest weeks of the school year!  We love our 6th grade teachers and their dedication!
• A special shoutout also goes to those teachers from grades 7 & 8 who led students to Washington DC on another whirlwind adventure which was followed heavily on social media.  The students obviously had an amazing trip and the chaperones, although exhausted, had the time of their lives!  Thanks to all who made these trips happen!

Student Spotlight

• Student Field Trippers: Each of the 6th, 7th and 8th grade students who attended field trips were on excellent behavior and represented Calhoun Middle School well!  No major behavior incidents were reported and all arrived home safely.  I could not be prouder of the way they conducted themselves under the guidance of their outstanding chaperones!  Way to represent Calhoun!

May 8, 2016 - Mother's Day

I hope that everyone had a wonderful Mother's Day.  Whether you enjoyed time with your mom, grandmother, the mother of your children, or remembered those wonderful mothers who came before them, we hope that you took time to treasure your family this weekend.

2016-2017 Campus Administrative Team

As most already know, I have been asked to lead a team of administrators next year as the principal of the Calhoun Middle and High School Campus.  I am excited and honored to have been selected for this position and know that I can only be successful with the support of the students, staff, and community of Calhoun City Schools.  I asked members of the new administrative team to send me a short video this weekend of why they are excited to be a part of this team, and you can see the resulting product below:

Staff Spotlight 

• Robyn Greeson: This time of year is full of field trips and exciting adventures and experiences for students.  Well, what many may not realize is that with these outings comes the need for substitute teachers.  Robyn is in charge of procuring our substitutes and does an outstanding job in doing so, along with numerous other tedious tasks.  Robyn always has a smile on her face, and as long as she has her mandatory Hershey's bar and Coke in the morning she is good to go!  I appreciate her commitment to CMS and her work ethic.  She is the first person to greet our students, parents and other visitors in the main office and she is a big part of the Calhoun Middle School family!  Thank you Robyn!

Student Spotlight

• Bryson Smith: The Gordon County 4-H Junior and Senior Livestock Judging teams recently competed in the 2016 State Livestock Judging contest at the University of Georgia in Athens. The Junior team came away as State Champions, making it the eighth year in a row for a Gordon County team. This team includes Calhoun Middle School student Bryson Smith.  Way to go Bryson!

May 1, 2016 - Be the Change!

First, let me say Happy Teacher Appreciation Week to all teachers and education support staff!  Join me as we celebrate these outstanding individuals!  Calhoun City Schools is only as strong as those who cross it's threshold each and every day, and we are fortunate to have such a strong staff.

Be the Change: Please take time to watch my weekly video greeting.

As we heed the call to action that I put forth last week... to move the classroom beyond the four walls, we must also reflect on how this allows us to impact our students.  A sign sits upon a book shelf in my office which reads, "Be the Change" (pictured here):

This sign serves as a constant reminder that I have the responsibility to be the change I want to see in my school and community.  I want to see students love learning; therefore, I must model that love for learning with enthusiasm and excitement.  It is one thing to expect things from our students, it is another thing to model the expectation on a consistent basis.  Calhoun Middle School is a great place to live, learn and play, yet we have ample opportunity for positive change.  If excellence truly is our goal, then our finish line is constantly moving, and we must adjust our pace as we drive towards that target.  I had the pleasure of seeing excellence in action this week.  I saw it in the teamwork exhibited in the administration of the milestones assessment.  The kids and the teachers were incredible and I am so thankful to work with such a professional group of individuals.  I saw it in the dodgeball tournament where students raised over two thousand dollars for Relay 4 Life to benefit those fighting cancer.  This tournament was one of the highlights of an exciting week where students let loose and had fun after working so hard on their EOGs.  We wrapped up the week with 8th grade fun day which was a great success because of the dedication of our 8th grade teachers and tremendous parent support.  Excellence is always around us, yet we can always improve.  Just as important it is for students and teachers to be the change, it is also imperative that our parents be the change.  The school house is one tool that supports the production of strong citizens, but we all know that the foundation for this construction project begins in the home.  Parents do, and should, have the most direct impact on students as they grow and mature into young adults.  It is for that reason I encourage all the parents out there to continue setting a positive example for your children.  We all must be the change for today's generation of youth if we hope to create a bright and promising future.  So, be encouraged, be optimistic, and most importantly... be the change! 

Staff Spotlight 

• Kelli Fowler & Patti Gilmer: These ladies showed us what organization and teamwork is all about!  Kelli orchestrated a team of 8th grade teachers as they held what was a fun and exciting fun day at CMS!  The day was a highlight of the year for many students and we had ample parent support which was very appreciated.  Patti Gilmer was also a star this week as she organized the dodgeball tournament and helped our students to raise more than two thousand dollars for Relay 4 Life.  Thank you to everyone who was involved in these amazing events!

Student Spotlight

• Reece Poe & The Liberators!  Reece and The Liberators were the winners of the 2016 CMS Relay 4 Life Dodgeball Tournament.  These 8th grade students led a dominating performance in what was an exciting and much needed relief from a busy testing week.  Reece Poe is to be recognized for delivering the near fatal blow to the head of yours truly.  He bulleted a 90 mph speedball directly at my head which sent my glasses flying and myself with a minor non-concussion.  This moment of the tournament felt like it was a slow motion scene from the infamous movie Dodgeball in which I, not unlike Ben Stiller, was struck to the ground by a 0.15lb foam core dodgeball.  Way to go Reece & The Liberators!  I loved every minute of it!