February 5, 2017 - If you build It, they will come

If you weren't in Atlanta on Saturday, February 4, 2017, then you missed out on Calhoun High School history!  The CHS swimming and diving team competed in the annual GHSA State Championship, which pits all schools in A-5A classifications against each other.  For those who know the history of CHS swimming and diving, we often will send one or two athletes to proudly compete for their school.  This year was an exception.  This year we sent more than 20 student athletes to swim and dive for a state championship in Atlanta!  After a stellar day of preliminaries, the boys' team was poised to place in the top 5 of all teams competing.  They did not disappoint.  After a photo-finish in the 4x100 freestyle relay, which saw our boys named state champions, the boys' team earned a 4th place overall team finish with only one public school finishing ahead of them.  This confirms what many have believed this year... Calhoun swimming and diving is now a respected name in the state arena and is a part of the conversation when we discuss state championship programs.  It also should be noticed that we witnessed the first female CHS swimmers to earn points at a State meet in school history!

How did we achieve this state championship caliber team?  It all began with a vision and a community that supported that vision.  Superintendent Michele Taylor and the Board of Education recognized that if we were to serve both the students and community members of Calhoun, while providing state championship swim programs, it was necessary to build a facility to support this.  Thus, the Calhoun Aquatic Center was born.  Home to the CHS Swim and Dive Team, NW Georgia Nitros, and numerous community health and wellness programs, the aquatic center has provided a location for our community to celebrate the sport and leisure activity of swimming.  So, thank you to our system leadership and to the board of education!  Thank you to our community who continue to support this facility and our student-athletes.  Most of all, thank you to the students and parents who call Calhoun home, and represent us at the local and state level  Go Jackets!

January 18, 2017 - The Campus - Acceleration, Support and Enrichment

Fifth Period: Acceleration, Support & Enrichment

Happy New Year and welcome to Spring 2017 at The Campus!  We are excited about the upcoming semester and all that it will entail.  The focus of this blog post is our 5th period.  I know that many of you hear your students talking about 5th period and the course offerings that they participate in.  This innovative 75 minute period is used each day to support, enrich, and stimulate learning at The Campus.  We have already seen great growth in our academic content areas and continue to grow our program areas that go far beyond the school setting.  The following are some quotes shared by teachers and students at The Campus:

"5th period is awesome!  It allows me to focus on what I love to do... theatre!  I get to really practice what we learn in musical theatre class and take it one step farther!" - CHS student

"I think 5th period is a great way to allow students to become well-rounded.  They have a time where they can get the help and support they need in classes like AP extension, yet have time to work on their assignments in study hall, which allows them to focus on extracurricular activities when the day ends.  Academics, arts and athletics... it's what it's all about at The Campus!" - CHS teacher

"I didn't know if I would like 5th period, but then I went to the Going Green class where we focus on recycling projects.  I have learned all about repurposing our trash so that we can be a healthier and more environmentally aware community." - CMS student

"I cannot tell you how much 5th period has helped with supporting my students.  Those that need extra time in math, get it.  Those that don't can focus on acceleration and enrichment in other areas of interest.  5th period has changed the culture of The Campus." - CMS teacher

These are just a few of the comments shared with me about 5th period and there are so many more!  Students and teachers are excited about learning at The Campus because we are giving them more engaging ways to accomplish our goal of lifelong learning.  I could not be more proud of our faculty and staff, and especially our teachers!  We are making a difference each and every day.  Ask your child what they did in 5th period today?  They may say they milked a calf.  They may say they built a house.  They may say they programmed a robot, or even designed an advertisement for your place of business.  They may have worked on their homework so they could enjoy time with their family once they get home.  There are many answers to the question, "What does your 5th period look like?", but hopefully one message reigns clear, and that is that they see it as a worth while investment.

You can view a complete listing of 5th period course offerings on our course catalog website and the links below:

CHS 5th Period Course Offerings
CMS 5th Period Course Offerings

Please feel free to contact me at your convenience.  You can reach me at coombep@calhounschools.org or 706-602-6661.

Peter Coombe
Campus Principal
The Greatest School on Earth!

November 27, 2016 - Seasons Greetings: A time for thanks, personal reflection and hope for the future.

The Campus of Calhoun Middle & High School is pleased to kick off the holiday season as we return from a well-deserved Thanksgiving break.  It is my hope that everyone was able to take time with family and friends over the break and were able to reflect on what we all can be thankful for.  Although things don't always go to plan, we can always be thankful for our Calhoun Schools family and all those who are forever connected to it.  Our staff will be working hard over the next three weeks to finish the semester strong, while providing a warm and nurturing environment for our students.  The holidays are a special time for our community.  From parades, to concerts... celebrations to gatherings, it is a season in which we can celebrate our community and the core values upon which it rests.  It is my hope that Calhoun Middle and High School will serve as a model for our students on how we should treat each other no matter our differences.  It has been, and always will be, my goal to ensure that all students feel welcome when entering the doors of The Campus.  Please do not hesitate to contact me at any time if you would like to discuss your child and their education, or how we as a school may better support our community.  You can reach me at 706-602-6661 or coombep@calhounschools.org.

Student Spotlight:  All those students who are involved in our Friday Night Lights.  Thank you for a great season!  From the players to the cheerleaders.  The band and film crew to the public safety team... we are so glad that we got to go on this journey with you this fall!

Staff Spotlight:  The coaches and sponsors who support our outstanding athletes and students who participate in Friday nights.  Thank you for your sacrifice and thank your families for allowing you to do so.

November 13, 2016 - No Matter our Differences, We are all Jackets

The Campus honored our Veterans this past Friday with a special luncheon and a program for out students that you can view in the video above.  We appreciate all those who served, and continue to serve, our great nation.  Your sacrifice is what allows us to continue to exercise our freedoms.

There is nothing more polarizing than a presidential election.  It highlights the different opinions of political parties and feeds on the division of our citizens.  We struggle to identify with the political candidates who are elected to represent their given parties and the media feeds on the disparity between their views and ideals.  This year, in particular, reminded me that we must honor the differences that make America, and our community, unique.  The Campus of Calhoun Middle and High School is comprised of a diverse group of students and teachers who represent a variety of values and beliefs.  We could do what the media teaches us, and focus on our differences, or we can choose to focus on what bonds us.

I would present the following common traits of our Campus family: We are a community of learners who want to enjoy our experience at school and who desire The Campus to be a fun and engaging place to learn; we want to feel safe, loved and appreciated; we want to attend a school where we can develop meaningful relationships that will last beyond graduation; we want to feel prepared to enter college and/or career fields that interest us; we want to laugh often and share our lives with each other so we may learn from the experiences of those around us; we want to win; we want to learn from our failures; we want to have the freedom to follow our dreams and express our creativity without fear of judgment.

The above mentioned qualities are what bond us as Calhoun Yellow Jackets.  We are one family of learners, living life together, and we will continue as long as we are afforded the freedoms to do so.  Go Jackets! #JacketStrong

Student Spotlight:
Congratulations to Calhoun High School's Competition Cheerleaders who placed third in the AAA State Championship competition today. Thank you Coach Ginger Reeves and all of our hard working, talented girls! We are proud of you all! Go Jackets!

October 17, 2016 - Principals of the Day... Future Jacket Leaders!

I hope everyone had a wonderful fall break!  It is always refreshing to have the opportunity to step back from the workplace, catch our breath, and prepare for what lies ahead as we approach the quarter mark of the school year.  Today I had the opportunity to be shadowed by two incredible 6th graders who wanted to the "Principal for a Day".  These two are incredible and I can't wait for you to meet both Lilly and Brandon!

I had the great opportunity to visit my alma mater, The University of Florida, this weekend to attend our homecoming game.  It was a fun and exciting opportunity to reminisce and connect with old friends, but I could not help but think about one thing.  That one thing was how proud I am to be a Calhoun Yellow Jacket!  The University of Florida has an outstanding sense of school pride and tradition, of which I am very proud to be a part of, but I kept thinking about how much more I enjoy being a part of the Yellow Jacket Nation.  I asked myself why, and the answer was obvious.  It is because of the incredible kids I get to work with each and every day and the teachers, parents and community who support them.  I am proud that we are providing a future workforce for our state, nation and beyond, but even more proud that we are building lifelong learners who embody the spirit and character that being a Yellow Jacket are all about.  Go Jackets!

Student Spotlight:
It is obvious who my choice is this week... Lilly Bunch and Brandon Webb!  Spending time with them today was the highlight of my day and week.  They are future stars at Calhoun Middle and High School and I am proud to be their principal.  Watch the video and it will be easy to see why they are so awesome!

Staff Spotlight:
Sean Blockley, AFS Lead at The Campus, is out staff spotlight this week.  Sean continues to go the extra mile in leading his team to ensure that The Campus is kept in tip top shape.  He responds to all situations with a positive attitude and is approachable at all times.  I appreciate Sean's commitment to our school and our students.  Without he and his crew we would not be able to function.  Thank you Sean!

October 2, 2016 - Learning... It's a family affair

When it comes to teaching and learning, it is certainly a team effort. Parents and teachers must work hand-in-hand with their students in order to be successful. In order to foster this partnership, Calhoun City Schools has practiced 100% face-to-face parent-teacher conferencing for years. With that said, we at The Campus have held discussions with parents, school governance teams, teachers and students and have discovered that our current practice is not meeting the needs of all learners. We will be revamping our teacher parent conferencing at Calhoun Middle & High School this year and will be focusing on engaging parents and students in dialog surrounding their personal growth. A summary of our new conferencing procedures are found below:

As a part of this model, all students will be engaged in individual conferencing with teachers within the classroom.

• Nine week grades are due by 8am on Thursday, October 20, 2016. 
• October 21 & 25, 2016 - Individual Student Conferencing - Black Day/Gold Day. All students will be given a form in homeroom They will carry the form from course to course and teachers will conference with each student in the class providing grade and narrative feedback for both the student and the parent. Students will return the form to the homeroom teacher at the end of each day. 
• Advisers will scan a copy of each student form and email to the parents based on information provided in infinite campus. Students will be given the original form to deliver to their parents by hand no later than October 28, 2016. 
• Teachers of failing students will make a parent contact (phone or face-to-face conference) if the student is failing their course. If the student is failing more than two academic courses, administration will schedule a conference with an administrator and involved teachers. ESS Case managers will schedule conferences for those on their caseload. 
• Any student with attendance and/or behavior issues will have an administrative led conference with involved parties. 
• Any parent may schedule a conference with any teacher at any point during the year. If more information from the specific teacher is needed after receiving the parent feedback form mentioned above, the teacher's contact information will be provided on the form. 

The goal of our new conferencing model is to make better use of parent-teacher conferencing so that it is done with intention and purpose. We know that not every parent has the need to conference with their student's teacher, but we do believe it is important to have communication in the form of the narrative/grade feedback provided by the teachers this semester as mentioned above.

Just for your viewing pleasure... check out this video re: a parent/teacher communication app from our friend in Kentucky, Principal Brooks:

Student Spotlight:

Congratulations to our Calhoun water polo team! They placed 4th in the state of Georgia in their inaugural year as a program! What a great accomplishment! Please wish each of these student athletes your congratulations!


Staff Spotlight:

This week's staff spotlight is Renae Weldon. Recently Calhoun High School signed off on their 2016 graduation cohort rate. This is a culmination of month's of fact checking and documentation. Renae leads this charge, and after an exhaustive amount of record searching, etc. we have officially signed off on our rate as 97.16-97.19% (depending on the denominator as determined by the state). This is a reflection of our teachers, students and community support and we are appreciative of Renae going the extra mile in ensuring we have appropriate documentation for all students! Go Jackets!

September 25, 2016 - Student engagement... It's all about building relationships!

Check out this example of a substitute teacher struggling to gain control of an unruly classroom.  Thankfully, Calhoun Middle and High School teachers are skilled in the art of engagement!

Student engagement begins with the building of relationships.  Without an established relationship and positive rapport between a teacher and student, engagement is limited.  A student's potential is not delivered to them by a teacher.  It is already present.  It is a skilled teacher that is able to engage the student and channel their full potential.  The following are some characteristics of what I would call a master of student engagement.  A master teacher will...

1. Build positive relationships with students and learn about each individual child.
2. Teach kids first and curriculum second.
3. Ensure that children draw relevance to the curriculum.
4. Work with students to develop a love of learning.
5. Embody lifelong learning.
6. Focus on learning goals as opposed to performance goals.
7. Recognize that there is more to learn in the classroom than the curriculum.
8. Move beyond the four walls and engage the community as the classroom.

I am proud that we have teachers who choose to embody those traits described above.  We are a blessed learning community for sure!  It is not hard to see examples of teachers and coaches who focus their efforts on building relationships.  I witnessed 280+ band members march at festival this weekend.  They had many things in common, but one significant bond was that they all looked to their band directors and coaches for support, guidance and direction.  How do a group of 5 adults coach a team of nearly 300 performers?  They do it through the building of relationships, the development of trust, and the promise of success.  We see this in every school sponsored organization, and it is a thing of marvel at Calhoun Middle and High School.  Thank you to all of our teachers, coaches and sponsors who are so committed to our students!