Happy School Year!

One of the most exciting days for parents, children and teachers is just a few days away!  Yes, it’s almost the first day of school.  My excitement is immense as Team Selma looks forward to welcoming over 3,000 scholars back to school for the 2018-19 year.  This week will be a busy one as we continue to prepare to give our babies the best that we have to offer.  Excellence is the only option.

With this in mind, our teachers, leaders and staff are dedicating countless hours to ensure that classrooms are ideal environments for learning.  As part of this, about 50 of our team members participated in Capturing Kids Hearts (CKH) last week.  Our goal in implementing CKH is simple.  We want to provide a safe, nurturing learning environment for each one of our scholars.  We want our schools to be places where students can be themselves and find themselves.  CKH is all about building relationships and creating a learning community in every classroom.  This starts with having a caring teacher in every classroom.  Our students deserve this.

So what else are we doing to achieve excellence?  We have new principals at five of our schools.  Selma native, Stoney Pritchett assumes the helm of Selma High. Chimeria Evans and Pam Rackley are changing roles to lead Sophia P. Kingston and Meadowview Elementary Schools respectively.  Veteran administrator, Concetta Burton is our new principal of R.B. Hudson and Team Selma welcomes Dr. Margaret Jones to lead the Busy Bees of Edgewood. 

Along with new principals we also look forward to welcoming our new teachers.  Among our new team members are several from the corps of Teach for America.  This amazing organization trains and supports teachers in communities nationwide and even abroad.  Teach for America’s core values revolve around an appreciation for diversity and equity.  I look forward to sharing more about these leaders and other members of Team Selma.

As part of our back-to-school weekend, we hope to see you at our Aim for Excellence 5K or 1-mile Fun run.  The event will take place on Saturday at Bloch Park.  Registration and packet pick-up begin at 6:45 and the 5K starts at 7:30.  For more information, check out our website or our social media sites.

Finally, this week is our Media Week.  We are taking time to tell our own story.  Tune into your local talk radio shows and our social media sites to learn more about the implementation of our strategic plan and district priorities for the new school year.  I will also share exciting information about our revised non-resident student policy.  Yes, even if you do not live in Selma you can apply to enroll your children in one of our schools.  Selma City Schools is on the move and we look forward to you being a part of it.  Happy School Year!

For more information please reach out to me at avis.williams@selmacityschools.org.