By Gerald Shirley

Superintendent for Selma City Schools

 

The Alabama State Department of Education recently recognized four schools in the Selma City Schools for gaining the status of torchbearer.

The institutions of learning are Sophia P. Kingston Elementary School, Knox Elementary School, Edgewood Elementary School and Cedar Park Elementary School.  The teachers, principals, students, staff and supportive parents are commended for their efforts.

The Torchbearer School Program was created to recognize high-poverty, high-performing public schools in Alabama.

The Torchbearer School must make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for two consecutive years and meet additional criteria of:

4 Identified as Meeting the Challenge School.

4 Identified as Advancing the Challenge School.

4 Identified as Exceeding the Challenge School.

4 Have at least 80 percent poverty rate (percent free/reduced meals).

4 Have at least 80 percent of students score Level      III or Level IV on the reading section of the Alabama Reading and Mathematics Test+.

4 Have at least 80 percent of students score Level III or Level IV on the mathematics section of the Alabama Reading and Mathematics Test+.

4 Have at least 95 percent of Grade 12 students pass all required subjects of the Alabama High School Graduation Exam.

4 Have a graduation rate above the state average.

4 Be in existence at the time of the award.

The Selma City School System has A+ teachers, administrators, instructional support and classified personnel in all of its schools.

Selma’s teachers are among the nation’s 2,595,000 public school teachers who impact the lives of students. They share some common characteristics with the country’s successful classroom teachers: sense of humor, a positive attitude, high expectations, consistency, fairness, and flexibility.  Every day is Teachers’ Day in the Selma City Schools.

The Selma City School System has some of the nation’s best qualified school principals.  It is a difficult task.

There are several qualities that good school administrators possess to be effective leaders.  In an article titled, “Seven Characteristics of a Principal”, Derrick Meador listed: a principal must exhibit leadership; a principal must be good with people; a principal must balance love with earned praise; a principal must be fair and consistent; a principal must be organized and prepared; a principal must be a good listener; and a principal must be a visionary.

The Selma City Schools’ principals are Taurus Deshonda Brown Smith, principal, Payne Elementary School; Robert Lee Carter, principal, Sophia P. Kingston Elementary School; Concetta Denise Burton, principal, Byrd Elementary School; Bertram Edward Pickney, principal, Cedar Park Elementary School; Aubrey Leon Larkin, Junior, principal, Clark Elementary School; Joe James Peterson, Junior, principal, Edgewood Elementary School; James Darin Pope, principal, Knox Elementary School; Jeanne Annette Brust, principal, Meadowview Elementary School; Jacqueline Harrell Walker, principal, School of Discovery Genesis Center; Logan Wilkerson Searcy, principal, R. B. Hudson Middle School; and, Wanda Jean Lomax McCall, principal, Selma High School.

School principals and teachers consider themselves successful when their students achieve success in their respective careers.

This is a good time to be associated with the Selma City School district.  Good things are happening in our schools.