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Selma schools say 'thank you'
Published Wednesday, June 10, 2009
The last bell for the 2008-09 school year has rung, but those who made it a success gathered Wednesday for an appreciation luncheon hosted by Selma City Schools.
The Superintendent’s Advisory Appreciation Luncheon was held at the St. James Hotel and honored parents, teachers, pastors and the Superintendent’s Educational Leadership and Monitoring advisors.
“We wanted to thank all the people who helped the students this year,” Selma City Schools Superintendent Dr. Austin Obasohan said. “We wanted to thank them on behalf of the children for doing everything they can to lift the system to the next level.”
Selma High School PTO President Wanda Goodwin, Knox Elementary School Special Education Teacher Alesia Williams, Pastor Effell Williams and St. James Hotel General Manager William Ezell all gave reports for their advisory groups — parents, teachers, pastors and Superintendent’s Educational Leadership and Monitoring.
Alabama State Board of Education’s Fifth District Representative Ella B. Bell was the guest speaker for the event and was an easy choice for Obasohan.
“She is a champion of dropout prevention,” Obasohan said. “She is someone who will inspire teachers and students. We are focusing on getting the at risk children to continue through and get a diploma so she fits in very well with what the advisors are trying to accomplish.”
Bell is a native of Montgomery Alabama. She grew up with parents who were educators, the late Beatrice Shackelford Bell and the late Alfred A. Bell, Sr.
Bell graduated from Tuskegee University with a bachelor’s in political science. She then set her sights on obtaining her Alabama Teaching Certificate, and Masters Degree in Educational Supervision at Alabama State University, which she did.
Bell worked for more than 30 years for the State of Alabama for the Department of Youth Services and also Mental Health and Mental Retardation. On Feb. 17, 2003, she joined the staff of Alabama State University to become Director of the ASU Dropout Prevention Center.
In November of 2000, Mrs. Bell was elected to serve the people of the 5th District on the Alabama State Board of Education. Near the end of her first term, she was honored by the Clark County Commission when they named their new Adult Education Center at Alabama Southern College, Thomasville, in her honor. In November 2004, she was re-elected.
“I do whatever I can to help a child obtain a diploma,” Bell said. “I have a vision of opening a school for at-risk students on the campus of Alabama State University. There are often schools opened for exceedingly bright children, but I wonder what would happen if there was a school specifically for at-risk students. I think it would be amazing to see them grow.”
Bell encouraged the advisors to keep working for the Selma City School students because every little bit helps.
“Whenever a child does exceedingly well then you know there is a committed faculty, staff and community hard at work,” she said. “Your work will not go unappreciated.”
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Comments
Posted by catchem (anonymous) on June 11, 2009 at 9:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)
We hire a Superintendent for over $114,000 a year and he has to get advice from a select group of the Community and the Students. Sounds like a Public Relation Snow to me.
Posted by truelight (anonymous) on June 11, 2009 at 5:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I would rather have a superintendent who listens to all stakeholders, including students, for that matter than to have a superintendent or a leader who does not regard my opinion and value what I think. Wouldn't you, catchem?
Posted by catchem (anonymous) on June 11, 2009 at 6:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)
truelight: totally agree if they are not using this as a tool to get public support through a pep rally and not listening. My personal opinion, for what we pay him and the questions he is asking is nothing more than that and I, as a tax payer, should not have to pay for things the students tell him that I need to. As sincere as the students might be, they have not reached the level of making the decisions. The problem in Selma for the past two decades is the persons hollering the loudest and saying nothing have been the same ones we as tax payers have been carrying.
Posted by teachme (anonymous) on June 12, 2009 at 8:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I disagree catchem. The people who are hollering the loudest are those who want to continue to cause discord in our community. Yes, taxpayer dollars do help support public education and as taxpayers we expect to have our voices heard by our local, state, and federal government. Dr. Obasohan is giving all stakeholders a voice. He is listening to the ones who are most affected by the Board and his decisions, the children! He is listening so that he can make changes that will provide them with a quality education. He is listening to the teachers because they are the ones in the trenches. He is listening to the community because he knows that in order for a community to compete and strive, it must have a great educational system. In order for any organization to be successful, there must be open communication and dialogue among all stakeholders. That's why stores have customer service departments. That's why businesses send out surveys and phone polls. That's why opinion polls are conducted by legislators. The purpose is to identify the needs of their stakeholders so that they can give them a voice and use that voice to make their organization better so that they can compete. I commend this Superintendent for listening to the voices of the children for they are the future. I commend him for listening to the voices of the teachers for they are impacting our future. I commend him for listening to my voice, a parent, for I am trusting him and his employees to prepare my child for college, the workforce, and a glorious future. I commend him for listening to the voices of people in our community so that he can make decisions which will help to build up this place. Everyone wants to holler about their tax dollars and criticize. My questions to you is, "Do you care enough about your city to stop being negative and spread more positivity?" If you want a better Selma, then you need to stop hollering about tax dollars, stop talking negatively, making our city seem like we are stuck in a time warp, be positive, roll up your sleeves and use your voice to help build a city that can stand and be as competitive as the towns that were smaller than Selma but are growing because their citizens are using open communication to benefit not just one sector but all. Selma, Catchem, buy into the vision for a new Selma for without a vision, the people will perish. Our city will perish. Silence the nay sayers with positive words and then our city will begin to grow like Prattville, Greenville, Demopolis and so many other towns that were at one time smaller than our city! Stop the nonsense. Dr. Obasohan, keep a heart for children and continue to listen to the voices of your stakeholders!!!!
Posted by beaconoflight (anonymous) on June 12, 2009 at 3:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Selma City Schools is vastly changing. The change that is taking place is happening in a city that is resistant to change. The only thing in life that is constant is change. However, Selma has made a conscious effort to remain the same. Selma has failed their community and mostly their children. It's a shame that the images of Selma from the 1960's closely resemble the Selma we see in 2009. We cannot move this city forward with a closed mind. Parents, concerned citizens, civic, social, and fraternal organizations, faith-based organizations, education, local,state, and federal government must band together to take back their city and take back their children. People in Selma do not know what "Quality Education" looks like because they have never left the area to be exposed to the types of opportunities that are available to and for our children. I agree with you TEACHME, 100%. Dr.Obasohan is the best thing that has happened to Selma since the March to Montgomery.
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