Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 2C
THE JACKSON HERALD
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2010
Morgan, Lance to wed March 7
Kent and Janice Morgan,
Gillsville, announce the engage
ment and forthcoming marriage
of their daughter, Jessica Raye
Morgan, Gainesville, to Henry
Lee Lance Jr., Jefferson, son
of Darla Pack, Jefferson, and
Henry Lance Sr., Jefferson.
The bride-elect's grandparents
are Henry and Louise House,
Gillsville.
She is a 1999 graduate of
East Hall High School and went
on to graduate from Gainesville
College and Georgia College
and State University where
she received a M.Ed. in 2005.
She is employed as a teacher
for Gwinnett County public
schools.
The groom-elect’s grandpar
ent is Faye Martin, Pendergrass.
He is a 1997 graduate of
Jackson County Comprehensive
MR. LANCE AND
MISS MORGAN
High School and is employed
as a mechanic at Total Auto
Service, Oakwood.
The wedding will take place
on Sunday, March 7, at Gillsville
Baptist Church, Gillsville.
All family and friends are
invited to attend.
birth announcement
Taylor Rahea Wilborn
David Leon and Jessica Nicole Wilborn,
Commerce, announce the birth of a daugh
ter, Taylor Rahea Wilborn, on Jan. 5, 2010,
at Northeast Georgia Medical Center,
Gainesville.
She weighed seven pounds and five ounc
es and was 20 inches long.
She joins a brother, Elijah, 4.
The grandparents are John Skinner,
Maysville, and Albert and Janice Wilborn,
Clarkesville. Barbara Skinner is the great-grandmother.
Chaisson to speak at Lunch and Learn program
SUSAN Ethridge Chaisson,
a direct descendant of the
Shields Ethridge family, will
be the guest speaker at the
next Lunch and Learn event of
the Friends of the Braselton-
West Jackson Library.
The group will meet at
11:30 a.m. on Wednesday,
Feb. 10, on the lower level
of the Braselton Municipal
Building.
Chaisson lives on the
Shields-Ethridge Heritage
Farm in Jefferson. The dis
covery of a small box found
in the attic of the 1866 home
place unveiled the secrets
to the history of this fam
ily farm. Chaisson serves
as president of the Shields
Ethridge Heritage Farm
Foundation, which was orga
nized in 1994.
Also, Bill Blackwell, assis
tant general manager of the
Gwinnett Braves management
team, will speak on Wednesday,
March 10. The event will honor
the City of Hoschton and lunch
will be provided by Anthony’s
Italian Grill, located at 115
Towne Center Parkway, Suite
108, Hoschton.
Vicki Starnes of the Crawford
W. Long Museum, Jefferson,
will speak at the Lunch and
Learn event on Wednesday,
April 26. The event will also
honor Jackson County.
The cost of the luncheon is
$6. To RSVP, contact Diane
Lemaster at 678-546-3880
or dilemace@aol.com.
Kids’ building showcase planned at Nicholson library
THE HAROLD S. Swindle
Public Library in Nicholson
will hold a special building
showcase for children in the
area at 2 p.m. on Saturday,
Feb. 20.
Children who wish to par
ticipate are invited to bring
in their original construction
made from legos, blocks or
other building materials. There
will be a special judging to see
whose is most original.
“This coincides with a won
derful lego building art dis
play we are currently show
ing, including lego houses and
other buildings and objects
made by a local family,’’
reports Kelli O’Clare, branch
manager.
BOOK SALE
In other news from the
library, a book sale will be
held February 22-27 in the
multipurpose room. New
hardbacks will be sold for
$1. All books were donated
from the public and Baker
and Taylor.
“It’s an opportunity to buy
new releases and old favorites
for a low, low price,’’ O’Clare
said. “All proceeds go to the
purchase of new books and
performers for the summer
reading program.”
On March 1 at 6 p.m., the
adult book club will meet.
This introductory meeting
is open to everyone and will
determine meeting times,
dates, and books to be read for
upcoming months.
Toddler Time is held on
Thursday morning at 10:30
a.m. Featuring special themes,
songs, and art activities, it’s
a fun time for all children,
O’Clare said.
Family movie times have
moved to the first Saturday
of every month, beginning
March 6 at 2 p.m. Admission
is free and refreshments will
be available for $1.
Daddy Daughter Dance ahead
THE JEFFERSON Recreation Department’s fifth annual Daddy
Daughter Dance will take place on Friday, February 12, at the
Jefferson Civic Center from 7-9 p.m.
The event will include games, trivia, dancing, food, prizes and
fellowship with other fathers and daughters.
Tickets are $15 per couple and $5 for additional daughters.
For more information, visit www.jefifersonrec.com or call 706-
367-5116.
Adult spelling bee coming up
THE 11TH annual “Leap Into Literacy” spelling bee will be
held Feb. 25 and organizers are now seeking sponsors.
The Jackson County Adult Literacy Program and the
Jackson County Work-Based Learning Program are sponsor
ing the event.
For information on sponsoring a team or other sponsorship
opportunities, call Sandra Fite, 706-367-8574; Chris Edwards,
706-336-8916; or Alan Kennedy, 706-367-5003.
David Cuddy continued from page 1C
Other Teachers of the Year
THESE TEACHERS were chosen as Teacher of the Year at
their school. See their responses in next week’s edition.
• Ron Prescott, science teacher, Jackson County
Comprehensive High School
• Chris Edwards, internship, East Jackson Comprehensive
High School
• Roger Bright, drama, Jefferson High School
• Ronda Tate, math teacher, Gordon Street Center
•Chris Pendley, gifted math, West Jackson Middle
School.
•Lisa Tolbert, seventh grade social studies teacher, East
Jackson Middle School.
•Brandy Crisp, seventh grade social studies and English/
language arts teacher, Kings Bridge Middle School.
•Carly Parr, fifth grade teacher, West Jackson
Intermediate School.
•Jean Conner, Jefferson Academy
• Lori Cato, fifth grade teacher, North Jackson Elementary
School.
• Helen McKown, kindergarten teacher, South Jackson
Elementary School.
•Gay Chandler, EIP teacher, Maysville Elementary
School.
•Joyce Henson, gifted and EIP teacher, Benton Elementary
School.
• Donna Colvin, first grade teacher, Gum Springs
Elementary School.
• Kathy Chandler, Jefferson Elementary School.
•Tina Johnston, kindergarten teacher, West Jackson
Primary School.
System to 48 restaurant manag
ers. At Penske, I was in charge
of training local community busi
nesses how to rent our trucks
profitably. These preferred expe
riences, along with my sister’s
encouragement, led me to make
the decision to enter the world
of teaching. An informed and
dedicated educator is my third
and final career.
Teachers, first and foremost,
must be committed to the young
adolescent. If there is no enjoy
ment and understanding of this
age, no quality instruction or
successful learning will tran
spire. Middle school students
require informed and compas
sionate teachers who understand
that they are undergoing more
swift and profound changes than
at any other time in their lives;
these students need a teacher who
is knowledgeable in the teach
ing strategies that are required
to reach a middle school stu
dent. Effective teaching skills
for the middle level learner are
enhanced through teacher train
ing; therefore, teachers must
make continuing education a pri
ority. Instructional techniques
must address the diverse skills,
developmental levels, and prior
knowledge of young adolescents
while attending to multiple intel
ligences and promoting students’
individual learning styles. New
concepts must build upon prior
knowledge, and students must
be given ample opportunity to
construct their own understand
ings of material as opposed to
the teacher providing informa
tion. Finally, areas of study
must be presented from multi
ple viewpoints to decrease bias.
The textbook should never stand
alone. Not only should primary
and secondary sources be used,
but the community itself can be
called upon through guest speak
ers, newspaper articles, and law
enactments.
I believe students, as well as
teachers, should have responsi
bilities. My students are expect
ed to think critically about not
only class work but what they
experience in their daily lives. I
want my students to apply their
classroom learning to the real
world. Furthermore, I expect
my students to truly enjoy learn
ing. Young adolescents are often
given a false stereotype in our
society; they are pegged as dis
obedient and confrontational.
When in reality, they are curious
and concerned about themselves
and society. They want to con
tribute, and it is the adults in
their lives that can facilitate or
smother this desire.
This is the time when students
can for the first time really go out
and “make a difference.” They
have the basic writing, reading,
speaking, and listening skills
which are blending with new
abilities to think abstractly. This
allows them to effectively pres
ent ideas to government, society,
and people and persuade others
to change.
A positive school environment
is critical for success at any age.
However, middle school aged
children are most vulnerable.
They are at a point in their lives
where they are redefining them
selves and are acutely aware
of what makes them different
from others. Consequently, self
esteem is most fragile. Without
a nurturing, positive environ
ment, they will retreat, or they
will rebel to protect their delicate
egos. This is a healthy reaction,
as it is a safety mechanism to
avoid further destruction. It also,
however, negates further learn
ing. A positive school climate is
safe, both physically and emo
tionally, inviting, and caring; it
promotes a sense of community
and encourages learning. All
students, even at the height of
a major infraction perhaps, are
treated with dignity and respect.
Every incident, positive or nega
tive, is seen as a learning oppor
tunity. Differences are not only
accepted but cherished.
Finally, a shared vision within
the school is critical. If students
are receiving quality middle level
education in one or two classes
while four other classes fail to
fulfill their needs, very likely,
the students will fail to succeed.
The vision must be held by a
faculty immersed in the middle
level learner culture, including
their intellectual, moral, physi
cal, emotional/psychological,
and social development. This
becomes the basis for the school’s
mission statement which must be
supported by everyone, not just
teachers. It should include stu
dents, administrators, families,
board of education members,
and community members. This
is critical for long-term success
within a school. If everyone is
not sharing the same goals, there
will be no goals achieved in the
end.
My future goals include obtain
ing my Specialist degree and
taking advantage of applicable
professional development oppor
tunities.
I believe my greatest contribu
tion is the dedication I have to
my career. I typically work 65
hours each week. This may seem
extreme; however, this has been
my norm since age 19. I am vigi
lant with respect to creating the
very best lessons for my students
each year. Further, I place a tre
mendous value on parent commu
nication. I regularly send parents
an email or postal letter discuss
ing their child’s homework effort,
grades, and/or behavior (positive
comments as well as areas of
opportunity). I also make myself
available to students minimally
three times each week should
they desire supplemental instruc
tion. I am a meticulous planner,
do my very best to exceed each
deadline, and create communica
tions and documents to the very
best of my ability.
The scores my students have
achieved on the CRCTs is a note
worthy accomplishment. Each
subsequent year at Jefferson, my
students’ scores have improved.
With respect to meeting expecta
tions in mathematics, 88 percent
met in 2007, 96 percent met in
2008, and 97 percent met in 2009.
hi 2009, Jefferson Middle School
was ranked in the top 2 percent
of the state with regard to sev
enth grade mathematics. Another
accomplishment worth mention
ing is the percent of students who
exceeded expectations. In 2009,
55 percent of seventh grade stu
dents exceeded expectations in
mathematics. Only 25 percent of
this same group exceeded expec
tations the year before (as sixth
graders).
Since my employment with
Jefferson City Schools, I have
been fortunate to attend numerous
training and professional develop
ment classes. I have received
instruction on Classworks and
Geometer’s Sketchpad soft
ware. I have also attended two
informational sessions related to
Activstudio Professional Edition
v3 software. Further, in associa
tion with a mathematics grant, I
have been present in numerous
content development seminars
facilitated by faculty members
from the University of Georgia.
Last year, I was part of a
“Lesson Study” workshop. This
project spanned five months.
During this time, I meticulously
planned a single lesson while try
ing to anticipate and avoid each
and every potential roadblock.
The lesson was taught, improved,
and then taught again to another
similar group of students. At
the end of the workshop, our
group met and compiled our final
assessment and recommendations
for next year’s lesson.
This year, I was selected to be
on a team that rolled out our new
Infinite Campus software to all
certified teachers. My respon
sibility was to train our teachers
on the workings of the program,
focusing heavily on the grade
book. I continue to follow up
and assist my peers as an Infinite
Campus coordinator.
Finally, I have been a member
of the Professional Association of
Georgia Educators since 2005.
I have participated and
judged science fairs at Parkside
Elementary School and Inman
Middle School, both in Atlanta.
Further, I have volunteered
in sixth grade math classes at
Madison County Middle School.
I have also assumed the role of
mathematics tutor for my broth-
er-in-law’s son and most recently,
my 8-year-old niece. At Jefferson
Middle School, I assisted in coor
dinating a 5K run to help raise
money for new document view
ers to be placed in all mathemat
ics classrooms. Finally, I serve
as a coach and moderator for the
JMS Academic Bowl Team.
Professional history:
Middle Childhood Education,
Math and Science,Georgia State
University, 2006
Middle Grades Education,
Math and Science, Brenau
University, 2008
Previously taught seventh
grade mathematics at Shiloh
Middle School, Gwinnett County
Public Schools, January to May,
2006.
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