Blue Ridge School recently hosted their Winter Family Night. The halls were fully decorated, and hundreds of parents and families attended. Monday - January 13, 2020 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM BOE 3rd Floor Conference Room, City Hall SCHOOL NEWS Board Members Dr. Rick Fromm and Tulley Johnson Honored by GSBA Board members Tulley Johnson and Dr. Rick Fromm were recently recognized at the Georgia School Boards Association (GSBA) annual convention for their longtime, dedicated service to the Board of Education. Johnson continues to serve on the board after 20 years and Fromm, who retired from the board this year, served for 16 years. Find out about this recognition on our website. Reception Honors Service of Dr. Rick Fromm and Dr. Pablo Perez Dr. Pablo Perez and Dr. Rick Fromm were honored with a reception on Monday,December 9 in recognition of their years of service to the Dalton Board of Education. Dr. Perez served on the school board from 2016 to 2019, and Dr. Fromm is retiring after 16 years of board service and four years as board chair. Read more about the reception here. Morris Innovative High School Teacher Earns Grant For Science of Sound Exhibit Rodney Gipson, a music technology teacher at Morris Innovative High School, was recently awarded a Dalton Education Foundation grant to purchase new sound equipment for his classroom. His goal is to teach students how sounds move in music. Brookwood Named as Highest-Performing Title I School Brookwood School has been recognized as one of the highest-performing Title I schools in Georgia, as determined by the Georgia Department of Education. This is the second year in a row that the school has been recognized as a Distinguished School, ranking among the highest-performing 5 percent of Title I Schoolwide schools and Title I Targeted Assistance schools according to the most recent CCRPI single score. Read more here! DHS Culinary Arts Students Create Food Truck Experience for Staff Dalton High School's culinary arts class recently created their own food truck experience, serving lunch to many of Dalton High's staff members. This event was the final project for Chef Nathan Greven's Culinary II class, who completed their food truck unit earlier this year. Read more on our website. DHS Helps Prepare Their Students for College Dalton High School recently hosted a parent engagement class in Spanish to help parents understand the importance of college and career readiness for their children. Kelly Spinetta, the family engagement coordinator of Dalton High School, spoke about the pivotal factors that will ensure their child's success both during high school and after graduation. Topics varied from identifying strengths, taking the correct college prep classes, funding a college education and students being committed to their education.
Read about the amazing Dalton Difference makers we've highlighted in the past few weeks. You can read the story about this new initiative on our website. "I've worked with Deborah Newton since 2016 and she has taken care of the students and staff of MIHS since its opening. Deb greets everyone, staff and students alike, with a smile and calls them by their name. She wishes them happy birthday and gives out the well place hug as it's needed. She has an infectious laugh that draws people to her and will go out of her way to take care of the needs of every field trip, ball game, practice or tutoring session. Sometimes, with very little notice. She's Wonder Woman in every sense of the name. The position Deb holds is very much underappreciated, but the attitude and grace she goes about it speaks volumes to the person she is. It's been my pleasure to know and work with Deborah Newton, she is the Dalton difference." - Officer Collins "I "It is my privilege to present the Dalton Difference Coin to Mrs. Ashley Edwards. Mrs. Edwards is a fifth grade teacher at Roan School. During her 13 years at Roan she has worn many hats, and been successful in all of her roles. She is an inspiration to me because she exemplifies compassion for her students and their families. She greets all of her students by name with hugs, smiles, positive comments, and encouraging words. She take a personal interest in her students' progress and always treats them with dignity. She is also an excellent mentor to other teachers, sharing her expertise and knowledge. I have had the pleasure to work with Mrs. Edwards in her second grade homeroom, when she was a Reading Recovery Teacher, and as a fifth grade teacher and I am impressed by her work ethic and instructional effectiveness. Her lessons are always engaging and the students are motivated to learn in her class. Thank you for all you do for our students, families, and staff at Roan School. Mrs. Edwards, you are the Dalton Difference!"
- Anne Fetzer "It is my pleasure and honor to pass along this coin to Mrs. Stasha Wright. I have had the privilege of working alongside Mrs. Wright for the past 3 years and I've seen firsthand the blessing she is to her students and our school. Mrs. Wright is a remarkable teacher who places her students first. She is tender and compassionate and treats her students as if they were her own. She works long hours designing engaging differentiated lessons. She has been a leader in laying the foundational work of our STEM research in third grade. She makes learning come alive with her ability to integrate STEM into all subjects, which gives her students an authentic learning experience. Her students have a sense of purpose and know their work is meaningful. She is able to disguise rigorous lessons as fun and her students thrive under her care. She uses her love of teaching to inspire the next generation of teachers and does so with patience, wisdom, and grace. Most afternoons you will find her checking in with new teachers, answering questions, or just providing a much-needed listening ear. For these reasons, Mrs. Wright is the Dalton Difference."
- Debbie Paulson "First, let me say there should be a bag of coins to pass along, because so many amazing people make the Dalton Difference. Since I only have one, it is my honor to present my Dalton Difference coin to Coach Scott Thompson. From daylight to dark, five to seven days a week, whether he is with the football players on the field, cleaning the weight room, or taking his classes 6 to 8 trips up and down the hill in the rain or cold, you will find Coach Thompson here at Dalton High, doing what he loves. He has so much respect for everyone, and he expects, and instills this respect in all of his students. Anytime he is speaking with someone it is always ma'am and sir. He, along with all our wonderful coaching staff helps our department so much throughout the year with anything we cannot take care of ourselves. I only have to say Coach, I need… and he is there. Coach is also a devoted family man and great person in so many ways. It is my privilege to recognize him for his part in our organization. Coach Thompson, thank you for being the Dalton Difference!"
- Debra Holbrook "It is my honor to present the Dalton Difference coin to Mrs. Leslie Prewitt-Martin. Leslie is Westwood's amazing secretary. When I say she does it all…she really does it all! Not only is she phenomenal with completing her duties as bookkeeper-she goes above and beyond to help students, staff and parents. She always has a smile on her face and puts all those around her at ease. She finds the good in people and is always positive and cheerful. Leslie is the person you go to when you need a hug, when you need something taken care of, or when you need advice. Her job title should really just be 'fixer of all things'. She truly loves her job and all that comes with it. hen stress comes her way, she puts her smile on and tackles it head on. Her organizational skills make the office run smoothly and without a hitch. She is truly like Westwood's mama. If you ask her to do anything-from cook a meal, plan a party, run copies, console a child, sub in a class, she'll gladly do it. Leslie is an outstanding bookkeeper and a remarkable colleague. Leslie Prewitt-Martin is the Dalton Difference."
- Michelle Huch "I thought over many weeks about who I wanted to pass the coin to. This was no easy task. Many names and faces came to mind with the numerous great things our people do at Park Creek. I chose to pass the coin to Angela McCaslin. She has a noticeable gift for teaching. Her high quality level of teaching is remarkable. Not only does she do great work at moving her students academically, but she also has a way of showing that she genuinely cares about them. Her sweet and caring nature creates a loving atmosphere in her classroom to where students and staff feel it when they walk into her classroom. Ms. McCaslin is very in tune with her students' needs academically and emotionally. She takes the time to talk with her students when she notices a difference and advocates for what they need. Angela McCaslin is the Dalton Difference."
- Stefanie Taylor "Debra and her team work so hard to keep Dalton High School a clean and safe environment for our students, staff, and faculty. In addition, when we have special events, she works diligently to make sure everything is set up to perfection. She is hard-working, dependable, and an absolute pleasure to work alongside. I know all of us here at DHS would agree that we could not do what we do without Debra and her team!"
- Marybeth Meadows "It is an honor to pass the Dalton Difference coin to Mrs. Debbie Paulson. Mrs. Paulson is a 3rd grade teacher at Brookwood. I had the pleasure to work with her as a Literacy Coach when she taught 2nd grade. As her literacy coach, I quickly saw how much she wanted to continue being a learner. She would always seek out new learning opportunities either through professional learning, coaching, talking with colleagues, or researching anything new that came her way. On any given morning before students entered her classroom I would catch her watching a number talk or a literacy lesson on her computer. Her dedication and willingness to learn exemplify why she is the Dalton Difference. Mrs. Paulson goes above and beyond to make sure her students are successful. She stays late hours and takes work home so that plans are made that ensure each of her student's needs are reached. Not only is she planning with each student in mind, she is making sure they have the seating they need to accommodate their learning presences. If you walked into her classroom you would find exercise balls or chairs for her students to decide what they needed to be comfortable as they work each day. Every morning you will find her greeting her students in a way that they prefer – high five, hug, hand shake, or fist bump. She starts their morning off with a sense of being valued and loved. This is what makes Debbie Paulson the Dalton Difference!"
- Mary Kiker |