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WARRIOR NEWS O f f ici a l Newslet t er of the Alabaste r City Sc hool Syste m
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CENTRAL OFFICE Superintendent Letter
Dr. Wayne Vickers
On July 1, 2013, Alabaster City Schools officially became a school system. Since that day, we have accomplished a great deal, and we look forward to continue to grow, change, and excel. Alabaster City Schools is comprised of six schools and serves over 6,000 students. Upon the establishment of Alabaster City Schools, over $1 million in improvements have been made to our facilities. In addition, over $100 million in future capital projects are planned for the next several years, including the building of a new state of the art high school, comprehensive athletic facilities, and improvements and upgrades to technology across the district.
With our new school system, there has been a renewal of community spirit. Community-wide events have included a Homecoming parade, Christmas parade, and community clean up partnerships. There have been many partnerships with the City of Alabaster and local businesses, which have contributed to a true hometown feeling. The students of Alabaster City Schools have had numerous accomplishments in our inaugural year, both academic and athletic. Academically, our students rank among the top in the state with higher than average ACT scores and numerous scholarship awards. In order to foster excellence, our schools have high expectations. We were awarded the A+ College Ready grant, and through this, students will be offered incentives for passing scores on Advanced Placement exams. This grant also provides professional development for all teachers, so that they are aware of cutting-edge best practices to increase student achievement.
Warrior
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is published by Alabaster City Schools 1953 Municipal Way Suite 200 Alabaster AL 35007 (205) 663-8400 www.alabasterschools.org
Warrior News is published quarterly and is distributed to the community free of charge.
Editor Luke Camara
Our athletic programs are strong and successful, with most going to state and national competitions. This year, our high school wrestling team won the state championship. This accomplishment makes four state championships in a row. In addition, we have earned previous state championship titles in boys’ basketball, football, volleyball, and softball. Within Thompson High School, many changes will be occurring with the 2014 school year. We will begin with adding Career Academies in the areas of Education, Audio/Video Communications, Food, Wellness and Dietetics, Finance (Business), Fine Arts, JROTC (leadership), and Health Science. With the building of our new high school, this list will be expanding to provide opportunities in Animation, Culinary, Informational Technologies, Pre-Engineering, Mechatronics/Robotics, Industrial and Green Academies. Partnerships with local businesses will be the cornerstone of student internships. Our goal is to provide opportunities for all students.
Designer me2graphics, LLC
Contributors Brooke Dennis THS Katie Zielinski TMS Neely Woodley TSGC Stephanie Sealy TIS
Alabaster is a wonderful community to live in, and the community is very supportive of our school system. Our first year has been a great transition year, and we look forward to continuing to excel. It takes an entire community to provide the best education possible for our children, and we are all working together to build the “Champions of Our Future.”
Linda Hogue MVES Brent Byars CVES Dorann Tanner ACS Cena Davis ACS
Sincerely,
Dr. Latanza Harrison ACS Keith Price ACS Dr. Jeff Atkins ACS
Dr. Wayne Vickers Superintendent of Education
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Dr. Wayne Vickers Superintendent
CENTRAL OFFICE School Board Letter Greetings! It is hard to believe that this school year is almost at an end. We continue to position the school system to meet our future challenges and opportunities, and to that end, the Board recently approved a contract extension for our Superintendent, Dr. Wayne Vickers. After a superlative review, we felt consistency with our long range vision is a must. Dr. Vickers has helped us work towards that vision faster than we could have ever dreamed.
Adam Moseley, Pres.
Derek Henderson
On the horizon, we will soon see plans for a new high school facility as well as renovations to some of our existing buildings. In the classroom, we are introducing our High School Academies. These will include everything from Engineering to Sports Medicine. ACS is also the recipient of the A+ College Ready grant for the coming school year. This grant will strengthen our Advanced Placement course offerings. In addition, our new Dual Enrollment track will also allow students to earn college credit while in high school. We have already been able to see some exciting changes in the schools. In October, we introduced Warrior, our very own therapy dog, and became the first school system in the state to have this resource for our students. Warrior may be the most popular “employee” in the system. The schools have also increased security measures to help keep our children safe. In addition, we were able to help with funding new band uniforms and new computers for the art department. More recently, we were able to purchase five new air-conditioned buses. This summer, our teachers and Central Office staff will be busy attending professional development training in an effort to better serve our children. As Board Members, we are also required to have training of our own. Members are required to earn six hours of training each year. Every Board Member has received numerous hours of training this year. On behalf of the board, I would like to thank all of our teachers, staff, parents and students for making this transition a smooth and successful venture. Alabaster City Schools is being recognized across the state for the innovations and direction that we are taking. There are great things ahead for our system and our students!
Dr. John Myrick
It’s a great day to be a Warrior!
Linda Church
Adam Moseley
Ty Quarles
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CENTRAL OFFICE Federal Programs During the 2013-2014 school year, two Meadow View parents participated in the Parent Leadership Academy (PLA) sponsored through a partnership with the University of Alabama, Center for Community Based Partnerships. Participants receive a total of six instructional modules, complete a final collaborative project and seed funding to implement the projects in their school districts for 2014-2015. On April 17, parents, families, and school officials gathered to accept graduation credentials and a plaque that is displayed in the building and updated each year. Graduates for this school year are Ms. Karen Smith and Ms. Stephanie Caldarello. For the 2014-2015 school year, seven teachers and four parents have been nominated to participate in the Parent Teacher Leadership Academy from MVES and TIS. A new software system, ELLevation has been purchased for use in the ESL program. This new software will allow for a much more streamline process to keep track of Alabaster City Schools ELL population. The program will also allow the teachers to quickly identify language needs of students and communicate those to general education teachers to help facilitate English language development. Alabaster City Schools’ ESL program is hosting a summer camp June 16-27 at Meadow View Elementary. This year’s theme is “Being Healthy”. The camp will run from 8:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. and will include many hands-on activities that facilitate speaking and listening skills, as well as opportunities for reading and math. We are excited to also include a Mommy and Me class for mothers and toddlers whose native language is other than English. This class will run during the camp two days a week. Another addition to the camp is a PD opportunity for ACS teachers. Teachers will be able to learn strategies they can use in the classroom for their students, and then observe the camp classes to see these strategies in action. Instructional Technology integration has also been a focus for this school year. As a result Federal Programs has purchased several computers, iPads, document cameras, projectors and printers for use in the ESL program. Alabaster City Schools wants to continue creating Champions of our Future by helping our ELLs improve and develop technology skills as well as learning by student engagement. State-mandated ACCESS testing has begun. ACCESS for ELLs (Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State for English Language Learners) is a secure large-scale English language proficiency assessment given to Kindergarten through 12th graders who have been identified as English language learners (ELLs). It is given annually in WIDA Consortium member states to monitor students’ progress in acquiring academic English. (retrieved from http://www. wida.us/)
Anonymous Alerts Alabaster City Schools are proud to be offering the Anonymous Alerts program to students and parents. Anonymous Alerts allows students and parents to anonymously submit any sensitive or urgent student issues quickly to school officials in your school for them to offer help. ACS encourages students, parents and staff to confidentially report bullying, cyber-bullying, gang-related issues and other sensitive topics. Alabaster City Schools does not support, encourage or tolerate any behavior that prevents any student from reaching their full potential. There are two ways to submit anonymous alerts. You can download the free Apple app or Google app in their respective stores. You can also send ® reports from any computer. The system also allows, based on the initiator, either one-way or two-way dialogue with school officials. Simply submit your contact information, which will remain anonymous, so the school official can provide follow up.
ANONYMOUS ALERTS
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CENTRAL OFFICE Learn to Swim Program Starting in this Fall, every second grader at Creek View and Meadow View Elementary Schools will participate in the YMCA’s Learn to Swim Program through a partnership between the YMCA of Alabaster and Alabaster City Schools. This program is designed to introduce children to water safety, boating safety, and survival skills, alongside other water-related safety practices, with an ultimate goal of teaching every child how to swim. While the focus is on water safety, the Learn to Swim Program is more than just going to the pool and getting wet. The one-hour weekly program will feature language arts, science, and math concepts. For language arts the students will read books, write written stem prompts and create pictures with illustrations to show what they learned at the pool that day. For the science portion the second graders will learn about the properties of water, learn and illustrate the water cycle and even learn about amphibious animals and how they relate to water. For the math section they will make time and distance measurements of the pool and their lessons. Alabaster City Schools are excited about partnering with such great local institutions, such as the YMCA. It is through innovative partnerships that our children become champions.
Big Changes Come to THS The 2014-2015 school year is going to be one of big change for Alabaster City Schools. One of the biggest changes at Thompson High School (THS) will be the switch to career-based classes, set up under an academy-style program. Beginning this Fall there will be nine initial academies, with more coming in future years. The focus for each academy will be to expose the student to a career with the goal of offering credential opportunities after completion. For example, the Microsoft Academy will offer courses that prepare the student to apply for Adobe Certified Associate and Microsoft Office Specialist certificates. The academies will also be partnered with local universities to offer the students dual enrollment classes, which can be applied towards college credits. To help students determine what academy they might benefit from, all 8th graders will take the Interest and Aptitude Survey which will be used to develop their four-year high school plan based off of their career goals. With these new academies, students will be able to complete a recommended track of course that will best prepare them to be college and career ready upon graduating. In the near future the academy program will expand with the completion of the new high school facility. The new high school will be built with these and new academies in mind. For example, a culinary academy complete with a state of the art commercial culinary kitchen will be added at the new facility. This marriage of learning and facility will produce an even greater return for the graduates. The best academic programs match a student’s interest and ability with a skill set that allows them to be successful. The new academies at THS will do just that.
Registration Information Guidelines for Proof of Residence
New and returning students to the Alabaster City School System must present proof of residency to the school. The necessary documents are as follows: a certified birth certificate and verification of guardianship if different from birth certificate, an up-to-date State of Alabama Immunization Certificate (Blue Slip), and Verification of Residence. Acceptable documents must contain the parent or legal guardian’s physical address in order for the school to verify that the residence is in the school zone. To view what documents will be accepted, visit www.alabasterschools.org and select the FAQ tab, followed by the option “Zoning,” or contact your local school office.
Online Registration
For the first time, all school registration will be done online. The online registration will begin in July. All parents and guardians will be given registration login information before the registration window opens. The advantage to a digital entry system are many. First, it will limit the questions asked to only the necessary ones. It will remove double entry of data. It will also cut down on errors, thus making the data more accurate and easier to access. The online system is compatible with all makes of browsers and is even usable on mobile devices. It you need assistance or have questions or concerns please contact your local school.
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CENTRAL OFFICE From the Paw of Warrior… It has been a very busy semester for me. I started off the year judging “dog” houses. Why they call them dog houses when they are mansions, I will never know. Each school was tasked with building me the perfect home. I got to inspect and sniff each one. And while it was a hard decision, I decided Thompson High School’s was the one for me. Each school still has what I call my vacation homes in their office, and some even hide treats in the houses for me. I am not above the children buying my love. I have had many people ask me what type of dog I am. I always say, “A Friendly One”. (This one kills at the dog park). But to answer their real question, I am an Australian Shepherd. I was raised from a puppy by my first family to be a therapeutic dog. This means that I am learning to help children. And while I have quite a ways to go before I am fully trained, I do get to help out in small ways right now. My favorite activity so far has been helping the children relax before and after taking tests. They are just wonderful petters. As the face of the Alabaster City School system, I get to make appearances at the schools and different events. I recently hosted a talent show at Creek View Elementary School. That was a blast. I have my own Facebook page where anyone can follow my adventures. When I am not busy working, I like to nap, chase my tail, nap, run and nap. I would also like to thank Wendy McNish, who takes me home with her every night. She has a big farm and just lets me run around. After a long day at the office this is exactly what a dog needs! Until next time—keep running and sniffing!
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CREEK VIEW ELEMENTARY The Boosterthon
FUN RUN
For the second year in a row, students at Creek View participated in the Boosterthon Fun Run, which is the preferred fundraising experience for America’s Top Schools. But, Boosterthon is more than a run! Every year, there is a fun, new design to get students excited about living with character. This year’s theme was Camp High Five, and it was all about Friendship! Students learned a daily hand gesture or “Camp Signal” to help them remember the five ways to be a good friend. Students learned that friends shout out strengths, friends don’t bully, friends respect others, friends show sportsmanship and friends stick together. These character traits related to Creek View’s own Traits of a Warrior that students learn about each month throughout the year. The Boosterthon was a huge success for Creek View. Students turned in over $40,000 in pledges! We are still collecting pledge money and the money will go for technology needed in our classrooms. We would like to thank the community that supported our students this year and help make the Boosterthon a success. Also, thank you to the parents and family members who came out to support their student(s) on the day of the run!
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CREEK VIEW ELEMENTARY Reading on the Roof The students at Creek View were challenged to read 5,000 books as a school during the month of March. If the challenge was met then it meant several staff members and administration would read on the roof on the Friday before Spring Break! Students very easily met this challenge within two weeks. “We told them that if they read 5,000 books, we would read to them from the roof,” CVES Assistant Principal Mandy Wesson said shortly after climbing down the ladder. “It fits into our theme that you can enjoy reading wherever you go. “They were so excited. It was the buzz the entire week before Spring Break,” Wesson said with a laugh. Students were thrilled to see Ms. Wesson, as well as Mr. Byars (Principal), Officer Greene (SRO), Mrs. Bice (Reading Coach), Mrs. Killingsworth (Media Center Specialist), and Ms. Alverson (Assistant Principal) on the roof as they read their favorite books to the awaiting students down below!
Creek View Spotlight The Little Warrior Players
The Little Warrior Players are made up of third grade students who auditioned to be in the choir in September of this past school year. They have been rehearsing all year once a week, for an hour after school. They are under the leadership of Ms. Cassidy Jordan, the music teacher at Creek View. This is Ms. Jordan’s third year at Creek View. She attended Samford University where she received a Bachelor’s in Music Performance and a Master’s in Music Education. Ms. Jordan is also a member of the Samford Orchestra and enjoys working with the choir at Creek View. The students were invited to sing in the cafeteria at Shelby Baptist Hospital back in December. The choir sang several Christmas Songs and enjoyed serving the community together. On Thursday, May 15, 2014 the students performed their musical School House Rock Live, Jr.
SUMMER REGISTRATION FOR NEW STUDENTS Starts Tuesday, June 10. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays 8-11 a.m. throughout the summer.
REGISTRATION FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE PRE-REGISTERED July 30 7-11 a.m. & 3-7 p.m. BRING TWO (2) PROOFS OF RESIDENCE AND A DRIVER’S LICENSE You will be required to provide two original utility bills payable in the month of July/August in the parent name. If you cannot provide two (2) original utility bills in the parent name you must call the school office for direction. You will find out your child’s teacher, get transportation information, day care information, etc.
**Your child is not officially enrolled until we receive the two (2) original proofs of residence dated in the month of July/August.
BUILDING WARRIORS FOR LIFE Our mission at Creek View Elementary is to develop competent and confident lifetime learners in a caring environment.
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MEADOW VIEW ELEMENTARY Meadow View News Meadow View Elementary recognizes the importance of our parents and community as stakeholders in the education of our students, as well as the development of a healthy school culture. We have had many events throughout the year to invite these stakeholders into our school to include them in celebration and to collaborate with the educational process. We believe it “takes a village to raise a warrior” as was indicated on our 2013-2014 award-winning homecoming float. Title I Parent Meetings were held throughout the fall semester for parents of Kindergarten through second grade students. Meetings were held both during the school day and in the evenings, and parents received book bags with materials for parents to support reading and mathematics instruction at home. Other activities involving parents and the local community included Parent-Involvement Day, Thanksgiving Lunch, choir performances for Veteran’s Day and Christmas, and Grandparent’s Breakfast. This spring our third grade choir, lead by Mr. Dennis Jones, will present their spring music performance, and Mr. Jesse Cunningham is currently organizing an art show to display student work. Our Parent-Teacher Organization, under the leadership of Stephanie Caldarello, has been hard at work with many projects for our school including the Fall Festival, Santa Shop, and our upcoming Spring Fling. These projects not only provide funds for our school, but also provide a great deal of fun for our students and families. The PTO has the workforce for our recycling program. Mrs. Mollie Erikson, parent and Fundraiser Chairman, presented a voluntary program for students at MVES to explain the importance of recycling, and made a huge impact on our students, faculty, and staff. Not only have we become more aware of taking care of the environment, we are creating new revenues through recycling septic packages, aluminum cans, ink cartridges, and plastics. Our Gifted Resource Class also appreciates the importance of taking care of our environment. Mrs. Chaille Raines and her GRC class frequently visit the Ebenezer Swamp Ecological Preserve which is located behind MVES and owned by the University of Montevallo, to observe changes in a swamp ecosystem. Our school values its partnership with the UM and Dr. Mike Hardig. Other classes are encouraged
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MEADOW VIEW ELEMENTARY to visit The Swamp with student-tour guides provided by the GRC program. Meadow View Elementary has enjoyed writing workshops presented by Rick Shelton, author and lecturer, and representatives from Home Depot helped MVES third graders build bird houses while learning real-life applications for math skills in measurement and geometry. MVES has also been involved in providing food for local families through Manna Charities. This year, Meadow View Elementary School received a $20,000 grant from the Institute for America’s Health. Tracy Edwards, physical education teacher, was influential in receiving this grant for materials and resources to promote nutrition and wellness instruction in the daily curriculum. The Physical Education Department also encouraged participation in the Mercedes Marathon with over 80 student-participants this year, and students are currently raising donations for the American Heart Association with Jump Rope for Heart. MVES has been nominated as a CLAS Banner School for 2013-2014 (Council for Leaders in Alabama Schools) by Dr. Wayne Vickers, Alabaster City Schools Superintendent.
THOMPSON INTERMEDIATE Support Person of the Year Lei Anne Woods Lei Anne Woods was recently named Thompson Intermediate’s Support Person of the Year. She has served as a paraprofessional at Thompson Intermediate for 13 years where she attests to working with a great faculty and staff. Mrs. Woods assists students in a caring fashion while encouraging them to do their best work. She is a team player who is a tremendous asset to our Warrior family. She was elected for this well-deserved honor by our faculty and staff. Mrs. Woods and her husband, Barry, have three daughters and two son-in-laws. Lei Anne is a member of First Baptist Church of Alabaster. She enjoys working with our students and watching them grow.
THOMPSON INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL REGISTRATION July 29, 7-11 a.m. and 3-7 p.m.
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THOMPSON INTERMEDIATE TIS Teacher of the Year Shay Traywick Shay Traywick was recently named Thompson Intermediate’s Teacher of the Year. This is an honor voted on by our faculty and staff. This is her fourth year to teach fifth grade. She is currently seeking a Master’s Degree in Instructional Leadership at the University of Montevallo. This is Mrs. Traywick’s second career. Her first career was in the world of business. Now, she teaches reading, language arts and social studies to a very energetic group of awesome students. Mrs. Traywick began her teaching career with some amazing mentor teachers, leaders and administrators at Shelby Elementary. “Since becoming a Warrior,” she says, “I have had the privilege of learning from some of the state’s best teachers at one of Alabama’s largest intermediate schools.” Mrs. Traywick humbly stated, “I have a lot left to learn about teaching, and I will probably never learn it all. Thompson Intermediate has teachers that have knowledge, experience and greatness from which I am blessed to learn continuously. I am only as good as those around me.” Mrs. Traywick says the following related to her philosophy of education: “I try each day to leave an impression with my students. Sometimes my impressions involve historical figures and acting out scenes from literature, etc. At the end of the day, I know I have given my students the best of me. I have been encouraged and motivated by many teachers throughout my life that knew school was more than just academic subjects. I came to school each day with a need for my teacher to have high expectations by not letting me use my situations and/or circumstances as a crutch or excuse to be lazy, but rather an excuse to be great. My prayer is that through my great opportunity of teaching, I may have that sort of impact on students’ lives. I let my students know, in the words of Kid President, ‘they were made be awesome’.” Mrs. Traywick is part of a tightly knit family. She is married to Daniel Traywick, and they are blessed with three wonderful daughters: Abbie-Lane, Henley, and Hayden. Her mother is affectionately known as “Maw”, and her brother, Dylan, serves in the United States Marine Corps. To learn more about this fabulous teacher, visit her video at alabasterschools.org.
Honoring Wyatt Parker Saturday, April 4, Thompson Intermediate participated in the Little Warrior Run in honor of Wyatt Nathaniel Parker. Wyatt was the son of our School Resource Officer, Nat Parker. Officer Parker’s wife, Jamie, gave birth to twins in October. However, Wyatt passed away just three days following his birth. Our Warrior family raised seven thousand dollars to donate to the Brookwood Medical Auxiliary. This organization offers support to families who have suffered such a loss. As a symbol of peace, doves were released following the run. Officer Parker, and his wife, Jamie, are the proud parents of Makayla Faith Parker.
Fifth Graders Learn About Flight Thompson Intermediate fifth graders partnered with Alabaster Radio Control Association (ARCA) for a hands-on experience with flight. They had the opportunity to hear about flight from the experts, build rubber band planes, and fly them on the football field.
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THOMPSON SIXTH GRADE CENTER TSGC News We have so many wonderful things going on at Thompson Sixth Grade Center and are so happy to share them with the city of Alabaster. We have an excellent group of sixth graders, along with a great faculty and staff. We are dedicated to making a difference in the lives of our sixth graders. This year we have had many fun events and plenty of classroom activities that have enhanced learning. This has been an outstanding school year! At TSGC, we have monthly assemblies in which we recognize 12 students for our Students of the Month. We also recognize a Teacher of the Month and a Staff Member of the Month. In addition to these fun assemblies, we also have Career Day in which we have several guest speakers speak with our students about various careers that the students might be interested in pursuing later in their lives.
UPCOMING DATES July 8, 10, 15, 17, 22, & 24 Registration 9-11 a.m. and 1-3 p.m. July 31 Schedule Pick-up
THOMPSON SIXTH GRADE CENTER
LITTLE WARRIOR RUN
Our students and teachers participated in the Little Warrior Run. This was a 5K put together by our School Resource Officer, Nat Parker, and his wife Jamie. The run was to raise awareness of infant death. One of our students won first place! The TSGC teachers who participated wore pink and blue tutus to sport the colors that represent infant death.
THOMPSON MIDDLE SCHOOL Interscholastic Athletics
Thompson Middle School has many sport programs available to help enhance the middle school experience of the children of Alabaster. Eligibility requirements to participate in athletics are set by both the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) and policies of the Alabaster City Schools Board of Education. Students entering 7th grade for the first time are automatically academically eligible for athletics. Students entering the 8th grade for the first time must have a minimum 70% yearly average using five of their classes taken in the 7th grade and have been successfully promoted to the 8th grade. A student is ineligible to participate in the 7th grade if he/she reaches his/her 14th birthday prior to August 1st of the current school year. A student is ineligible to participate in the 8th grade or mixed 7th and 8th grade teams if he/she reaches his/her 15th birthday prior to August 1st of the current school year. Every student participating in athletics must have a current physical, birth certificate, concussion, AHSAA parental consent, STAR Sportsmanship, and Student Consent/Release forms on file to establish eligibility prior to participation in the various sports programs. For more information you may call (205) 685-8100 or go to our website tms.alabasterschools.org.
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THOMPSON MIDDLE SCHOOL Scholars Bowl
The Thompson Middle School Scholars Bowl Team is made up of 14 students from the 7th and 8th grades. These students are selected through a tryout procedure during September in which they are asked to demonstrate a high level of knowledge in math, science, social studies, and general trivia. During the year, the TMS Scholars’ Bowl team has participated in numerous tournaments. They began their season at the
demonstrated that TMS is among some of the strongest academic teams in the country by winning the tournament on March 14 and earning a place in the championship round held in April. The TMS teams were rewarded when the students participated in the Middle School National Championship Tournament held in Atlanta May 9-11.
Track Team
Douglas Middle School Fall Invitational. Two teams participated in the tournament. Team 1 finished the day undefeated capturing first place in the tournament. Team 2 also had a strong showing losing only one match and finishing in second place. The students hosted the first annual TMS Invitational in December. During this event our school hosted teams from all over the state. Students worked as score keepers and time keepers. The event was a big success and helped the team earn funds to participate in other tournaments. The teams continued the season by defending the title at the Douglas Middle Spring Invitational, participating in the Cullman invitational, and qualifying as a finalist for the Alabama Scholastic Competition in February. On Tuesday afternoons, the students participated in a nation wide online tournament for eight weeks. The students
The Thompson Middle School boys track team won the Shelby County Championship on Thursday, April 3 with 139 team points. This was the first championship for the middle school. It was also a true team effort as points were scored in each event. At the meet there were several school records and Shelby County records that were set by both the boys and the girls. The girls 4x100 team with members Olivia Coleman, Kamden Marshall, Jada Washington and Toni Williams set a new Shelby County record with a time of 55.07. Kamden Marshall also set a Shelby County and a Thompson Middle School record with her jump of 31-05 in the Triple Jump. On the boys’ side, the 4x400 team consisting of Solomon Smith, Alondae Vassar, Sam Holmes and P.J. Fleming set a new Shelby County record with a time of 4:01.59. Two other members of the boys’ team also set new records. Viktor Turek set a Shelby County and Thompson Middle School record with his 132-10 throw of the discus. The last Shelby County record that was knocked down happened with Seth Lee’s 35-11 Triple Jump. Besides the new records, all the participants worked hard and contributed to the team’s success. The season ended on the 21st of April as tehy travel to Mtn. Brook High School to participate in the Metro Championship. It’s been a very successful season so far. Everyone is looking forward to watching these athletes next season and as they make the transition to the high school.
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THOMPSON HIGH SCHOOL “WARRIORS FOR LIFE” When Dian McCray roamed the halls of Thompson as a student, she swore she would move away from Alabaster and never return. And, she tried to do just that. But after marrying and settling in Virginia for a few years, she says it “never felt like home.” So she returned. This year completes her 34th year teaching at her alma mater. The 2014 graduates will soon start their own paths, embarking on their life journeys and finding a place to settle. But, there is something about Alabaster – and Thompson High – that keeps bringing people back. Although many students will never walk these halls again, there is a group of people who are part of a unique club. These 17 alumni have returned to work at Thompson, making them “Warriors for Life.” “It was definitely strange at the beginning, since I was suddenly colleagues with people who had been my teachers just a few years before,” Erin Wooten (2008) said. Josh Elliot (2005) says that working at his alma mater is a mix of “awesome and awkward. I think no matter how long we work together, I will always think of [some teachers] as my teachers instead of peers.” What keeps bringing them back? For some, it is a sense of gratitude and a desire to make a difference. Jason Hamlin (2002) said, “I enjoyed every day here at this school, and my teachers and coaches made such an impact on my life. I would like to do the same for the next generation of kids.” Rodney Brown (1982) wanted to return to “show my appreciation.” Others, like Sue Dennis (1971) felt comfort from being in the system for so long. Dennis had three children go through the schools, worked as PTO President and served as a substitute teacher for several years before signing on full-time as the Registrar in 1991. But that feeling of “home” is what keeps most of them here. “I viewed this as my dream job,” said Chris Myles (2006). “I plan on being here for 30 years.” Michelle Holdbrooks (1989) said, “I love walking the same halls with my own children as my husband and I did during our high school years.” Time has marked many changes for these alums. Barbara Brantley (1968) graduated with just 127 students and did all of her work on a typewriter. Thompson High was in the Sixth Grade Center building. McCray (1967) used to get her Christmas trees from the land where the Ninth Grade Building now stands. Sue Dennis lived on Valleydale Road; if her parents had to call the school, it was long-distance. Carla Ragland (1992) was in the first class to go all the way through the current building. “We had so much pride and appreciation for our facilities,” she said. Traci McGee (1992) also remembers the sense of pride the students felt about the facilities. McGee said, “I am looking forward to new students getting to experience the same feeling when we build our new school in the next few years.” Even recent graduates recognize differences. Rusty Cowley (2008) remembers the days when an untucked shirt would get you written up, and just looking at a text during class was enough to have your phone taken. The 400 and ninth grade buildings didn’t exist, and Myles said the back parking lot was “a big hill with grass and trees.” Heather Myles (2005) had her Prom in the THS lobby and her graduation at the football stadium. June 2-6 - Warrior Volleyball Camp (girls ages 6-14) But, even with all of these changes, Wooten says it’s still June 23-26 - Basketball Camp (girls and boys 5-14) very much the same “at its core.” July 26-27 - Student Activity Card Sales – (Preferred And McCray, who takes pride in singing her Alma parking and Lockers) Mater at every event said, “I cannot even imagine teaching July 28-29 - Registration anywhere else.” For these alumni, every day – past, present and future – is Visit ths.alabasterschools.org for more information on “a Great Day to be a Warrior.” these dates.
UPCOMING DATES
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THOMPSON HIGH SCHOOL DESTINATION IMAGINATION Team work and problem-solving is at the core of Thompson High’s Destination Imagination (DI) team. Through this educational program, student teams “solve open-ended Challenges and present their solutions at tournaments.” Thompson’s team is one of the best in the state. According to sponsor Tym Davis, DI Alabama is separated into two districts: Central and Northern. The team from THS participated in the Central District tournament with other teams from the area like Oak Mountain, Shades Crest and Calera. The Improvisational Team – Amy Barber, Lydia Clarke, Jarod Davis, Iris Garcia, Sarah Jones and Makayla Williams – placed First in the High School Division of their challenge. The Service Challenge Team – Michael Oglesby and Hannah Kiester – also placed First in their challenge. The Structural Building Team – Joey Bennett, Carlos Garza and Jasmine Smith – placed Second in their challenge. The three teams competed at the State Level at the University of Alabama at Huntsville on April 12. The Improvisational Challenge and Structural Challenge teams both placed third in their categories. The Service Challenge team won first place and the honor of going to the Global Competition later this month.
CHAMPIONS OF TODAY; CHAMPIONS OF OUR FUTURE • • • • • •
Girls Varsity Basketball Team – Area Champions Track Team – Shelby County Champions THS Majorettes – Alabama State Champions Wrestling – Four-time State Champions THS TV –All-Alabama Award: Best in State On Tuesday, March 18, over 200 students were inducted into Honor Societies including French Honor Society, National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, Quill and Scroll, Spanish Honor Society and Thespians
ALL ALABAMA AWARD
The THS TV staff was named as one of the top high school broadcast programs in the state, bringing home the All Alabama Award for excellence in scholastic journalism and 28 individual awards from the state convention. Senior Sarah Singleterry was named as the Alabama Broadcasters Association Journalist of the Year.
MAJORETTES WIN BEST IN THE STATE
THS Majorettes are Best in the State, according to a recent statewide competition. Emily Patterson placed first in the state and Amber Blackerby won second place in individual competitions, and the team was named the 2014 Alabama High School Majorette Champs. The Majorettes are sponsored by Zandra Morris.
SPOTLIGHT STUDENTS
The Spotlight Student program recognizes students for being a part of “the Thompson Difference”. Students are nominated by teachers for helping out in the classroom, being supportive of peers and other demonstrations of character. Teachers then vote on two members from each grade to be recognized as the Spotlight Student of the Week. (Pictured – some of the January and February Nominees and Winners at the “donut party” held in their honor)
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1953 Municipal Way Suite 200 Alabaster, AL 35007 (205) 663-8400
UPCOMING ACS EVENTS JULY
July 4 - Independence Day Observed (Schools & Offices Closed) July 7-11 - Alabama High School Graduation Exams July 7-Aug 6 - MVES Registration 8-11 a.m. and 1-3 p.m. July 8 - TSGC Registration 9 -11 a.m. and 1 -3 p.m. July 10 - TSGC Registration 9 -11 a.m. and 1 -3 p.m. July 15 - TSGC Registration 9 -11 a.m. and 1 -3 p.m. July 17 - TSGC Registration 9 -11 a.m. and 1 -3 p.m. July 22 - TSGC Registration 9 -11 a.m. and 1 -3 p.m. July 22 - MVES Registration 3-7 p.m. July 24 - TSGC Registration 9 -11 a.m. and 1 -3 p.m. July 24 - MVES Registration 3-7 p.m. July 26-27 - THS Student Activity Card Sales – (Preferred parking and Lockers) July 28 - TMS Registration 9 -12 p.m. and 3 -6 p.m. July 28-29 - THS Registration July 29 - TIS Registration 7-11 a.m. and 3-7 p.m. July 30 - CVE Registration for students that are pre-registered 7-11 a.m. and 3-7 p.m. July 30-Aug 1 - New Teacher Orientation July 31 - TSGC Schedule Pick-up
AUGUST
August 4 - Local Professional Development (No Students) August 5 - Institute/System Professional Development (No Students) August 6 - Teacher Workday (No Students) August 7 - 1st Semester Begins, Full Day for Students Visit www.alabasterschools.org for more information on these dates.