Futral Alabama

dant in the area.

speaker for the luncheon to remind everyone water is crucial to Wetumpka.

Principal Of The Year

Creeks, streams, rivers and lakes are all across Alabama.

schoolwide assembly at Holtville High School. Elmore County Superintendent Richard Dennis was in attendance for the presentation.

In Wetumpka they can’t be missed.

“You can throw a cat from the backyard and it will land in water,” Wetumpka Area Chamber of Commerce executive director Shellie Whitfield said at the chamber’s summer luncheon.

“Kyle Futral is an exceptional principal and is very proactive and innovative in his thinking and approaches to managing his school,” Dennis said,

As principal of Holtville High School, Futral has transformed

Whitfield used the fact that water is such an important part of life in Elmore County to plan a theme and the school culture from that of a school struggling with low morale, achievement and attendance to a school that strives for excellence. By collaborating with staff, many of the school’s issues were identified and addressed. Futral’s leadership style of listening, encouraging, supporting, organizing and challenging the staff and students, caused the school culture to

“On Saturdays, just look at Coosa River Adventure,” Whitfield said. “The parking lot is full.”

To help explain what activities are available on and near water in Alabama and the history of hydroelectric power in the region, Whitfield invited Lee Townsend of Alabama Power Company’s Shoreline Management Group. Townsend remarked about how the Coosa River, Lake Jordan and the streams and creeks are abun- shift in a positive direction. The school experienced a 62 percent decrease in discipline referrals, 50 percent decrease in chronic absenteeism, 7 percent increase in the graduation rate, 33 percent increase in CCR rate and a 20 percent increase in ACT proficiency in the last five years.

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PRINCIPAL

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“Every beautiful city seems to have a river running through it,” Townsend said. “You are blessed. The festivals and events you have usually have something to do with the water.”

Townsend said all of Alabama has abundant water resources that can be used for many things.

“We are very blessed,” Townsend said. “We just have so many more rivers than surrounding states. Some-