Notes from the Smackover-Norphlet superintendent
At the beginning of the school year, parents will meet the people who will have the most influence on their children outside of their home for the next school year – a child’s teachers. These teachers will spend 178 days together with a strong commitment to the success of every student in their classroom. The impact of a teacher’s influence will be felt by a child’s parents, grandparents and friends.
Our hardworking teachers have been attending professional development throughout the summer to become more effective teachers and provide even higher-quality instruction. They have spent countless hours reviewing their students’ test scores to learn everything about your child’s strengths and weaknesses. They have worked long into the evening creating an atmosphere in their classroom that is warm and welcoming to your children and to you because, in reality, teachers want you, as parents, to feel just as welcome in their classrooms as your children feel.
So at the beginning of this school year, I want to honor and thank all of the teachers who have made the commitment to provide the highest quality education to the students in the Smackover-Norphlet School District. No other people will impact your child’s life more … not the principal, not the superintendent. As superintendent, I am dedicated to ensuring that the responsibility of every other employee in the school district is supporting teachers so that teachers can spend more time focused on what matters most – student learning.
• To the cafeteria workers who support the teachers by making sure that all of the students are fed a nutritious meal, we thank you.
• To the nurses who support the teachers by ensuring that students are healthy and able to learn, we thank you.
• To the administrative assistants who support the teachers by taking care of the clerical needs of the school, we thank you.
• To the paraprofessionals who support the teachers by providing interventions or attending to the needs of special students, we thank you.
• To the counselors who support the teachers by advising students and supporting the mental health needs of students, we thank you.
• To the bus drivers who support the teachers by bringing the students safely to and from school each day, we thank you.
• To the maintenance and janitorial staff who support the teachers by keeping the facilities clean and in working order, we thank you.
• To the administrators who support the teachers by protecting instructional time and ensuring that the school operates in a safe and orderly manner, we thank you.
• To the community and industry partners who support the teachers through mentoring students and providing financial support, we thank you.
• To the parents who support the teacher by serving as a member of a team dedicated to the success of your child, we thank you.
We welcome all of our students and their families to the beginning of the 2018-2019 school year. May it be an exciting, challenging, and rewarding year for all!