Published: August 23, 2008 04:41 pm            

Monte Prichett:Another year at Cleburne High is upon us

Can you believe it; the 2008-09 school year is upon us. Where did the summer go? It certainly flew by for me, and I know it flew by for a lot of others. The other thing I know is the Class of ’09 is excited about this school year, and the Class of 2012 hopes the next four years fly.

We have had many groups already getting back into the swing of things this school year.

The Golden Pride Band, under the direction of Jason Jones, has been at it for a good solid two weeks. We have been serenaded by many sections of the band practicing on their instruments and have witnessed the color guard twirl many a flag in the commons area getting ready for their marching season.

The boys and girls cross-country teams have been running, and running, and running for many days in preparation for their season. As I have driven in to work these past couple of weeks I have seen them out and about running the streets of Cleburne in the cooler weather. Coach Randy Allen and Coach Casey Harris coach the girls and boys teams respectively. Their first meet was Aug. 22 at Southwest Christian. They are making preparations for the district meet, which will be held here in Cleburne, the last of October.

The Yellow Jacket football teams have been hard at it for two weeks, and Coach Phil Young is excited about the upcoming season. The weather has not cooperated much with them as the rain has made the going a little sloppy. Their first scrimmage was Friday against Brewer, and they will open up against South Hills on the road, Sept. 5.

Coach Floyd Roger’s volleyball team has played a couple of matches, and we have had a good turnout at the gym in support of the teams.

Another group that has been working hard has been the Yellow Jacket cheerleaders, led by their sponsor Amber White. They have been practicing practically all summer, it seems like, and they will be ready to lead the cheers at the “Rock” and on the road this fall in support of the Yellow Jackets.

And last but not least, the Jacket Dancers have been hard at it preparing to entertain all of you during the halftime of games. This year the sponsor for the Jacket Dancers is Sally Maxey.

If we counted all of those groups who were already practicing, we would have several hundred students already starting off a great school year for CHS. We are a high activity school. Our students are involved in many activities, and this helps make them well-rounded students and will contribute to their having success in life.

New teachers to CISD reported to work Aug. 8, and returning teachers came to work the following Monday, and for the past two weeks all faculty and staff have been preparing for this school year.

We have had many in-service programs to help with instruction for the teachers, and they have had time to prepare as departments and in content areas, which will help with instruction in the classroom.

The teaching staff here at CHS puts in many hours so they can be prepared to give the best instruction for our students. This past year Cleburne High School just missed being a Recognized Campus. We are getting closer to that goal of being a Recognized campus, but close only counts in horseshoes, unfortunately. There are no rewards for being close. But we will get there and beyond if we continue to always try and improve our abilities as teachers and administrators. It is truly a team effort.

For us to improve on the accountability ratings set forth by the state, we also need the students to always do their best. And that is where the parents can come in. Studies show that parents who take an active role in their children’s education see their academic success also affected for the better.

Here are some tips for parents who want to see their children have success in school.

As a parent, care about your child’s education and let it show. Make reading a family matter. Take an interest in your child’s thinking. Model learning. Create space and a mood for homework. Monitor your child’s homework. Support teachers.

Those are just a few tips, and I will gladly share with you ways you can go about doing some of that if you are interested. We as educators truly value your opinion as parents and are here to help you in any way we can to help you meet the educational needs of your child. Please feel free to contact your children’s teachers at any time. The administrative team at the high school is available to help you in any way. We must work together as a team to educate our students.

School starts Monday. Students have already registered, and when they come into the building they need to go pick up their schedules. There will be stations set up in the commons area, manned by our student council, who will have the schedules.

What each student will need to do is find the alphabetical area that corresponds with their last name and get their schedule. When the bell rings at 8:30 a.m., the students will then go to their first period class, and of course they will have a smile on their face and be anxious to learn as much as they can.

During that first week we want our students to understand procedures and just how we do things at the high school. Once we get procedures down, then we can get down to the business of learning. I want to make sure that all of our students know the dress code and follow it. It is online at the CHS Web site if there are any questions, but there have been no changes from last year. In fact very little has been changed in the area of the handbook. Probably the biggest change is it will be available online and unless you request one, that is where you will be able to find it.

For the parents of freshmen, it is all going to be okay. I know you are concerned about sending your little baby darlings to CHS, but I make this promise to you, we will take care of them, and it will all work out. Just make sure when you drop them off at school, give ’em a hug, give ’em a kiss good-bye, tell ’em you love them and you will see them at the end of the day, and we will do the our best to give them the best education we can.

All our students are looking for that “Ticket to Success.” That ticket is their diploma. With that diploma, they can dream, they can believe and they will achieve.

Go Jackets!



Monte Pritchett is the principal of Cleburne High School.

        

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