Dear Editor,

 

Selma City School Board of Education members Henry Hicks Sr., Brenda Obomanu and Frank Chestnut Jr. are commended for achieving Level Two Certification in the Alabama Association of School Boards’ School Board Member Academy during the 2011-2012 academic year, which ended June 30. We applaud their commitment to school board service demonstrated by their participation.

The mission of the Alabama Association of School Boards is to develop excellent school board leaders through quality training, advocacy and service. However, the Selma City School Board aims to provide a quality public educational curriculum for the schoolchildren of Selma.

The Selma City School Board is responsible for the employment of personnel, adoption of an annual operating budget, establishing school district policies, approval of curriculum and the planning and construction of all capital projects. The collaborative effort of the school board, superintendent, principals, teachers and support staff has made it possible for the Selma City Schools to emerge as the “Education Mecca of the Black Belt”.

Moreover, the school system’s employees have earned outstanding achievements.

Cheryl Anita Randolph, guidance counselor, Payne Elementary School and Sophia P. Kingston Elementary, recently met the standards and gained the status of a National Board Certified Teacher.  The Selma native and Alabama A&M University’s graduate, now becomes a member of the elite group of nationally certified teachers in the Selma City School System. Randolph began her professional career as a classroom teacher in Selma City Schools.

Lesia Safford James, library instructional assistant at Selma High School, was honored with a plaque by AAMU’s Office of Admission for support of AAMU and students of Selma High School. James is a Selma High School graduate with an Associate of Arts degree from Wallace Community College Selma.

Sadarry Bennett, executive secretary to the superintendent of Selma City Schools, successfully completed the Alabama Association of School Business Officials Payroll Personnel Certification Program. She will receive a graduation plaque at the organization’s annual conference to be held in May 2013 in Orange Beach. Bennett completed her secondary education at Alabama Lutheran Academy, and attended Wallace Community College Selma and Concordia College in Selma.

Selma High School Principal Wanda Jean Lomax-McCall was the education recipient of the inaugural City of Selma Golden Bridge Builders Awards 2012 held at the George Patrick Evans Reception Center in Selma, Alabama on Saturday, Dec. 8. This award honors those who have shared their wisdom, passions, talents and professional skills to uplift our community. Principal McCall is a Birmingham native who graduated from Ramsey High School in 1972. She obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Special Education from Alabama A&M University in 1976. McCall has teaching experience in both the Wilcox County School System and Selma City Schools.

The school system demonstrated a good performance. The Alabama State Department of Education completed its comprehensive review of the Selma City Schools on Wednesday, Nov. 28. The performance rating is largely due to the dedication and expertise of all the school system’s employees.  The instructional staff is commended for their daily scholarly effort. If we do not allow ourselves to become derailed, the Selma City School System is on track of becoming a “world-class” school district.

 

Gerald Shirley

Selma City Schools Superintendent