Don’t hate me, but as I started to write, Barry Manilow’s “Looks Like We Made It” is what I started to sing…

For those of you that haven’t heard me singing around the building– I guess it’s just gonna be one of those years! (At least this time it wasn’t a song I made up to the tune of “Fara Jaca”.)

The actual point of this post is to congratulate the best faculty in the UNIVERSE on a great start to what will prove to be the year of the WARRIOR!!!

Thank you to everyone who has made it happen:

Angel Cox for the chips and hot sauce on the first day! Way to go Hotties…

Donna Wyckoff for ALWAYS stopping what she does to fix everyone’s issues!

Linda Houston and Margaret Willoughby for taking part of the load off of the 6th grade teachers and picking up a Science and Math class.

Kathy Anderton for helping her Science cohort get ready for the first week of school.

Jennifer Norsworthy for running all those copies for everyone and for always helping out where we need her!

Chris Urquhart for scheduling and scheduling and more scheduling.

My soon to be interns: Joe Ward, Todd Tolbert, Van Ratsaphangthong, Travis Kidd and Deborah Crook for their patience when they have a “deadline” and I’m busy or distracted.

Carole Dyska for helping us in a time of crisis, remaining patient and always taking on the challenge!

Claudia Wilson for keeping me sharp and allowing me to help, offering advice and taking in the “outcast”.

Joe Ward and Tracy McCrary for handling the construction matters.

All the coaches for remaining calm and professional in athletic area crisis.

Gina Bergman and Deanna Boyd for being the 1st to call ALL their parents.

All of you for taking on the challenge of positive parent contact the first week of school.

Heather Blum and Elizabeth Cumbie for volunteering STUCO to do the “hat drive for Cancer”.

Michaela Gair for tackling the school supplies with such diligence and patience!

Zach Webb for handling books and keys and please please please with ease.

Thalia Ross (a.k.a. TaNayNay) for jumping in and helping in with all the registration paperwork and office mayhem.

Kathy Cushing for holding this ship afloat and getting everything we need and use to make it happen.

Karen Allen, Angelique Robison, Stephanie Roe and Eric Townsend for ignoring the noise outside and trekking on.

Christina Hunt for her ever after presence in every place we have!!

Travis Kidd and Karen Allen for helping the “newbies”. AND everyone else who helps those new to the building.

Kathy Sanderson for staying positive and keeping her chin up when the fire marshall took away her livelihood.

J Zamora, Ryan Cantrell, Wesley Poston and Michael Miller for not crying or quiting. Way to SMILE SMILE SMILE as you embark on a new profession.

Amy Allibon, Don Zolidis and Donna Herndon for joining our family with ease and jumping right in to the Warrior Way.

Diane Kissel and Kay Pratt for taking care of all the special education paperwork.

Lynn Breitinger for heading up the PTA drive, adding humor to awkward and funny situations.

Laurie Engelby for spilling the beans… She knows!

Thank you for all the sound advice you give, Susan Youngblood. You are a master!

Vanessa Seale, thanks for keeping things running smooth in girl’s athletics. I’m proud of your reputation and the program you run!

Cathy Blum and Ginger Huff for being our armored front and taking care of all that goes and some that doesn’t.

Gail Bailey for the outstanding job on Tracy and Deb’s vow renewal.

Diane Cowell for the cookies to make the first day of school “chipper”.

Suzanne Foxworth for “STAYIN’ Tough!”

For always getting the presentation station “raring” to go, Melanie Robertson.

Congratulations, Julie Pollard, on being the first female teacher to be selected to join the Teacher at Sea Integrated Ocean Drilling Program.

For trying to help me avoid all the “itis’” I have, Heather Blum. Thanks for the tea!

To Amy Gallegos for writing me a fabulous recommendation on things I can do to help our new teachers be successful.

Teresa Hughes, thanks for always having “the hook-up!” We’d be hot without ya. Not smokin’, just meltin’!

Tenille Miles, thanks for your wisdom with the asperger/autistic kiddoes.

Robin Kidd, thanks for dealing with the constant interruptions in a professional manner and for always getting right on top of ARDs and all else to serve the children of WMS quickly and proficiently.

Thank you for making Gifted and Talented fun for the teachers, Cyndi Nyvall. Also for bringing style, fashion and glamour to us!

Inita Steele, you rock at making Art fun and exciting. Thanks for offering all the time you do! I am so excited to see how the club goes.

Arlene, Arlene, Arlene Stotts: it may be hard and the road may be new and bumpy, but you are doing a FABULOUS job, dahling, at turning our transition program into something new.

What wonderful shirts we have on order. Thanks so much for your innovation and drive on this year’s shirts! YEA, Sherri Taylor!

Samantha Perry, thanks for making sure our students and faculty are healthy and prepared for all “emergencies” that may arise.

Mary Hatley, thank you for always having great advice and for not spanking me when I don’t always take it . Thanks for helping make inclusion a success. You and Arlene are troopers!

Thanks for always making me smile and for telling funny jokes (or making them inadvertently, on purpose) Brian Farquhar. You are so funny!

Aja Kash, thanks for joining the WMS staff and for introducing us to new things. You bring a wealth of knowledge.

Thank you for always being upbeat and cheery and for working so hard, Katie Zeier. Also, thanks for always including my kids in things you do!

Cori McCauley, thanks for keeping it real. You crack me up! Keep up the posting… Practice makes perfect!

You are such a welcome addition and I’m glad to have you back! Kim Birkner, hope we don’t make ya crazy!

Karla Pogue, your help with the bathroom is much appreciated. Thanks for always sending me a message when I need it most!

Big Robert, you are the best! Thanks for helping me decorate!

Chris Mafana, thank you for all you do with our special kids. You are kind. caring and compassionate.

So if I forgot anyone who has helped make this a great start… I apologize. We make a great team!!!

GO WARRIORS!!!

What made your week GREAT?

Welcome Back

FIRST – Click on the above Welcome Back for a little musical treat!  You’ll have to click the “back” button to return to this page after you listen…

It is almost time for everyone to return to work! I’ve been back on duty for over three weeks and the rest of the office staff (minus Ginger and Sam) joined me last week. Ironically, none of us were ever there on the same day all together! Meetings, meetings and then more meetings tossed in with a few lunches!

Anyway, before everyone comes back (meaning the teachers and educational assistants), I would like to officially welcome you back and extend an extra special welcome to the newbies of the Warrior Way:

• Ryan Cantrell joins us from corporate America. He will be teaching 6th grade Social Studies, 6th grade Study Skills and 7th/8th grade PE. Ryan is Scott and Cheryl Eager’s nephew.
  
• Donna Herndon joins us from Watauga Elementary. STOLEN! Yea WMS!!! She will be teaching Read 180, 7th grade Math Enrichment and 6th grade ESL.
• Michael Miller joins us from the land of great food and drink. (I’ll let him tell you where as I don’t want y’all stalking him his last week on the job…) He will be teaching 6th grade Math.
• J Zamora joins us from the WMS ISS room. Permanently released! Woo-hoo. He will be teaching 8th grade Math. J is Kathy Sanderson’s son-in-law.
• Don Zolidis joins us from Haltom High School. He will be teaching Theater Arts. He will also be at North Oaks. Don is an acclaimed play writer. We are fortunate to have him! WMS is guaranteed to have a first rate Theater department!

So, this year proves to be fantastic! SO much to do and SO little time. This is how I’m feeling:

EXCITED (listen)

The air is on in the building this week. Feel free to come up and get a head start on your room!