Superintendent Heath E. Morrison roused crowds early Tuesday morning for the second day of New Teacher Orientation. He told them that the district is adamant about hiring the “very best” and they should be proud that CMS chose them to work in the school system. For new teachers, that confirmation was all they needed to help calm their nervousness.
Ben Anderson, a fifth-grade teacher at Albemarle Road Elementary, said he had mixed emotions about the first day of school. He was nervous about meeting the students, but excited to begin teaching.
“There’s a lot of paperwork and procedures to go through, but nothing will be better than teaching in front of the classroom. Meeting the kids, that’s what I am looking forward to the most.”
Dr. Morrison spoke about the four keys to obtaining success in the classroom – passion, honor of the profession, productivity and he asked teachers not to try to be perfect, but to be innovative.
“We have been hired to change lives,” said Morrison. “It’s not just about increasing the graduation rates, but to fully equip students to do whatever they decide to do after graduation.
“I hope you jump out of bed everyday … and you start to ask, ‘What am I going to do for kids today?’ That’s the kind of passion you need for teaching.”
Approximately 600 teachers attended the orientations held at Ridge Road Middle for elementary and Pre-K teachers and at Mallard Creek High for middle and high school teachers. At Ridge Road Middle, Morrison spoke to nearly 300 teachers who walked away with a sense of excitement from Morrison’s orientation address.
Tonia Ashford, a second-grade teacher at University Park Creative Arts Elementary, echoed Morrison’s motto: “Every Child. Every Day. For a Better Tomorrow.”
“I want to reach every child. One method of teaching does not work for every child, so I plan to use alternate ways to make sure each child learns,” said Ashford.
The three-day orientation will continue through Aug. 15. Teachers will learn about developing lesson plans, Common Core and essential standards, and participate in curriculum sessions.
