There are only four new educators throughout the Carmi-White County Unit 5 District. As Superintendent Jarrod Newell puts it, that’s a good thing. It means the district is retaining its teachers. Newell, most of the individual building administrators, and the four new educators were on hand at Kiwanis Thursday in Carmi. Newell calls it an honor and privilege to watch kids grow. He says he knows he’s getting older watching as former students are becoming more prevalent in the community as he sees them working in businesses and even co-workers are now former students.
Everywhere I go, I’m reminded of the blessing that we have as educators to have the opportunity to share in that growth.
Newell also shared an anecdote demonstrating that as well as how community pride and purpose often start with youngsters.
Last year, we have a Bulldog flag that hangs in front of the unit office and the wind will often wrap it around the pole. I haven’t taken the time to figure out a good way to keep that from happening. Toward the end of last year, I noticed that I wasn’t having to fix the flag anymore and I couldn’t figure out why. At some point, we noticed there was a preschool student who while waiting in the mornings was going over and fixing the flag. That student has now moved on over to Lincoln. Today was the first day since we’ve been in school there was any wind and the flag was messed up. And I thought, oh I’m going to have to start fixing the flag again. But it was a reminder of how sweet that was for that student to do that and then to get to go over to Lincoln and watch them continue to grow. It’s an honor and a privilege.
New educators this year include Hannah Riley who joins the district as a Kindergarten teacher at Lincoln. Mrs. Lacey Moore has no new certified staff but did note Jefferson has welcomed 3 new support staff. Todd Haley said he and Mr. Bart King are off to a great start at the Junior and Senior High campus. King welcomes 3 new educators including Grace Glaser as an Ag teacher, Rachel Mcgarrh as a special education teacher, and hometown girl Tabitha Mick who joins the staff as an English/Language Arts teacher.
If numbers are your thing, Unit 5 boasts a staff member for every 5.25 students with 234 total staff and about 1,230 kids making up the student body. That’s down about 50 students in total from last year. The school district operates on a $20 million dollar budget and the sales tax has helped generate more than $6 million since July of 2018. A third of that has gone to help offset and pay down outstanding bonds.
Next week at Kiwanis, members will hear from new Carmi-White County Golf Coach, Jeremy Jordan.