New intermediate school administrative team gets things rolling

New Warm Springs Intermediate School Principal Dudley Cable is at the school’s helm this year. Cable has served as the school’s assistant principal since the 2008-2009 school year. He was assistant principal at Widmyer Elementary in 2007-2008.

Cable taught for six years in Denver, Colorado and was a chef for 19 years prior to that. Cable said he did a lot of teaching as a chef and that teaching school was a natural transition for him.

Cable said that things have been going fine since school started. It’s a different view for him now as he sits in the principal’s chair than he had as assistant principal for four years. Not much has changed except for his approach to things.

New assistant principal
New intermediate school Assistant Principal Rebecca Miller-Gray was a special education teacher in Berkeley County for seven years. She worked as a Morgan County Schools central office special education specialist for 13 months previously.

Miller-Gray said she is thrilled to be at the school. She had wanted to be a school administrator for years.
Cable challenged each kid to personally introduce themselves to Miller-Gray. They taught students how to make introductions, shake hands, look someone in the eye and welcome them.

Kids received blue patriot dollars for their introductions, Cable said. The classes with the highest patriot dollar amounts got to play multiplication kickball, spelling kickball and other activities with Miller-Gray.
Cable said they explained to students about former Principal Joyce Ott’s new role as Transportation/Safety Director for the schools and that “she’s still helping us and cares for us.”

Both Cable and Miller-Gray spend a lot of time with kids before and after-school, at lunch, in the hallways and during fifth grade special class changes.

Celebrating AYP
The intermediate school made adequate yearly progress (AYP) last year for the first time in seven years since the school opened, Cable said. When he told staff that they had achieved it, they cheered, he said.

They want to continue their support for personalized learning efforts and are looking at what academic, behavioral and social skills each individual child needs to be successful, he said.

Agricultural theme
Nutrition is a big emphasis. The intermediate school joined the Morgan County Farm to School movement and is working on an agricultural theme for the school. Lettuce that kids just planted in their school garden just came up, Cable said.

Cable is considering putting up a greenhouse at the school. He also wants to create a mandala garden in the front circle of the school where each class would design their colors of annual flowers in their spoke of the wheel.

He wants to build a school community and “make it a happy place to be, an enjoyable environment.”

Cable thought staff came back in a positive mood. Some are taking on leadership roles with the Sardine Club, busing, Engrade (used now instead of Edline) and the parent-teacher council.

Sharing duties
Cable handles more ongoing, umbrella situations along with school buildings and grounds issues and attendance.

Miller-Gray deals with day-to-day things and is the first one to see parents about problems. Cable steps in later if things aren’t resolved. She also handles discipline with Cable’s assistance. They share staff supervision and other duties.

Focus
Cable would like to see parent involvement increase and the parent-teacher council revitalized.
“Research shows when parents are involved in school that kids do better,” he said.

They need to continue academic growth with teaching across the curriculum, entwining math and science with other subjects and working on specific student skills.

The school has over 20 Morgan County Read Aloud program volunteers. Their Watchdog program had more than 200 people at the school for a pizza night, mostly men and kids. The program is designed to encourage male role models to work with the kids, Cable said.

Cable wants to continue working “to make it a great place to be.”

“Mr. Cable and the staff have a really exciting vision for the school. I’m really proud and excited to be here to help make it happen,” Miller-Gray said.