Susan West Named Teacher of the Month at DeKalb West School

December 19, 2018
By: Bill Conger

DeKalb West School has selected first grade teacher Susan West as its Teacher of the Month for December.

“Being named teacher of the month was a big surprise,” Mrs. West said. “It’s always nice to get a pat on the back.”

“Mrs. West is a hard worker,” Principal Sabrina Farler said. “She is a great team player and always finds the best in each of her students.”

Mrs. West is in her tenth year teaching at DWS. She taught second grade her first two years before moving to the first grade classroom where she has continued.

“My favorite part of teaching is seeing the “ah ha” moments and gratification from a chance to make a little difference,” she says.

Born and raised in Georgia, Mrs. West met her husband, Randy, while in college, and they married after graduation. For a while, they were quite mobile because of his duties in the military.

“We settled down in Tennessee because we have family here and have always loved it,” she said.

The couple has three children and three grandchildren.

“She is a wonderful person and teacher,” says Coach and P.E. Teacher Kelly Pyburn. “She always has a kind smile and a soft voice.”

Mrs. West always has a smile and a cheerful word,” says 7^th grade teacher Vicki Wilson “Working with her in the after school program, I am impressed with her unlimited patience with our younger students.”

December 19, 2018
By: Bill Conger

Sixth graders at DeKalb West School recently graduated from the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department D.A.R.E (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program. It’s the first time the drug prevention course has been taught to sixth grade students. They missed participating last year because the D.A.R.E. instructor left last December and a replacement couldn’t be trained in time.

“I was torn up this class of students was going to miss the DARE program,” says Sheriff Patrick Ray. “. I then and there made a promise to myself that I would somehow, someway, make the DARE class up to them.”

School Resource Officer Deputy Lewis Carrick became the new DARE instructor and received his formal training for the course this past summer. At the sheriff’s request, Officer Carrick asked the principals at D.W.S. and DeKalb Middle School if this year’s sixth grade classes could be taught.

“This is how much I believe in educating students about drugs and other important topics that the DARE program is about,” Sheriff Ray said.

“It is a wonderful opportunity to build resourceful bridges and character affording our young people to challenge themselves to grow through their own life experiences, while becoming safe responsible students of our school system and community,” Officer Carrick said. “The DARE program is a wonderful starting point not just to promote drug abuse resistance training, but also a great module to enhance life skills through encouraging educational conversation.”

In addition to DWS, Officer Carrick is teaching the DARE program to 6^th graders at DMS and to 5^th graders at Northside Elementary School and DWS.

“The opportunity to become a DARE instructor is a great honor and privilege,” Officer Carrick says. “Past experiences working in supervisory roles concerning law enforcement have helped paved the way for me attending a variety of important educational schools, which have empowered me with the necessary training to be equipped to the very best of my ability to teach. I have been blessed to have shared in the experiences, which have positively shaped and molded my life in order for me to become the person I am today. I have had many wonderful people along the way who have made sacrifices teaching and instructing me not only in my career, but also in life. My hope is that I can impact our students to grow every day to be the best that they can be and to realize that they have choices and to be willing to make safe responsible decisions as they reach out beyond where they are comfortable and dream big.”

“I believe Deputy Carrick is doing a great job and is enjoying his first year of teaching DARE. I want to thank the Director of Schools, Patrick Cripps, the DeKalb County Board of Education, and the principals and staff at our schools for working with us this and every year with the DARE program.”

The following students are in the 6^th grade class at DeKalb West: (From Jessica Antoniak’s homeroom) Joe Ashford, Grant Buterbaugh, Ava Cantrell, Thomas Damron, Chloe Dies, Caleb Finocchiaro, Lauren Fry, Rebecca Gingerich, Christian Hale, Caleb Lawson, Kenson Moss, Allie Overstreet, Bradley Pelham, Delia Quintero, Hailey Redmon, Noah Shoffner, Bryson Stanley, Jonathan Stanley, and Cheyenne Young;  (From Tammy Payne’s homeroom) Owen Coffee, Caroline Crook, Elijah Davis, Jourdyn Dolton, Tryton Hartle, Alexis Haugh, Tyler Jackson, Wesley Kent, Cole McMillen, Haley Murphy, Bryna Pelham, Andrew Shahan, Sadie Strawser, Jordyn Turbeville, Petyon Tyree, Danny VanDyne, and Emily Young.

December 18, 2018
By: Dwayne Page

Somewhere in our community right now kids are going hungry.

For many, the toughest times are during the holidays when they are not at school for free meals. To make sure those children have nutritious meals through the holidays, the DeKalb County Coordinated School Health Program is delivering boxes of food to 84 families this week serving 203 students from pre kindergarten to the 12^th grade. It’s an extension of the Backpack Program in which those same students are provided food to take home once a week to get them through the weekends.

“Approximately 6% of our student population goes hungry on a regular basis, with meals provided at school being their main source of food. Every weekend the students we serve get a bag of food to take home from school, usually about eight to ten items but for the holidays we try to put more hearty things in the boxes (perishables including fruits and vegetables in addition to canned goods) where they can have a Christmas meal and we deliver it directly to their homes, ” said Elise Driver, Director of the Coordinated School Health Program.

“We have been packing boxes this week to make the Christmas deliveries. This is the third year that we have delivered a box of food for every family on our backpack list. There are 84 boxes this year serving 203 students,” said Driver.

Four teams fanned out in the community Monday and Tuesday to make the deliveries directly to the homes of families being served.

“This is my first year doing this but it has really been rewarding to see how everybody has reacted to getting it (food boxes). These people are really thankful for it and all of the hard work we put into it really shows and has paid off,” said Martha Taylor, assistant to Driver.

“The amount of time and work that Elise and Martha have committed, not only to our schools but our community, is unbelievable and we appreciate everything they do for our students and all their hard work. I also appreciate our staff for going out and helping us deliver these meals. Anything that we can do to hopefully add a little cheer and help out families during the holidays is our desire and we want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas from the central office and the Board of Education,” said Director of Schools Patrick Cripps.

The Backpack program is ongoing throughout the school year supported strictly by community donations and grant funding. If you would like to contribute a donation of cash or food to the program contact Elise Driver at 615-215-2118.

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