George Washington Elementary School fourth grade student ambassadors were recognized during a meeting last week of the Durant Board of Education.
GW Principal Valerie Crabtree said the ambassadors were the first class of students when the new school opened.
“They started out as kindergartners and now they’re in the fourth grade, but we started this program five years ago where we wanted to really focus on leadership, attributes and characteristics, and so what we do is every fall and spring, we have the fourth grade teachers along with Ms. (Vicki) Woody and I, my assistant principal and we choose students who display really good character traits and leadership traits and so these are our fall student ambassadors,” Crabtree said.
The ambassadors are Julian Mullens, Keach Lovelace, Victor Alvarez, Emmy Rangel, Cain Coxsey, Jude Campo, Luke Ringels, Amoy Turner, Harmony Redfern, Skylar Manning and Ava Britton.
“We’ll be examples for the younger kids and really greeting people in the entrance,” Alvarez said.
Crabtree said the school has a welcoming team each day.
“The kids come a little early and so they stand in the hallway and help kindergartners or first graders or any teachers that come in that may need a helping hand,” Crabtree said. “They are also going to be working with our special education teachers as mentors to the students in their classrooms and then also new students that come to our building. They’ll give tours to those students.
“But it’s a way for them to kind of use those leadership skills and be role models at our school and we’re going to talk a lot this fall about being servant leaders where we really serve the people that are younger than us or serve our friends and work on those leadership skills. We’re very excited and we’re really proud of these students and proud of their leadership and we look forward to kind of serving the people in our building.”
Superintendent Mark Moring said, “I’m glad you guys welcome new students into the building because it’s hard being a new student, so it’s nice to have a welcoming face for those kids.“ The board accepted the following resignations: Mary Ellen Mayers, English instructor at DHS; Anna Carey, kindergarten teacher at WI; Kylee Schreier, special education teacher assistant at NWH; Hanna Ham, special education teacher assistant at NWH; Kymberly Berry, special education teacher assistant at GW; Breanna Keeler-Sneed, special education teacher assistant at GW; Megan Richardson, special education teacher assistant at WI, and Kasi Farmer, nurse assistant at REL.
The board approved the following employments: Brooke Davis, kindergarten teacher at WI; Alex Lehr, special education teacher assistant at DMS; Lexi Leflore, special education teacher assistant at GW; Candace Wright, special education teacher assistant at WI; Avery Gregg, special education teacher assistant at WI; Sheila Cox, special education teacher assistant at NWH; Matthew Argo, maintenance employee, and Helen Thiessen, transporation employee.
