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CCHS principal says communication the key with parents
"…We always encourage parentteacher conferences," said the CCHS principal, "and we will let the teacher explain actually what happened. Nine times out of 10, the parent will say 'my child didn't tell me that.' The child will only go home and tell just half of the story. "Most parents just want to be heard. It's all about communication…. You've got to be able to listen." Dennis is in her ninth year as principal at CCHS. "Overall, the parents' support has been great," she said. "The students are very well mannered. I couldn't ask for a better group of students to work with. We don't have major discipline problems….We have your everyday flex of problems, (however)….Our students are very well behaved. "Whenever our students go to any event, people always write or call us or make comments to the sponsors on how well behaved our students are. I am very proud of our students." Dennis contributed that to how the parents raised the children, and "we set standards for the students to abide by. I remind them of things that I expect from them at the beginning of the school year…and on a daily basis." The principal was proud to report that the school Parenting Day last year had one of the largest turnouts ever. It was a fair-style event where teachers set up stations in the gym. "We will probably try that same setup again," she said. "We got a lot of positive comments. "…I don't have as much parental support as I would like. It seems as though a student gets in high school, parents don't get involved." A quarterly news bulletin is sent out to parents, she said. Raised in Thomasville and a Thomasville High graduate, Dennis earned her undergraduate degree at Alabama A&M in Huntsville. She earned another degree from Alabama State and received certification from the University of Alabama. "This is the only place I've ever worked," Dennis said of CCHS. She advanced from a special education classroom teacher to assistant principal and then principal. It is a long time to be at one school, but "this is a job I really love doing….Now, I'm in charge of the children of students who I taught when I was in the classroom." There are approximately 423 students to begin the 2007-2008 school year, up from 409 last year. Technology has been one of the major changes in Dennis' 29 years at CCHS. The school has one major computer lab, and the vocational department has a computer lab. When the school's new $5.2 million campus is opened in January 2008, there will be three computer labs, Dennis said. Along with 17 new classrooms, lunchroom and band room, there will also be two science labs and a media center. The new CCHS campus will also feature a distance learning lab, which includes courses from Auburn University. "If anybody needs a course that we can't offer them with their regular schedule, then we will make provisions for them to get that through the distance learning program. I am very excited about that." How do extracurricular activities interact with academics? "It is understood here at Clarke County High School that our number one priority is academics - first," she said. "After academics, everything else falls into place. You cannot take part in extracurricular activities if you are not exceeding in academics. …Right now, we even have some senior athletes who have not passed the Alabama High School Graduation Exam. The coaching staff for football and even volleyball are working with us where we actually do remediation for those students before they go to practice in the afternoon. Academics is my number one priority," Dennis said. "I stress that every day." Students in grade 10 are usually the first to take parts of the state graduation exam, however, Dennis said her staff would begin this school year working with ninth graders. "It's going to be an ongoing thing for us," she said.
In addition, the staff at CCHS is not just teaching to the test. With block scheduling and 96 minutes in each block, "within that time frame you are able to offer a variety of activities." CCHS students receive a well-rounded emersion in a particular subject. "The teacher is able to incorporate a variety of lessons. They don't have to stand there and focus on just one thing."
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