Mrs. Catoe’s Chronicles

Radio playing, phone ringing, copy machine sorting and stapling, fax machine ringing, and receptionist placing her lunch order….Does this sound like a very conducive place for one to take a test?  I don’t think so.  This setting, however, is what happened to me last week when I went to take a test for my Statistics class.  As I sat there listening to all of these surrounding noises, I began to watch the clock tick and became even more frantic that I couldn’t concentrate on the task at hand…which just happened to be a test on which I needed to do well.  I have been working diligently to maintain an A average in this statistics class, but this ONE test alone did me in.  I had inquired to my professor about taking this test early since we were on Spring Break last week.  He obliged, but placed me in a GA’s office to take the test.  With 30 minutes left to concentrate, I politely asked the GA to turn off the radio and commenced to try to complete the test.  When my time was up, I packed up my belongings and left the college…..basically with my tail tucked between my legs. 

As I drove home to begin my Spring Break trip to Williamsburg, VA, and Washington, DC, I pondered our upcoming PACT tests.  What type of setting do we need to provide for our students to do their best work?  Obviously, not the one in which I encountered.  All week long, I thought about this test and was disappointed in my situation.  However, I need to make sure that this type of setting doesn’t occur for students at our school.  Knowing my teachers….this would never happen - whether it was a quiz, Brainpop, or a test.  We just don’t do business that way.  Having students do well and feeling good about themselves are top priorities.  I didn’t do well on the test; I didn’t feel good about myself all week.  Now tomorrow, it’s back to class to face my professor.  I guess - if there is anything good that comes from this experience….it’s a reminder of what SETTING can do for a person when they are being asked to perform and elicit responses from memory in a test situation.  Believe me, I may not remember what a z score or a t score is in 10 years, but I will NEVER forget how I felt when I walked out of the College of Education on March 21.  That is ONE feeling that I hope my students at DME never experience!

I am so proud to announce that our own Mrs. Betsy Long was named the SC Media Specialist of the Year!  And, she is truly so deserving of this honor!  Her Media Center is the instructional hub of our school.  Located in the middle of the building, the windows to the Media Center allow students, parents, teachers, and visitors a view to her world day in and day out.  She is energetic and passionate about literacy.  As a former English teacher, I am enamored by the work that she presents each day.  The lessons - writing, reading, social studies, and science - are integrated in nature and highlighted in the presentation of technology.  She razzles and dazzles us all every day!  I hope that you will help me congratulate her - she is the REAL DEAL, and our students, teachers, and I am blessed to have her share her craft with us each day!

Our school had an Exemplary Writing visit yesterday.  It was a wonderful opportunity for us to showcase how our students learn to write, a subject of which we are all greatly proud.  One of the visitors asked me in our exit interview, “Tell us about your writing journey.”  As I looked over the table of past student writings, I replied, “Here it is….This visit is not something that we have just begun to prepare for this year.  This has truly been a journey!  Over the past five and a half years, students who entered Doby’s Mill as Kindergartners have grown and matured as writers.  Now, they are fifth graders preparing for middle school.  Their success as emerging writers is a testament to how diligent our teachers work to integrate writing into all subject areas and instruction each and every day.”  I was so proud of the teachers and students.  They really presented our school yesterday in a manner which is truly EXEMPLARY.  While we won’t hear any news from our visit until late May, I am so thankful that I have the opportunity to go to work at such a highly energetic and highly effective and wonderfully compassionate school each and every day!

The Techno Dolphins qualified for the state competition by winning the Champion’s Award at Orangeburg-Technical College on February 1.  Then, on February 16, our team competed at Clemson University - we won!  Now, we have been invited to compete in the High Tech Kids International competition at the University of Minnesota on May 1-3.  Our students are very excited about representing our school in this competition; they have already begun to fundraise for this trip.  Lids for Legos, paying $1.00 to wear a hat on Fridays, will begin March 7.  A Lego Robotic Dance with a robot dance competition will be held on March 17 (K-2) and March 19 (3-5).  A hot dog supper will follow both dances at 5:00 p.m.  If you are interested in making a donation to our team, please send them to:
Doby’s Mill Elementary School
1964 Ft. Jackson Road
Lugoff, SC  29078
ATTN:  Robotic Team Competition

We look forward to hearing the great news of their adventures in Minnesota!  As always, thanks in advance for your support of our school and students.  We truly are blessed to have a wonderfully supportive and caring community!

Our Relay for Life team held its annual hot dog sale at the Elgin IGA yesterday.  Wow!  We raised almost $800.00 for a day’s work at selling hot dogs for a cause…to find a cure to cancer.  I truly feel that a cure to this terrible disease is out there somewhere, not too far beyond our reach.  In fact, I believe that one of the children that we teach each day might just be the person who will help to find this cure.  Wouldn’t that be amazing?  My dad always tells me to “go make a difference.”  I charge all of us as educators to continue to “make a difference” each day.  We can help our students reach for the stars and achieve their dreams by setting their expectations high.  My Relay for Life team has done this by setting their team goal high.  I guess I just might get another pie in my face this year if we reach our goal.  A pie in the face for a good cause…I will take it anyday!