Enterprise teachers preparing for new school year

Hundreds of educators crowded the Enterprise High School Performing Arts Center for the 2013 Teacher Institute Aug. 9.

Each year Enterprise City Schools welcomes its teachers back to work with a kickoff event complete with guest speakers, entertainment and addresses from administrators and central office staff members.

Interim Superintendent Jimmy Baker told the returning teachers the key to any school system achieving a goal is sharing a vision.

“A vision gives you a reason to focus, to go forward and to be motivated,” Baker said. “If you have vision and purpose you can be motivated, and as you are motivated you will develop a plan.”

Baker said teachers hold a special place in the world of work because they have an opportunity to directly impact children of all ages.

“You can teach them how to improve life for themselves and as you do with the child, you also do so with the family,” Baker said. “I’d like you to consider that as you go into this school year.”

Baker said he wanted Enterprise City Schools to have a unified plan, with every teacher, reading coach and administrator working together to move forward.

“We’re in a great position and we have some great opportunities,” Baker said. “We can be the best in the country and we shouldn’t have a vision of anything less. We should do everything we can possibly do for the benefit of every child in this school system.”

State Sen. Jimmy Holley and State Rep. Barry Moore spoke at this year’s institute, and presented an $18,000 donation to the system for computer purchases.

The Enterprise High School “Big Blue” marching band also gave its first performance for the returning teachers, playing several stands tunes and the EHS fight song.

Following the institute, teachers were allowed to select from thousands of dollars in classroom supplies, which were donated as always by the Enterprise ALTRUSA Club.

Katie Boyd Britt, who graduated form Enterprise High School in 2000, spoke during an EHS faculty meeting following the teacher institute.

“One of the first things I remember at the University of Alabama was being proud to be from Enterprise,” Britt said. “I had three roommates. One was from Mountain Brook, one from Huntsville and one went to a private school in Kentucky. Never once did I feel inferior to them in any way.”

Britt told the teachers she learned quickly there weren’t many places like Enterprise.

“The atmosphere and teachers of Enterprise City Schools are unparalleled,” she said. “There are so many things in my life I can trace back to a opportunity given to me by a teacher here.”

Britt said teachers affect so many students in ways they can’t fully realize. She also attributes a lot of her personal success to the lessons and opportunities she was given in high school.

“If I had only left here with a good transcript it would have been great, but it wouldn’t have mattered without the life experience and lessons I learned here,” Britt said. “Buildings change, students change, school boards change, but what doesn’t change is you. I encourage each and every one of you to create those opportunities for someone and inspire your students to be better than they are right now.”

From now until students return on Aug. 19, the teachers and staff of Enterprise City Schools will be going through professional development and training to prepare for another great year of school.