BY TATUM NORTHINGTON
PHOTOS SUBMITTED FROM SEHS
School started for Elmore County this morning and Stanhope Elmore High School made it special, and perhaps a little more familiar for their students, by hosting an Open House on Thursday, August 4.
Their “SuperKids” were invited to school early, to welcome them and show them the ropes before they stepped on campus with their school counterparts on Monday. The SuperKids are Stanhope Elmore’s source of “pride,” says Principal Ewell Fuller. These students are members of the Collaborative Inclusion classes on campus and are students from all over the county. Their teachers are Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Ladnier and this special introduction to campus helped get the SuperKids acclimated to campus.
While not in the General Education classroom for the majority of their day, the SuperKids participate in many elective specialties such as Robotics, JROTC, FACS, and Theater. These students also interact with Beta Club daily and participate in all activities on Stanhope Elmore High’s campus, while also having their own ball hosted at the Civic Center. It is hoped that will be brought back this year after being suspended due to Covid-19 the past few years.
Principal Fuller explained that these students “are a source of pride for Stanhope Elmore, the City of Millbrook and the Board of Education, and we involve them in as many aspects of all things at the high school. The community support from the city and Mayor Kelly helps these students learn and help them stay involved in all aspects of Stanhope Elmore’s philosophy.”
Colonel Bonasera and First Sergeant Chambers lead the JROTC on campus and they do as much as they can with the SuperKids. This year they will have “5-6 SuperKids as cadets and they are just as much a part of the program as anyone” says Col. Bonasera. “The SuperKids participate in PT and are expected to wear uniforms on their assigned days.”
Fuller fully expects this to be an awesome year and tells everyone that “if you’re having a bad day, just go hang out with the SuperKids and your battery will be recharged. They bring a smile to everyone they come in contact with and truly are SUPER.”
General Education students were also invited to participate in an Open House on Thursday as well. Many students came through and received their schedules and met with their teachers, while they got a feel for campus life. New rules will be implemented this year regarding cell phones and this was explained during the Open House – students will be required to keep their smart devices in a pouch throughout the day and will be allowed to access them during their Flex Period each day.
This will help with distractions in the classroom as well as motivate students to give their full attention to their classes. For emergencies, guardians are encouraged to make sure their information is completely updated with the school in their welcome packets students will receive on the first day of school.
Fuller encouraged all parents and students to be sure to “have the most updated information on file with the school” as well as understand the rules of Stanhope Elmore High.
The cafeteria is still under construction but will hopefully be opening during the fall. Until that time comes, the school has partnered with community sponsors and Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and Dairy Queen will be providing school lunches. Families are encouraged to fill out their free/reduced lunch applications online and also load money into their students’ MySchoolBucks accounts.
All this information and more can be found on the school website or the Elmore County Public Schools site.
EAN sends all students starting school this week the best of luck and hopes you all have a wonderful school year.
