TOSS April Feature on Dr. Linda Gilbert

“[People climb mountains] to move boulders out of the way so those who follow won’t stumble and can climb higher.”

Dr. Linda Gilbert has been superintendent at Murfreesboro City Schools for the past 5 years. Before stepping into the role of superintendent, Dr. Gilbert was a teacher for 26 years. During this time, she was a professor at MTSU where she taught such classes on curriculum and instruction, school/community relations, and leadership for the graduate school.

After spending so much of her career as a teacher, I asked Dr. Gilbert about her favorite teacher when she was a student. “My favorite teacher was a music professor who cared about his students and cared about his profession. He expected a lot from us. But he knew how to actively engage us – linking art, music, history, and literature together. He expanded our world. And we loved it! I am better because he was my teacher.”

Now in a different kind of leadership position, I asked Dr. Gilbert the greatest rewards in her job as superintendent as well as the biggest challenges. “Greatest rewards: watching the magic that happens between children and teachers, seeing the leadership of others grow, being part of a professional family that does whatever it takes to ensure children reach their potential. Greatest challenge: helping colleagues remain positive and motivated – while politics seem to be engulfing the most important profession in the world.”

Dr. Gilbert shared that it is “hands down, the children [that] drive [her].” She is inspired by “hearing their stories, seeing their faces, and watching them learn.” She continued. Children drive me. The professionals I work with on a daily basis inspire me. Their work ethic, dedication to children, and honest conversations keep me focused, learning, and energized.”

I asked Dr. Gilbert to relate to us her thoughts on the approach to education and the specific ways students need to be encouraged compared to when she was a student. “Today, all means all.” She replied. “That was not the case when I was a student.  Children with disabilities were isolated, ethnicities were separate.  Diversity was limited, at best.  But, today, diversity is celebrated.  Today, we have the privilege of working with all children—finding what motivates each individual child and working collaboratively to address the needs of each child—so that all children learn.”

My favorite day of the year is when we take all of our 1st-6th grade students (7,000+) to an MTSU basketball game. The Murfreesboro City family comes together in one place at one time!  Remarkable to see the smiles and hear the cheers of students who have never seen a basketball game or been on a university campus.  It’s a day when students can visualize their future.  The energy, excitement, and learning are palpable!

Click above to hear, Rainbow Fish. By Marcus Pfister. Read by Ernest Borgnine.

 Some of Dr. Gilbert’s favorite books to read to the students when she visits their schools include Jamberry (she enjoys taking raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, and blackberries to the Pre-K children), Rainbow Fish, Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon, and The Little Engine That Could.

What are some of the things going on in Dr. Gilbert’s district that she’s looking forward to? “Wow! Tough to settle on only a few things!”

• Recently, we received a Farm to School grant which will expand experiential learning for our children and teachers. 
• We are changing our special education Pre-K model to be more inclusive. 
• Over the next five years, we will expand two of our schools and build another. 
• We are intensifying our technology initiative, expanding our gifted program, and broadening our partnership with postsecondary institutions.  More than 100 of our students travel to MTSU monthly for Saturday activities sponsored by different university departments.  This summer, in partnership with MTSU, we will offer a Gifted Academy for our teachers. 
• Also, this summer, our partnerships with the faith-based community will provide summer literacy, sports, and technology camps in federal housing projects and mobile home parks. 
• We continue to serve the whole child, as evidenced by the Junior Chef Program, community eligibility, Comprehensive Integrated 3-Tier Approach to Behavior (CI3T), and the mobile feeding unit (The CHOW Bus).   

When Dr. Gilbert isn’t working to improve her district and encourage her students she likes to read, garden, and go on “grand mommy” adventures with her three grandchildren. She found it tough to think of doing any profession but the one she’s in now, but if she had to choose she’d choose farming. “Maybe.”

Thankful to Dr. Gilbert for taking the time to share with us about her school system. Here’s to a great remainder of the school year to Murfreesboro City Schools!

TOSS March Feature on Dr. Lyle Ailshie

“Those who want to be a servant leader may take time to appreciate the view once ascending the mountain, but the sense of accomplishment comes from the journey upward.”

Dr. Lyle Ailshie has been involved professionally in education for 33 years. This is his 3rd year as superintendent in Kingsport, following 17 years in Greeneville City Schools (12 as superintendent and 5 as assistant superintendent) Originally Dr. Ailshie had no intentions of becoming an educator. After graduating from college, he began working in business. “I was offered a teaching position at the school I graduated from in South Carolina. It also included some coaching duties and was enticing. Since I was then single and living with my parents, I thought, why not give it a try and see what it was like. Needless to say, I fell in love with working with young people and that is still what drives me today, even though my direct contact with students isn’t what it was when I was teaching.”

When Dr. Ailshie was teaching, his favorite subject to teach was math. “Math was always like a puzzle to me and I enjoyed finding different ways to get to the correct answer. This can only be done if you have a good conceptual knowledge of mathematics and I enjoyed helping students really understand the principles behind their work instead of just learning a recipe to get the quickest answer. You really knew students “had it” when they started visualizing the problems and their faces lit up.” Just as seeing a student’s face light up with recognition and accomplishment is an important thing to a teacher, I asked Dr. Ailshie to share something important he learned from one of his students or one of his teachers.

Like most who have been teachers, I have saved a variety of things over the years – letters, plaques, cross-stitch items, and various gifts. Back in the days that such things weren’t an issue, I received a beautiful pocket knife from a student. It has a different colored bone handle. While it is a very nice knife and I have it safely stored still today, the thing that I will always remember is the look on the student’s face when she gave it to me. I was fortunate to be one of her favorite teachers and she had done odd chores and saved up money to buy me the knife. I think she was as proud of it as I was. That was one of the first times I realized how important it is for students to learn to give. Even those from limited financial backgrounds can learn and get a sense of empowerment from giving. They are the ones usually on the receiving end, and to see the sense of pride they have from being able to help others is special. It is also a great motivator for creating a vision of a future where they can do more of this.

Although, there are many rewards when it comes to education, students also face many challenges. I asked Dr. Ailshie to talk about the difficulties/rewards of having a good education now vs. when he was a student.

There are many more options for students now and the bar has been raised regarding the expected education level. While college, going into the workforce, or enlisting in the military were the primary options for me, there are now those plus community college, technical centers, and a growing number of career and technical programs at both the high school and post-secondary level. I believe it is more difficult for today’s students to know the right path because regardless of the desired job, it most likely requires something beyond high school. [However], there is also much more stress on today’s students due to increased competition for jobs and to be able to have a career that is both meaningful and generates the finances to support a family. Jobs are evolving faster than ever before and more are being out-sourced. We are seeing this even in the medical field where someone overseas can interpret x-rays less expensively than someone in the U.S. Students have to be better and more agile learners due to the probable need to change jobs several times during their lifetime.

Dr. Ailshie is looking forward to the progress occurring in his district right now. He shared with me about some new programs being implemented and how they would benefit the students.

I am tremendously excited about the implementation of our technology vision. We have started down the road of a 1:1 mobile device initiative that will ultimately lead to students in grades 4 – 12 having their own device for school and home use. We began with our middle school and this fall all students in grade 6 – 12 will have a device. It really isn’t a technology plan as much as it is a learning plan. We know we need to have better ways to personalize instruction and to provide a challenging and engaging curriculum and the effective use of technology gives us the best avenue to success. I am also excited about the continued implementation of our non-traditional high school program, named D-B EXCEL. This program is a blended learning program off-site from our high school in order to create a smaller and more flexible learning environment. Students have more scheduling options, can choose from a variety of learning formats, and are able to better juggle personal demands and desires. We have approximately 100 students already in the program and have a waiting list. We are looking for a larger facility that will allow the program to grow to around 300 students or more.

After inquiring about tips or advice that Dr. Ailshie might share with a new superintendent, he talked about “several key learnings that are important.”

. . . listening to your staff, knowing when to delegate vs. when to be more hands-on, be open and honest regardless of whether what you have to share is good news or bad, and to keep your board up-to-date. I would also share that there are many good managers but it is quite different to be a leader, particularly an instructional leader.

At least as important as the thoughts above, I would stress that it is vital to create a vision for the school system. This needs to be a shared vision that the staff, board, and community will support. Once a vision is in place, a strategic plan must be developed so guide the system toward that vision. I have found that some new superintendents don’t know how to start this process and it is extremely important. As Yogi Berra said, “If you don’t know where you are going you might end up someplace else.”

 What does Dr. Ailshie do when he’s not working?

 He enjoys University of Tennessee football games. Going to games “is something that my brothers and I do to stay in touch.” He also likes to read. When I asked him what his favorite book was, like most avid readers it was a difficult question to answer. “I suppose I would have to say my most favorite book is the Bible. Regardless of the situation, you can always find what you need, whether it be direction, advice, comfort, encouragement, etc. Beyond that, I would probably say that any type of biography or historical book is something I am always interested in as I choose a pleasure read. I am usually reading a professional book and a pleasure book at the same time and find myself switching between the two based on the other things happening at the time.” Dr. Ailshie also enjoys spending time with family when he’s not working.

 “I am at the point in my career and personal life that the most enjoyable thing away from work is spending time with my two granddaughters … My favorite thing is doing activities with [them], they are full of energy and are a constant reminder of why I have spent the last 33 years in education.”

Franklin’s Storybus Plus program wins national award

When up against every school districts’ 2014 program in the nation, the Franklin Special School District’s Storybus Plus program outranked its competitors.

The FSSD is one of 15 first-place winners in the 21st annual Magna Awards program sponsored by the National School Boards Association’s flagship magazine, American School Board Journal. The district’s summer literacy outreach program, Storybus Plus is one of five first-place winners in the “under 5,000 students” division and will be recognized during the NSBA’s 75th annual conference, which will be held March 21-23 in Nashville.

The program’s primary purpose is to foster the love of reading in children who typically do not have access to a library over the summer.

“The district’s goal in creating this program 16 years ago, under the constant leadership of former FSSD teacher Joyce Smith, was to put books in the hands of children who need them most during the summer months,” David Snowden, FSSD director of schools, said in a news release.

This past summer’s program was the most attended, with more than 850 kids boarding the bus.

Besides the NSBA conference, the American School Board Journal will feature the accomplishment of the school district in its April issue.

Story By Todd Barnes

TOSS February Feature on Mr. Robert Mullins

“He’s not in. He is visiting a classroom at one of the schools.” – Bobby Mullins, in response to what the news story of his life’s headline would say

One Christmas during winter break Robert Mullins’ sophomore year in college, he did some substitute teaching and loved it. When he returned to college, he changed his major to education. He has now served in education professionally for 36 years and has been a superintendent for the past four years in Crockett County. He shared with me some of the things that inspire him in all areas of his life, “Outside of my relationship with God, Christ, and my wife, it would be the teachers of our school district. The effort shown for the care of their students and the constant work to help their students be successful is inspiring.”

A few of the things Mr. Mullins is particularly excited about that are going on in his district right now –

At the elementary level, one of our schools is a member of ‘No Excuses University.’ NEU is a network of schools that work together to promote college readiness for all. NEU has a philosophy that encourages schools to focus not on programs but instead on the creation of six exceptional systems. Those systems are:culture of universal achievement, collaboration, standards alignment, assessment, data management, and interventions. Maury City Elementary School has been a member for two years. Our two other elementary schools are applying this year. The staff at Crockett County High School has collaborated in developing a RTI program for their students. The teamwork displayed in data analysis and scheduling interventions has been impressive. The staff at Crockett County Middle School is collaborating in developing common assessments. This work has been challenging but it has encouraged our teachers to work together.

Mr. Mullins thinks highly of the teachers in his school system. In fact, he mentioned that the most rewarding part of his job “are the smiles on the faces of the students and teachers when they are successful. Mr. Mullins shared a time when he saw a student and teacher overcome that stayed with him, stating, “[He] watched a teacher become the student and the student become the teacher. A teacher was having some difficulty with technology and the student helped the teacher. That teacher then asked the student to stay to help her learn more.” In fact, one of Mr. Mullins favorite thing about visiting with the students in his school system are when he sits down and they teach him about what they are learning that day.

Mr. Mullins’ favorite subject when he was a student was American History. “Mr. Bill McPeak could make the classroom come to life and you felt you were in the middle of a battlefield or in the middle of the roaring 20’s.” It is no surprise then when I asked Mr. Mullins of a place he would like to visit someday that he stated, “Washington, D.C. I would love to spend some time visiting the history of our country.”

When Mr. Mullins does have time to relax from his busy schedule he enjoys “reading about the education challenges/successes of other school districts and walking.”

Mr. Robert Mullins, 2015 TOSS Legislative and Learning Conference

TOSS January Feature on Dr. Versie Hamlett

Dr. Versie Hamlett is excited about many things that are currently going on in the Humboldt City School District. Recently, the school board voted to close the middle school because it was deteriorated, which will be a cost saving measure that will allow funding for new educational programs. Also, Humboldt “received The Mathematics Science Partnership Grant from the state department worth 260,000.00,” which Dr. Hamlett will use to “focus on K-8 teacher professional development.” The system has implemented new reading intervention programs K-12.”

Dr. Hamlett has been working professionally in education for twenty years. Her favorite subject as a student was Government and History. When asked about her favorite things as well as her most challenging things so far as a superintendent in the Humboldt System, Dr. Hamlett shared that she enjoys “the opportunity to have a direct impact [in changing] students’ lives.” The most challenging thing she has experienced is “getting all stakeholders … on board quickly to impact student achievement this year.” A year from now Dr. Hamlett would hope to have achieved a smooth transition in combining the Junior and Senior high school, implantation of new education programs, and to have improved test scores.

For times of relaxation, Dr. Hamlett’s favorite things to do with her family is spending time with them at the holidays and vacations at the beach.

To learn more about Dr. Hamlett please see her bio below:

Dr. Versie Ray Hamlett is a native of Palestine, Arkansas where she attended Shiloh Christian Methodist Episcopal Church. Her mother, Minister Oretha Ray, served as the pastor of Shiloh for 20 years, Miles Chapel of Marianna, Arkansas for five years, and Moore’s Chapel in Poplar Grove, Arkansas for 14 years. Dr. Hamlett grew up on a farm with 9 siblings where her parents instilled Christian values and a very strong work ethic. After graduating from Palenstine High School, she received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Lane College in 1994; her Master of Arts degree in Education from Freed-Hardeman University in 1995; her Education Specialist Degree from Union University in 2006 and her Doctor of Education degree from Union University in 2008.

Dr. Hamlett was recently appointed Superintendent of the Humboldt (Tennessee) School System. On the occasion of her historic selection by the City of Humboldt School Board, she became the first African-American and the first woman Superintendent in the history of Humboldt.  Prior to her appointment, she served as the Chief Academic Officer of the Jackson Madison County School System; and also as a former Leader of Elementary Education, elementary school principal and teacher over a span of 19 years. She also serves as an Adjunct Professor of Education at Lane College.

Dr. Hamlett is a member of the Jackson Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, and the Humboldt Rotary Club.  She is a member of Hurt’s Chapel Christian Methodist Episcopal Church for over 20 years where Dr. Nathaniel Carter is her pastor. She is married to Mr. Melvin Ross Hamlett, Sr., Lane College’s Vice President for Business and Finance.