September 2023 Student Spotlights

The 2023 Band Camp was a huge success this summer. As performance season nears, band members learned to hit their marks and move as one cohesive unit to bring together this year’s theme, “Pantheon,” for the public. Thank you to the Auburn Band Parents Association for working behind the scenes to provide ample hydration for our students during these summertime rehearsals. Be sure to show your support for performing arts on Friday nights in Duck Samford Stadium this fall!

Auburn City Schools hosted the 2023 New Teacher Breakfast. With more than 90 new faces in attendance, including classroom teachers, administrators, and counselors, ACS welcomes them with open arms as they prepare to begin their tenure in Auburn. A special thank you to the ACS Board of Education, representatives from the City of Auburn, Auburn Chamber, and Auburn University’s College of Education for supporting this annual event to kick off the new year. We look forward to an excellent 2023-2024 school year!

Coach McManus & the Warriors’ varsity volleyball team spent a summer weekend at the University of Georgia’s Tom Black Volleyball Team Camp. The Warriors had a weekend full of competition and team building together ahead of the 2023 season!

What a blessing to welcome faces, both new and old, back to our campus. We had a great first day of school and are looking forward to this year with our Oaks School family. Schedule a tour today to find out why The Oaks is such a special environment.

What a joy it is to share the gifts we have received with others! St. Michael Catholic School students attended Camp iCare in July with PE Coach and Camp Director Amanda Hebb. Students brainstormed and committed to ways to share their time, talent, and treasure with their friends and family. Philanthropy starts with awareness of your own blessings and committing to ways to share them!

The 2023 Auburn High School Volleyball camp hosted approximately 60 future tigers this summer. Head Coach Tommy Carter and his varsity student-athletes mentored and taught young girls the fundamentals of the game, including passing, setting, spiking, blocking, and serving. Athletic camps like this are an excellent opportunity for up-and-coming athletes to gain hands-on experience from championship-caliber programs at Auburn High School in a competitive and supportive atmosphere. All fees from participants go right back into the respective program to enhance the experience for all involved!

In conjunction with the parish’s service organization St. Vincent de Paul Ministries, St. Michael Catholic School families helped organize donations of school supplies for students attending Lee County schools. Our students enjoyed the opportunity to help kids they’ll never meet feel ready and excited for another great school year!

Rising Lee-Scott fourth graders Sadie Bodine and Libba Lane spent a part of their summer at the 2023 U.S. National Baton Twirling Championships in Orlando. For the United States Twirling Association, this is one of the premier competitions each year. Sadie and Libba both competed and earned Top 5 & Top 10 finishes!

The 2023 Boys Basketball Camp at Auburn High School tipped off with more than 120 future Tigers in attendance. AHS Coaches and members of the 2023-2024 Varsity Boys Basketball team mentored and taught young athletes the basics of the game, including various defensive techniques, dribbling, and how to work together as a team. This camp allows campers to sharpen skills, raise their basketball IQ, and interact with others in a competitive atmosphere.

The 2023 Auburn High School Youth Football Camp kicked off with more than 70 in attendance. With music and adrenaline pumping, these Future Tigers learned from and trained alongside Head Coach Keith Etheredge, the assistant and position coaches, as well as members of the current varsity squad. The focus was on the fundamentals of the game on both sides of the ball, from the proper position stances to passing, running, and blocking drills.

Woodland Pines Elementary School hosted an evening of fun for future students and parents, complete with popsicles, face painting, and games! This event was an opportunity for the WPES community to get their first look at the newly constructed facility that will serve students in grades K-2.

The hallways of Auburn City Schools were full of excitement as teachers returned to their classrooms in preparation for the first day of school. From Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) sponsored breakfasts and goodies to icebreakers and guest speakers, the faculty and staff at all 14 campuses are ready to make the 2023-2024 school year the best! The PTOs are instrumental in making this day special for teachers, and ACS thanks them for their unwavering support of our schools!

The LSA Dance Team attended a UDA Home Camp in preparation for the upcoming football season. The dancers learned four hip hop routines. Coach Maddie & Coach Starr are so proud of their hard work over this summer. The team has again brought home top honors with three blue ribbons for their hip hop dances, the Superior Award and receiving a bid to attend UDA Nationals later this year. Additionally, six dancers were named All-Americans: Blythe Walls, Bree Walls, Kaylyn Reckart, Sofia Pugh, Lexi Robinson, and Mary Brentley Moore. Lilli Scott Parker and Sofia Pugh were awarded the Pin It Forward Award. Congratulations, girls! We can’t wait to see this team out on the field this fall!

This year’s 7th grade students attended Camp LSA and are excited about their transition. Camp LSA with Ms. Lloyd and this year’s 7th grade teachers prepares the students for their transition to the Upper School. This class will be the very first 7th grade class to be in the new middle school building, as they move from Lower to Upper School. Part of their activities included touring the new building, getting setup on their iPads, learning a little bit more about their peers, hearing from 8th grade students on what to expect and even a scavenger hunt. Great things to come this year!

This summer, four ACS educators participated in the Global Studies in Education through Auburn University in partnership with Ewha Women’s University in Seoul, South Korea! While in South Korea, Isalie Corneil (Auburn High), Mojen Lau (AEEC/RES), Kathryn Knorr (OES), and Brandy McKinnell (AJHS) visited several schools, museums, and temples to gain a better understanding of the diversity that exists within the school system. In ACS, Asian students comprise 11.44% of the population, so opportunities like this provide teachers excellent first-hand exposure to educational best practices for a growing demographic in our community. ACS is proud of these teachers for venturing across the globe to enhance the learning environment for all students in Auburn!

Auburn City Schools hosted a Tech Camp for K-12 teachers and tech coordinators. The camp consisted of 10 sessions that covered a wide range of technology-related offerings, such as how to enhance instruction with SMART Boards, administering accessibility on iPads, and collaborating with Microsoft 365. Midway through the event, participants heard from Dr. Eric Wetzel, representing Auburn University’s College of Architecture, Design and Construction, along with a special guest, “Mac,” the Robot Construction Dog! The four-legged robotic dog is a Boston Dynamics Spot designed for data collection. It can be used in several settings, such as construction and mining, where it can support inspections, exploration, and site documentation while helping ensure the safety of workers. This professional development opportunity was an excellent way for educators to come together to learn from one another and discuss topics about incorporating technology into the learning environment!

A group of ACS K-2 teachers received professional development from author and educator Patty McGee, aka “The Writer Whisperer,”. McGee shared effective practices with teachers for creating strong writers in the classroom. One instrumental approach is to encourage students to draw sketches of what they are writing about to enhance their thinking and visualization, which also informs students of their ability to read. McGee pointed out that everyone can write well, especially when using their daily lives as background for writing because it is what they know best. Ultimately, McGee’s passion and vision is to create learning environments where educators and students discover their true potential and power through joyful inquiry, study, and collaboration!

Auburn City Schools was well represented at the Project Outreach MERGE: Auburn Conference. Several ACS administrators, teachers, and students heard from those who have witnessed the impact of their Project Outreach chapters, and attendees learned more about this unique vehicle that allows students and communities to unite. Project Outreach is a service organization with a mission to improve disability awareness, acceptance, and understanding. ACS is proud to have chapters of Project Outreach at J.F. Drake Middle School and East Samford School!

Congratulations to Tiffany Yelder, Assistant Superintendent of Administration for Opelika City Schools, on being selected to serve on the CLAS- Council for Leaders in Alabama Schools Board of Directors! The Council for Leaders in Alabama Schools (CLAS) is pleased to announce the selection of Tiffany Yelder to serve on the esteemed CLAS Board of Directors. Yelder joins a distinguished group of educational leaders who are dedicated to advancing excellence in leadership and promoting positive change in Alabama schools. The CLAS Board of Directors plays a pivotal role in shaping the direction and initiatives of CLAS, a premier professional organization committed to supporting and empowering educational leaders across the state. Through their expertise, vision, and advocacy, the board members provide strategic guidance and ensure that CLAS continues to meet the evolving needs of educational leaders and the students they serve. In the AASCD Director role on the CLAS Board of Directors, Tiffany Yelder will contribute to the development and implementation of innovative programs, resources, and initiatives that address the challenges and opportunities facing educational leaders in Alabama. Their insights and expertise will play a vital role in shaping the future of educational leadership and promoting continuous improvement in schools across the state.

Lee-Scott Academy was named a Blue Ribbon School and was awarded The President’s Award for the 2022-23 school year. Blue Ribbons are handed out to recognize AISA schools with outstanding educational programs. Schools must display and exemplify excellence in scholastic achievement, professional learning, student involvement & community interaction. The President’s Award is given to one school in each classification that displays achievement in all areas of school excellence. From professional development to school improvement to extra-curricular achievements, these schools show accomplishment in all areas. This is evidence of all the success our faculty, staff and students continue to produce at LSA! Way to go, Warriors!

Opelika City Schools is very excited to welcome our new teachers! They completed four days of training and are ready to begin the new school year. Thank you to the Opelika Chamber and sponsors for providing breakfast on the first day and snacks for the week. Thank you also to Cadence Bank for providing lunch for our new teachers, principals, and board members. We are excited to begin the 2023-24 school year!

OCS had a great time at the Opelika City-Wide Back to School Bash making sure students and families were registered and ready for the new school year. Thank you to all of the agencies who helped donate supplies for students!

Opelika City Schools welcomed back teachers and staff to the 2023-24 school year with breakfast and a very inspiring message from Aaron Davis. Breakfast was sponsored by The Brown Agency and Stone Martin Builders and provided by The Flying Biscuit Café and Quality Produce. We had a great morning reconnecting and preparing for the new school year. We look forward to welcoming students to the 2023-2024 school year!

Fun daily dress up days, snacks & lunch together and perfecting their crafts, of course, are all part of the fun that is band camp for the 2023 Lee-Scott Academy Band.

Thursday night Game Night at LSA was full of Jenga, Uno Attack, Ping Pong Connect Four, Meme Game, Mouse Trap and other fun games! Thanks to all who came to Game Night this summer…it was a blast!

Some classrooms have special additions to their classrooms this year. 13 SMART Boards were added to various classrooms throughout the Lower, Middle and Upper School buildings. We’re excited to see how these boards benefit our students!