In a perfect world, all students would come to us eager to learn, excited and enthusiastic about anything we have to teach, and positive in their attitudes about life and learning. But, as all the faculty members at ECHS realize, that’s not reality. Some students come to school with less-than-great attitudes, little support from home, and they often pose a threat to the positive climate of our classrooms and school. This, of course, is where effective teachers and faculty members work their magic. So many of our youth have taken a wrong turn somewhere down the road of life and are struggling to get back on the path to success.

What really matters is not so much what students at Effingham County High School walk away with in their hands, but how many sparks we ignite in their hearts. There’s no doubt students want inspiration more than they want stuff. The caring faculty member, not the content, determines whether students at our school walk away ignited or extinguished. Our faculty understands that the influence we have on children is powerful. Be it positive or negative, it is lasting.

I have stated before that the keystone of success lies within the people we have in our schools and community rather than the programs we implement. It is our desire to see all students earn a meaningful diploma and be equipped with the necessary skills to transition into a postsecondary school or career. It’s imperative for our staff, parents, and students to partnership in a Commitment to Graduate so that students at Effingham County High School have the necessary support to establish themselves as independent thinkers and future community leaders. Short-term wins are the building blocks of success!

The 2009 – 2010 school year will bring a few changes to our daily routine at Effingham County High School. Each student will spend twenty minutes a day in a session with a caring faculty member that will encourage our students to make a Commitment to Graduate. These daily sessions will consist of opportunities for students to grow their sense of pride for their self and school, help open the door to the students’ futures, create a support system where students can “begin with the end in mind”, build a structure where communities and business partners are actively engaged, and employ strategies to increase our parent involvement at Effingham County High School. We will ask students, parents, and faculty members to sign a pledge that will hold all of us accountable in a Commitment to Graduate, and when our students falter, our signature will be a reminder of inspiration to touch the heart of that child. Parents, Community Members, and Faculty, I challenge all of us to make a commitment to our students and provide them with the necessary support to finish what has been started.