Letter from Pelham Schools Superintendent, Dr. Scott Coefield

Dr. Scott Coefield

After investing much time in classroom preparations and professional development over the summer, our teachers and staff were thrilled to greet the students and kick off the new school year on August 11. Teachers at all levels have jumped right in to provide our students with rigorous coursework and innovative learning opportunities. From Project Lead the Way and Laying the Foundation to Advanced Placement courses and Google Classrooms, our teachers are implementing strategies and techniques that take learning to the next level and engaging our students in new and exciting ways.  

The integration of new technology in our schools provides our students with skills and tools for 21st century learning, and our technology initiative is an ongoing focus for our system. We’ve recently added over 900 more Chromebooks for student use in our classrooms, along with other devices that support student learning such as interactive projectors, improved infrastructure, and more.

Facility improvements at Pelham High School continued through the summer with the completion of new, state of the art classrooms and labs for engineering, chemistry, physics, and biomedical sciences. We’ve also added a fully equipped special needs classroom and made enhancements in the cafeteria with updated furniture and new seating areas. In addition, our facilities for football, soccer, and track & field were enhanced with new turf in the stadium, lined for both football and soccer use, and significant upgrades to the track & field facilities and fieldhouse.  As construction winds down at Pelham Ridge Elementary, we are gearing up our preparations for the transition of students to the new building. After our fall break, students zoned for Pelham Ridge will attend the new school beginning on October 17.

We’re energized by all of the positive changes in our schools, and we’re putting great emphasis on the actions that will take our schools, staff, and students to the next level. This summer, we assembled a committee representing administrators, teachers, students, parents, and members of the board of education and city council to establish a mission statement that reflects the essence of our purpose. Our workgroup spent much time in discussion about our goals, beliefs, and commitments to arrive at a statement that is easy to remember and gets to the heart of what we aim to do. The mission of Pelham City Schools is to collaborate with parents and community to inspire and empower students to achieve personal success. You’ll see the key words in the statement are INSPIRE, EMPOWER, and ACHIEVE. These three simple words are powerful and apply to all of us. When we all (teachers, students, parents, community) work together to put these words into action each and every day, we will accomplish and exceed our goals. 

We encourage you to get involved in the many opportunities to visit our schools and support our students. From open houses and board of education meetings to daily dinner at Pelham High School and sporting events, we all benefit from the support and involvement of our community. You can also visit PelhamCitySchools.org to sign up for our weekly eNewsletter, view our 2016-17 school calendar, and more. Also, follow us on Facebook (PelhamCitySchoolsAL) and Twitter (@PelhamSchools) for the latest school news.

We look forward to a great school year and all we will accomplish together as we embrace our mission to inspire, empower, and achieve.

Dr. Scott Coefield

Superintendent

Pelham City Schools