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Posts from the Ridge

This category contains 26 posts

Is Your Honesty Worth a Nickel?

By KENNY SHOLL — Many years ago I was assigned the tedious, but important, task of counting the offering for our church. We had no counting machine of any kind and had to carefully count every coin, bill, check, bank draft receipt, etc. It took several hours to count the Sunday morning offering…

The Quiet Library Evolution

By BETH REARDON — I could see a tiny question mark floating over the head of a ninth-grader as he stared at the computer screen. I tapped him on the shoulder. “Can I help you?” He nodded gratefully and pointed at the screen. “Is this a book? Is this a database? Is this an Internet source?”

Words of Wisdom from Miss Martha

By KENNY SHOLL — We had the retirement celebration for Martha Hicks on Wednesday morning during the Faculty Meeting. In case you don’t recognize the name Martha Hicks, she is the Miss Martha who has managed the hot line at lunch for over 40 years…

Talent and Ownership

By BILLY FAIRES – A 13-year-old boy attempts the daring feat of solving three Rubik’s Cubes in under three minutes, as music blares in the background. A packed house of parents, teachers and students — lots of students — follow his adventure, first with bemused skepticism and then…

Learning Never Stops

By KENNY SHOLL – The years of your formal education are most interesting in that you are required to learn about a myriad of subjects and topics for which you may have little interest at the time. It is similar to building the foundation of a house…

An Incident

By KEN HENRY – Thursday morning was cold in the hall outside my office at 9:30. Too many students were walking in and out, each open door inviting in a new gust of cold, wet wind. The gaggle of boys sitting there were among the misinformed…

Thanksgiving

This letter from Headmaster Kirk Walker was sent to all McCallie parents the day prior to Thanksgiving holidays. “Last week, the school dedicated a new sculpture entitled “Raising Men.” The work is composed of two life-sized figures…”

Three Cheers

By JOHN WALLER — Heart racing, loud music with the pulsing, uptempo bass and the sound of girls nervously chatting with one another about hair, makeup and other seemingly useless subjects. These are the sights and feelings associated with a cheerleading competition…

Taking the Initiative

By JOHN LAMBERT — Given the nature of this ceremony, it seemed fitting that I include some thoughts on leadership, and so I will, but the route may be a bit circuitous, so stay with me. First I’d like to talk to you about commercials. I’m a sucker for a good one—I’ll pause when they come on tv, will watch them on youtube, send links to my friends. One of my favorites right now is The Most Interesting Man in the World…

Investing Well

By MARY McCANDLESS — I have spent a lot of money over the years on education – money very well spent. First it was pre-school, then pre-kindergarten. Next elementary and middle school. Once I’d experienced the small class sizes, curriculum based on my own values, and staff and administration that recognize who really pays their salaries, I was sold on private education…

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