McCrory reviews 2013, looks to 2014 at Columbia elementary

The Columbia Math Team is showing “continued dominance” in their competitions, principal Mark McCrory said. (CONTRIBUTED)

MADISON – Looking to 2014, Principal Mark McCrory is pleased with the proven record and continuing progress at Columbia Elementary School.

The Columbia campus will see “improvements, including the new front entrance for a safer learning environment,” McCrory said. “We’re enjoying our new soccer fields.”

Those two fields at Columbia materialized with a partnership among Madison Board of Education, City of Madison engineers and land developer and former school board member Don Spencer Jr. for fill dirt. Sod and an irrigation system are in place for the fields.

Columbia PTA members will assist teachers with a much-needed breather during “duty-free lunches on Wednesday and Fun Day Friday,” he said.

For Fun Day Friday, any student can earn this weekly privilege by perfect attendance (excluding illness or emergencies), no tardiness, having materials and work for class and good behavior in class, hallways, bathrooms, physical education field and cafeteria, McCrory said.

“The Watch D.O.G.S. (Dads of Great Students) program is continuing to grow. Our dads help with Fun Day Friday, in the car line and other school activities,” McCrory said.

Watch D.O.G.S. is an educational initiative of the National Center for Fathering to involve students’ fathers serve as positive, male role models with their presence at school.

“Columbia has improved academic performance already with 1.5 years’ growth in math and reading in multiple grades,” McCrory said. The math team is showing “continued dominance” in their academic discipline.

For character building, Columbia students collected shoes for a drive coordinated by Inside-Out Ministries, raised funds for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis and adopted families for Christmas.

For the first time, Columbia will present a full dramatic performance, “Willy Wonka Jr.,” in February in the James Clemens High School auditorium. The production will be open to the public.

“We not only have ‘Teacher of the Year’ but a whole faculty and staff of wonderful teachers that make every second of each day count as we shoot for the stars at Columbia,” McCrory said.