Developing teachers and curriculum to best prepare students for a global market is key to Lambert

MADISON – Developing the best educators and curriculum to prepare students for global success was certainly a consistent theme running through Sylvia Lambert’s interview Wednesday evening for the Madison City Schools superintendent position.

“Our teachers are professional, and they are experts, and I think it’s important that we grow them to grow others,” said Lambert, who is currently the head principal at Bob Jones High School.

Lambert was the second of three candidates to be interviewed by the MCS school board for the position. Former Decatur City Schools superintendent Dr. Ed Nichols will be interviewed this evening at 5:30. James Clemens principal Dr. Brian Clayton was interviewed Tuesday.

Citizens wishing to view Dr. Nichols’ interview can do so through the school district’s livestreaming site: https://mcs.eduvision.tv/LiveSched.aspx.

The position was left vacant by former superintendent Robby Parker’s departure in February. Assistant Superintendent Eric Terrell has been serving as the interim until the position is filled.

At one point during the interview, Lambert was answering a question asked by school board president Renae Bartlett about how she would develop instructional leaders in the district’s schools.

“One way to develop instructional leaders is through very meaningful and relevant professional development,” Lambert said. “I think one way is through creative professional development, but then also having choice development — such as examining the needs of a first- or second-year teacher, which are totally different than that for a master teacher of 20 years.”

She said this kind of professional development is extremely important “because that master teacher of 20 years is ready to try things and do things in a whole different way. It values the teacher and their professional opinion as far areas as they want and need to grow in.”

Another way is mentoring the district’s new teachers. She said at Bob Jones High School, they had implemented ‘cohort meetings’.

“We have one cohort meeting for new teachers, another for second-year teachers, and a third cohort for third-year teachers,” she said. “We spend a lot of time with our first-year cohorts because we don’t want them to get lost. Our second-year teachers have gotten past that first year, but they are ready to hone in on certain skills.”

Lambert said they continue to develop instructional leaders through innovative courses.

“It is so important to keep our curriculum relevant. For example, (at Bob Jones) we have infused two subjects. We infused AP English Language with modern history. We brought two teachers together and placed students in this class to get that rich experience and to tap into students who normally might not have been interested in an AP class — and they are getting a GPA bump in the history because this course is at a AP level.”

Lambert also pointed out another example of some of the concepts currently being applied at Bob Jones. “Our students that take the first level engineering class or a construction class also receive the OSHA training,” she said.  “This is the same OSHA training that a person will get if they are working at Mazda Toyota or other places. That is innovative. Whether they are student who does not go to college and go straight into the workforce, or a student that goes on to get a degree in engineering, they are still going to need that OSHA credential.”

Incorporating this kind of curriculum-based strategy to help students be successful in a global market is what Lambert said she would like to see more of within Madison City Schools. “It is very important in our vision to prepare our students,” she stated.

“I would like to see more computer science and coding cyber security. I think that is the direction we are headed here in Madison,” she said. “At the high school level, we add relevant courses and take away courses that are not so relevant every year. We have added the advanced manufacturing. We have added AP research, which is an amazing course because it allows our students to use their critical thinking skills to come up with projects individually, and they can work with a mentor at places like Hudson-Alpha. We have even added digital game development this year.”

Lambert said there are several local companies that use simulation, develop simulation or specialize in game development where courses taken in digital game development at the high school level could be especially useful to a student.

She also spoke about the importance of STEM in elementary grades. “STEM right now is in the fourth grade, and I think it would be really important to vertically add other STEM curriculum to what we offer now — just for that hands-on exposure and developing global transferable skills later,” she said. “The vision of empowering students for global success starts from pre-k and goes all the way to 12th grade.”

Lambert answered several other questions and spoke about in depth about one of passions in education, special education.

Lambert holds a bachelor’s degree in special education, University of Mississippi; master’s in learning handicaps and reading, and Master Certification, educational administration, Auburn University in Montgomery; and Educational Specialist, Alabama A & M University.

Since 2015, Lambert has been principal of Bob Jones High School and has led students in championing academic quality. She adjusts curriculum for 1,850 students that can pursue 31 advanced placement, along with various academics in career technology.

Also, at Bob Jones, Lambert worked as Assistant Principal, Curriculum & Instruction. She produced the master schedule and catalog for curriculum and coordinated AP classes. Lambert also was Assistant Principal at Liberty Middle School and Administrative Lead for the district’s Extended School Year Program.

At James Clemens High School, she was Department Lead for Collaborative English and Reading. She taught in that field at James Clemens and Bob Jones. Her first teaching assignment was at Baldwin Magnet School in Montgomery. Her family formerly owned Express Employment Professionals.

Lambert has participated with numerous education committees and training conferences. She has traveled on missions across Europe, Central America and Europe.