RIDGEVIEW CHARTER MIDDLE SCHOOL COMMENDATION HONORING PRINCIPAL OPIE BLACKWELL; Congressional Record Vol. 165, No. 121
(Extensions of Remarks - July 18, 2019)
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[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E943]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
RIDGEVIEW CHARTER MIDDLE SCHOOL COMMENDATION HONORING PRINCIPAL OPIE
BLACKWELL
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HON. LUCY McBATH
of georgia
in the house of representatives
Thursday, July 18, 2019
Mrs. McBATH. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor my constituent and
Ridgeview Charter Middle School Principal Opie Blackwell. A good
principal knows that his or her students need a robust support system
along with a strong education to guarantee success in the classroom and
in life. This philosophy is the basis upon which Mr. Blackwell has
structured his school.
Principal Blackwell demonstrates exceptional dedication to ensuring
that the students at Ridgeview Charter Middle School receive the
quality education that they deserve. He is actively involved in the
daily life at Ridgeview, takes time to chaperone school trips, and is
committed to the wellbeing of the faculty.
Principal Blackwell also takes pride in recognizing outstanding
members of the school's staff. A few weeks before the last day of the
school year, Mr. Blackwell took to social media to document an
impromptu jump rope competition that took place during a 6th grade
Chinese class. The class had ventured outside to practice their Chinese
when the students and teachers began to see who could jump rope the
longest. The students won, as Mr. Blackwell proudly noted, but he also
gave the teachers their due credit. This friendly competition is one of
many examples of how hard Mr. Blackwell and his colleagues work to give
their students a positive and engaging learning environment.
This year, that hard work was recognized by the National Forum to
Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform as a Georgia Lighthouse School to
Watch. The National Forum is a prestigious organization of educators,
researchers, and officers committed to promoting academic excellence
for young students.
In 1999, the National Forum selected four middle schools from across
the country as the first Schools to Watch. Since then, the program has
expanded to 18 states and honored 465 schools. Ridgeview Charter Middle
is one of nine schools in Georgia recognized as a School to Watch. The
National Forum strives to make every middle-grade school one that is
academically excellent, socially equitable, and responsive to the
developmental needs and interests of middle schoolers. It has developed
tools to help schools meet their criteria to expand their program
across the country.
Ridgeview Charter Middle School's policies for the classroom and
overall school culture soar above and beyond the Forum's standards.
When the National Forum staff spent time at Ridgeview, they saw that
almost every student was actively engaged in the classroom and teachers
were using a wide variety of learning strategies to assist their
students.
As National Forum staff spoke to students, it was evident that
Ridgeview students feel that they can be heard by their teachers and
administrators when an issue arises. As a result, students are
encouraged to give their input and help make changes to improve the
school.
The student-first culture is evident at Ridgeview Charter Middle
School. Student work is clearly displayed in the hallways, and the
faculty and staff are familiar faces at music concerts and the annual
musical. Mr. Blackwell recorded the finale of this year's musical,
Alice in Wonderland, and posted it to social media with encouraging
words about the performance and the work done by students, faculty, and
parents.
In addition to the environment created by teachers and staff, school
administrators have worked to ensure that the school is one that is
clean and comfortable. Music is played in the hallways during class
change to create a calming and pleasant atmosphere. Inspirational
messages painted on the walls add a culture of positivity, and those
messages convey the high expectations the school has for students.
Ridgeview Charter Middle School stands out as a success story in
public education. In his principal's message on the school's website,
Principal Blackwell made his formal title ``Proud Principal''. With
such an exceptional review by the National Forum, he and the entire
Ridgeview Charter Middle School family certainly should feel proud of
the school, its faculty and staff, and most of all, the outstanding
student body.
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