Buzzing with the Brandon Bees

MBlobbyWhen you step into the lobby of Morris Brandon Elementary you know that you are in a different kind of school.  You are greeted immediately by enthusiastic volunteers and staff members and the entry is decorated like one big living room – they obviously expect parents to visit and even stay around for a while!
 

New principal Kara Stimpson gave us a thorough tour of the building.  It was great to see her enthusiasm and attention to detail.  She was one of the principal candidates I had the opportunity to personally interview and hire this summer and brings with her 15 years of experience as an educator, having worked as a leader in both public and private schools. 
 
These 3rd graders had TONS of questions!

These 3rd graders had TONS of questions!

I spent a lot of time speaking with the inquisitive students in Ms. Dimas’ 3rd grade class.  They were interested in the type of work I do for the district, which led to a mini-civics lesson on school boards, elections, city government and more.  I even pulled up a photo of our school board president to provide context to the conversation.  A few kids said that they would love to have my job, one even said he would love to be my boss! 

 
Before leaving I had a chance to peek into the beautifully decorated nurse’s office and take a look at their ‘wall’ of business partners.  Take a look at the photo below that showcases all of their partnerships – we are all grateful that so many businesses have chosen to invest in our students and schools. 
Thank you Brandon partners!

Thank you Brandon partners!

 

Brandon Elementary has an enrollment of over 1,000 students split between a primary and intermediate campus.  Founded in 1947, the school is an International Baccalaureate (IB) school and has been named a Georgia School of Excellence as well as a National Blue Ribbon School.   In addition to core instruction and the arts, students participate in French foreign language instruction.
 
There were some facility issues at Brandon that we started to  resolve quickly and as I looked around the school I thought about other schools I’ve visited that have taken full advantage of their space, including their rooftops.  I plan to have further discussions with the principal and our district architect about how we can maximize the space, perhaps even the rooftops, in and around the school.  
What a cool nurses office!

What a cool nurse’s office!

MBentrance

Showing Ms. Dimas' 3rd graders a photo of our Board of Education Chair.

Showing Ms. Dimas’ 3rd graders a photo of our Board of Education Chair.

These 3rd graders had TONS of questions!

These 3rd graders had TONS of questions!

A rooftop garden? Hmmm...

A rooftop garden? Hmmm…

Blog Signup

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.