August 2006

Greeting Faculty and Staff,

Welcome to the 2006-2007 school year!  This school year will be better than the last.  With new students come new opportunities and challenges for all of us.  I look forward to another great year, where strengths are built upon and challenges are challenged.

As we continue our goal to cultivate a student-centered environment that promotes academic excellence and social success, we will embrace the Blue Ribbon initiative, Houghton Mifflin Math, MCS Reading initiatives and research-based teaching strategies.  Our efforts will allow the students to overcome barriers they will likely encounter in life.  It is our combined efforts that will make this school year one of the best for everyone.

Two things seemed pretty apparent to me.  One was, that in order to be a Mississippi River pilot a man has got to learn more than any man ought to be allowed to know; and the other was, that he must learn it all over again in a different way every twenty-four hours. – Mark Twain

This publication contains the administrative guidelines for Douglass Elementary School.  These guidelines have been adapted from the Policy Handbook of Memphis City Schools to provide clarity, direction, and uniformity in the daily operation of the school.

The guidelines in this publication will be revised periodically in accordance with Board policies and staff directives or needs.  Teachers and other staff are encouraged to make suggestions and provide feedback for future revisions, practices and procedures.  A suggestion sheet is provided for your comments.

Frequent reference and use of this handbook will assist us in reaching the goal of procedural uniformity and consistency for all the students at Douglass Elementary.

                                                                      Angela A. Brown, Principal