A number of third-graders from Cleveland ISD’s Cottonwood Elementary School overcame some significant obstacles this past school year, as did most students over the last 12 plus months, and they went the extra mile in their education as part of a pilot program called First in Math, and they were recently rewarded for that hard work.
The program is utilized by schools all over the country and the State of Texas, but Cottonwood ranked number one among third-graders in the state, with four individual teams ranking in the top 25 statewide.
The program is headed by Cottonwood RTI Specialist Tracy Spears and Marilyn Lugo, Carlos Moronaya, and Jennifer Reed all made a significant contribution as well.
Times Staff Report
The Family Success Center is partnering with Gadsden City High School to start a food pantry at the school.
A Facebook post by the center said the idea originated after a meeting with The Chamber of Gadsden & Etowah County’s Student Leadership Group the members are Brooks Calhoun, Megan Higgins, Brian Matias, Camryn Blackwell, Elizabeth Edge, Mattie Maini, Rachel Reid and Anna Mayo broached the topic of food insecurity.
That is defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as “a lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life.”
According to the post, more than 71% of students in Gadsden City Schools qualify for free or reduced price lunches and 65% qualify for free lunches, prompting concerns about whether children are receiving adequate nutrition at home.