Rameen: Coming up on City Spotlight, season nine continues on location and we're back in Martinsville.

We'll be talking all about Martinsville Schools with Jill Rogers, Superintendent of Martinsville Schools, Victoria Norton, grant activities and student and staff success coordinator for Martinsville Schools, Paul Higginbotham, the new principal at Martinsville Junior Senior High School, and Sheri Cooper, the new principal at Martinsville Elementary School.

We'll talk about the new school year in Martinsville, new staff for Martinsville schools, and programs being utilized by staff and students.

The focus is on Martinsville Schools on our latest episode on Martinsville here on City Spotlight.

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And hello and welcome to another edition of City Spotlight.

As you can see, we are out of the studios of WEIU and we are taping for the first time at Martinsville Junior Senior High School.

We're back in Martinsville.

We're going to talk all about education in this episode.

And as you can see by the shot, I have two guests that are familiar to the program.

First of all, welcome back to the program, Jill Rogers.

Jill: Hello.

Rameen: Superintendent at Martinsville Schools.

Jill, welcome back to the program.

Jill: Thank you.

Rameen: And we're glad to also have on Victoria Norton, and Victoria has changed titles from Martinsville Elementary School Principal to, what is the title you have now, Victoria?

Victoria: Grant Activities and Student and Staff Success Coordinator.

Rameen: And I didn't write that down because it was so long.

So thank you Victoria, very much.

And again, welcome Jill.

Glad to have you on.

You were on our first Martinsville episode.

Glad to have you on to talk about the school district that you lead.

Victoria, let's talk about your new role.

And you moved, I guess up, from principal to an administrator.

Victoria: Yes.

Back in February I had told Jill I'm looking for a little bit more of a challenge and been an elementary principal for 21 years and looking to do something a little bit different.

So she said, "Write down what you think you can offer."

So I listed a whole bunch of things that I felt like our district needed and that we were missing and things that I didn't have time to do as a building administrator.

And we sat and decided, hey, I think we can make that work.

And because of her leadership, she was able to procure a grant to cover my salary for this year and I'm very excited about this new district role.

Rameen: Jill, I've noticed a lot through Victoria's communications and emails about the changes and new people in the school district.

To have Victoria slide over from being a principal through this new administrative position, how does that help this school district?

Jill: Oh, it's just been an absolute blessing.

I mean, one really good thing that has come out of COVID is we have just an abundance of grants that have been offered to school districts.

So I have been spending a lot of time writing grants, but between writing the grants and doing the reporting for the grants and doing all the expenditure reports, I didn't have a whole lot of time to get the activities going.

And there's where I really needed Mrs. Norton's help and she has been just absolutely fantastic of helping getting some of those programs going and also grabbing other opportunities that the state has put out there for us, like the Illinois Tutoring Initiative.

And then as you've seen, she has been our PR department for the high school, or for the entire school district.

And she has really just helped bring a bunch of programs together for us and just really coordinate better between the buildings.

So we are just tremendously blessed to be able to have this position here this year.

Rameen: We are taping our ninth season of City Spotlight.

Jill was on our very first Martinsville episode, and I thank Victoria for reaching out to me a few years back and saying, "Hey, we'd like our community to be on City Spotlight."

And I've lost count.

This is maybe our fifth Martinsville episode, so we're glad to be back all these times.

Let's talk about the school year to this point.

We're taping here on October 18th and we're very happy to be inside.

It's a very chilly morning on this October 18th.

But you're about two months into the school year, roughly.

Each of you, tell us how the school year's gone to this point.

We'll start with Jill.

Jill: It's been great.

This is the best start to the school year we've had in several years.

It's just a really nice relief to be able to start normally and be able to see everybody's smiling faces and not worry about what edict is going to come down this week to just disrupt everything.

So it's been wonderful.

Victoria: We just finished our first quarter actually last Friday, and at a recent meeting at Eastern and some administrator meetings we've all determined this has been the best start to a school year in recent memory.

Like she said, we're not under a restrictions, we don't have to worry about latest information coming down either from the federal government, state government, to put something kind of in our way.

We are truly off to an amazing start, and you can see it in the students and the staff as well.

More relaxed, they're having more fun than ever, and it's just been a blessing.

Rameen: That was kind of my next question.

It has to be very refreshing based on, as people, if they've seen City Spotlight and maybe they haven't seen every episode, but the day that we were taping in Martinsville a couple years back was the day that the state of Illinois shut down.

So we've kind of seen it full circle with you guys and I've asked you that one episode after that, but it has to be totally refreshing to just have these, I guess, normal like conditions.

Jill: Yes.

Victoria: Yes.

Rameen: Okay, very good.

A lot of new staff in your school district, at least from the communications and things that Victoria has put out.

Jill, from a overseer of the whole school district, to have that new influx of new staff, it's a good thing, right?

Jill: Yes.

Great that we were able to fill so many positions when so many positions are going unfilled right now.

For me in particular, I have two brand new building principles and so that has been just a huge change for me.

But it has really challenged me to rethink what I do and why and how I do it, and really given me the opportunity to try some new things, try some new approaches.

And at the same time, I feel myself giving a lot of history lessons of, here's happened in the past, trying to bring the new principals along so they understand why we do certain things the way we do.

But just having so many staff members has just really made it feel like a fresh new year also.

Rameen: You're doing a lot of good TV segues so far here, early interview.

That's exactly what I was going to ask about was, in our next segment we're going to talk to those two new principals, and not to give away too much information on them, they're both very familiar with the school district.

It has to be very comforting that they kind of know the community and the layout.

Jill: Absolutely.

Absolutely.

Victoria: We're thankful they're actually both Martinsville graduates.

I think I mentioned to you earlier that Mrs. Cooper, who took over the elementary principal position, she was a former student of mine because I had her when she was in high school and I was teaching.

And then I hired her right out of college to come and be a teacher for us at the elementary.

So for the last several years she has seen how things work inside the district and she went back to Eastern to finish her ed leadership and she was an intern all last year for me.

So it was such a great experience to watch her grow from a student to a teacher and to an administrative role, and I just couldn't be more proud of her.

She's doing an amazing job.

Rameen: Fantastic.

We look forward to talking with her and Mr. Higginbotham, the principal here at the junior senior high school.

He's also returning home as well.

Jill, all your staff in the school district are very important, but I think you hit it right on the head just a couple minutes ago.

Those leaders in the particular buildings, very important you got to get the right people for those.

Jill: Absolutely.

Absolutely.

And we're very blessed that Mr. Higginbotham came back to Martinsville.

Having a high school principal that had that 15 years of experience just was a huge relief for me that I wasn't having to train somebody brand new to come into this building.

And again, having Mrs. Norton here on hand to help bring the principals along and also all of the new teachers, the mentoring that she's done with them, it's just been great.

Rameen: Keeps the ship rolling in the right direction.

Very good.

Jill: It does.

Rameen: Let's talk about any programs you want to highlight here at the start of the school year.

What are some of the programs that you'd like to highlight that involve the Martinsville students?

Victoria: Well, she mentioned one already.

We just started yesterday a new project with the Illinois Tutoring Initiative and that is a campaign out of Illinois State University.

So we're excited about that, bringing some tutoring services for students in grades three through eight.

Like she said, we have mentoring programs that we have going on.

Nine new teachers I'm trying to support.

We're starting up some book studies.

We're trying all sorts of new ways to think about the mental health of our staff, as well as students, and try to support them because we want that good work-life balance because teaching can be very difficult.

So we're really trying to help all of our staff do some self care because when they are in a good head space for themselves, they're even better teachers and they give even more to the kids that they see every day.

So we're really trying to take care of students and staff here.

Rameen: Want to piggyback off that, little follow up.

I mean to have that, I mean talk about the support for the students, but the support for the teachers is also needed as well.

Jill: Absolutely.

I mean, it's been a rough couple years for people working in public education.

And last year when that grant opportunity came along to address student and staff mental health, I went after it because I saw what we had all been through and I really felt the adults needed support as well.

Mrs. Norton didn't mention, we also increased our counseling staff this year so that we could increase services to our students because we know they also suffered during the pandemic.

Rameen: You got to have those services, especially because of the last couple years.

You don't know where people are.

A program that's being offered regionally here in Central Illinois is the LIFT program, we talked about that on a recent episode on Mattoon.

And that program has a variety of communities, I think almost 20 communities that have at least one student represented, one of them is Martinsville.

Let's talk about having a program.

That has to be very exciting, the very first LIFT program there in Mattoon and you have a representative from Martinsville.

Victoria: Yes, we do have one senior, Jocelyn Schweitzer, who's a part of the LIFT program.

We're actually the only school district in the county that is paired right now with LIFT so we're excited about that as an opportunity.

And it is an amazing place.

They have an open house coming up.

I advise anyone to go and check it out.

The student that we have there, she loves it.

Her family is so thankful that she goes there.

And she's going to be presenting to our board of education this week, just a little bit about her experiences there.

So I'm excited for her to come forward and talk about that.

Rameen: Excellent.

Glad to hear that and maybe we'll run into a future Martinsville student when I tour the facilities here soon.

And again, it's an open house, has not been open to the community.

So looking forward to that and exciting for Martinsville to have a student involved with the LIFT program.

Again, we're two months into the start of the school year, a lot of school year left, expectations for the rest of the school year.

Jill: I'm really just looking forward to having a normal year with normal problems, getting back to normal things, and I'm excited for our kids to be able to have a normal year as well, where we get to go back to some of the traditions we've had and be able to walk into a ballgame and not worry about capacity limits or face mask.

Be able to have the dances or go on field trips and just enjoy the whole experience again.

Rameen: I want to, before I have Victoria interject, I remember that day that I was taping in Martinsville before everything was shut down, I was taping at an art fair.

Lot of moving parts, a lot of people.

So to get back to those days of just, we can do all those activities.

Victoria: Exactly.

Something I'm looking forward to this school year is we partnered with Educators Rising, and that is a program to kind of grow your own teachers.

So we look for juniors and seniors who are interested in going into education and we try to give them the tools that they need now so when they go off to their university to get that teaching degree, they're going to be really prepared for that.

So starting in January, Laura Parcel, she's one of our career and tech ed teachers, she's going to take on that curriculum.

We are able to get a grant for that for free for two years so we're excited that she's going to implement that and hopefully get some students here excited about going into teaching, and then they'll want to return to Martinsville to teach for us.

Rameen: Okay, very good.

I could probably ask you a couple more questions, leave a little time for your two new principals.

Jill Rogers, Victoria Norton, pleasure to have you both on again on City Spotlight and congratulations on the start of the new school year and have a great rest of the school year.

Jill: Thank you.

Victoria: Thank you.

Rameen: Thank you so much.

And coming up next here on City Spotlight, we'll stay right here at Martinsville Junior Senior High School and talk with the two new principals in the school district.

But first, let's take a look at some of the upcoming activities going on in Martinsville.

[music plays] And we're back here on City Spotlight.

This new on location episode on Martinsville, we'll continue talking education in Martinsville.

We're still taping at Martinsville Junior Senior High School and we welcome to the program, we have the two new principals here in the school district.

First we have returning guests, Sheri Cooper, now the new Martinsville Elementary School principal.

Sheri, good to see you again.

Sheri: Hello.

Good to see you.

Rameen: Excellent.

And first time guest here on City Spotlight, the new Martinsville Junior Senior High School principal, Paul Higginbotham.

Paul... Paul: Thank you for having me.

Rameen: Good to have you on.

Very good.

Again, glad to be back here in Martinsville.

We're talking education.

Jill Rogers, Victoria Norton, led us off and you both now are leading the two respective schools here in the community.

Both backgrounds of being in the community prior to these positions.

Paul, you're a first time guest, so let's learn a little bit about you please.

Paul: I am born and raised in Martinsville.

Graduated in 1990 from Martinsville High School, earned my bachelor's degree from Indiana State, and then my master's in education leadership from Olivet Nazarene University.

This is my 28th year in education and my 15th year administration.

Rameen: And you've come back to Martinsville.

So where were you previously?

Paul: I was at Lawrenceville for 26 years, principal there at the high school for 12.

Had a great experience there, but I had an opportunity to come home and took advantage of that.

Rameen: Answered my next question.

The follow up would be, you've come back home, you were at Lawrenceville a long time, why you decided to come back to Martinsville.

Paul: For me, it's personal.

I started my teaching career here and I'm 28 years experience.

I'm getting close to the end and I thought, a chance to come full circle was that opportunity and thought it was worth a shot.

Rameen: Thank you very much.

That's a very cool story to be able to come back home.

Sheri, we've had you on before, one of our earlier Martinsville episodes, and you were just a teacher at the time but now you kind of, that natural progression to a elementary school principal.

How excited are you to be a principal at Martinsville?

Sheri: I am very grateful for this opportunity and I am just looking forward to the challenges ahead.

I've enjoyed the transition, moving from the classroom to being the administrator of our building.

Rameen: Very good.

In our previous segment we talked with Jill Rogers and Victoria Norton, and Victoria's been kind of taking you guys under her wing to kind of like these new roles you have.

And let's start with you Sheri, that natural progression if you're an educator, you're a teacher, and then maybe you become a principal.

How did your previous experiences in education help you get prepared for this new role?

Sheri: One of the best pieces of advice that I was given when I stepped into this role was to never forget what it's like to be in the classroom and to be a teacher.

And being in the classroom for 17 years, this being my 18th year in education, I have 17 years of experience and practice that I can keep in mind as I make decisions and handle situations each day.

Rameen: To become a principal, you're leading the group of folks.

You know that building very well, so I'm sure it was just a nice easy progression for you to be... You're still in the same building.

Sheri: I am.

I'm still in the same building.

And I always knew that I worked with some of the most amazing and talented teachers and people in the area, however, I've really felt that as I've made this transition and counted on them to help me along my way too.

Rameen: Same question for you Paul.

You're obviously coming back to Martinsville.

You said your previous position in Lawrenceville, you were a principal?

Paul: Principal, yes.

Rameen: But you're changing communities, you're coming back.

So how does all those years of serving the Lawrenceville community prepare you to come back here and lead as a principal here?

Paul: I think, just from the experience of working with the community, working with students and parents give me the experience coming back home to kind of what to expect and work with the community and kind of give me an idea, okay, this is what I want to do coming in and how I want to start building those relationships.

Rameen: Let's talk about the current school year.

It's about two months old.

We're taping again here on October 18th.

And you're both getting situated as, again, Paul's been previously a principal.

Sheri, you're stepping into the role principal.

But your impressions of stepping into these new roles so far here after two months.

Start with Sheri first.

How has it gone?

Sheri: I've enjoyed it.

I did not realize all of the challenges that I might face on a daily basis.

Rameen: Little eye-opening?

Sheri: Very eye-opening.

Each day is different and that was something that I was looking forward to, because when you're in the classroom for 17 years, I was feeling like I needed a change.

I wanted a new challenge and this opportunity has definitely afforded me that.

Rameen: And Paul, stepping back into the Martinsville community, your impressions after two months?

Paul: It's been a great experience.

And kind of like what Sheri says, I was looking for a change and coming home, it's been a good experience.

I've been really impressed with my staff.

We've got great kids here and just really enjoyed it.

Rameen: Building has changed a little bit?

Paul: Yes.

It's nice, I come from a newer building and come home to a new building and yes, this is much different than what I went to school in.

Yes.

Rameen: I'm sure the conditions in Lawrenceville the last two years were not any different than what they were for anyone.

For you guys, these first two months, and I heard a lot of the same comments so I'm asking a lot of the same questions here from segment A to segment B, but it has to be refreshing these two months of the new school year to be what they were pre start of the pandemic.

Your thoughts on that?

Paul: Yeah.

Even though this is my first year at Martinsville, just the students in the hallways, the staff, just the interactions that we're able to have.

Yes, we are getting back to normal and that is so nice to have.

It's refreshing.

Really is.

Rameen: Sheri, can you say anything different than that?

Sheri: I absolutely agree with what he's saying.

It's been great to see the smiles and to share the hugs with the kids and have those close interactions that we had been missing.

Rameen: I have four kids in Charleston school district and my kindergartner, one of the comments was, "Oh, that's what his face looks like."

So I'm sure you guys have had those as well.

Very good.

You both are alums of this community.

And tell me, tell our audience, why this is such a great place to be in and be an educator.

We'll start with Paul.

Paul: For me, being away as long as I was and then coming home is, the relationships and the people.

A lot of faces that I remember from a long time ago and getting reacquainted with those, it's been really nice and it's been a great experience.

Rameen: Sheri, and you've been here, as you said 17 years.

You really haven't left.

So again, share with our audience why you enjoy being in this community, whether as a resident or educator.

Sheri: It is home.

And the community is not just a community, it's just like a giant family.

And we've noticed through the past few years if anyone has had a struggle or a challenge, everyone rallies together.

And that really makes me proud that we take care of each other and we take care of our own.

Rameen: As we wrap up here in the last few minutes, is there anything... We talked with Jill Rogers and Victoria Norton in the previous segment about overall school district.

Is there anything you'd like to highlight in your respective buildings that's going on now or will be happening this school year?

I know I'm putting you kind of on the spot, but we'll start with Paul.

Paul: I think one of the things I can tell you with a lot of the different programs that we offer, we have students who are enrolled in the new LIFT program, which is tremendous.

We have students that are participating in Excel.

We have a lot of different things our students are able to be a part of for such a small school, and I'm really proud of that.

Been really impressed with that, coming in as a new administrator and seeing them like, this is really nice what they've done here and just glad to be a part of that.

Rameen: And I can ask a follow up question.

I talk on this program with so many educators, K through 12 and even higher ed, to have those outlets of programs outside of the classroom, because obviously first and foremost you need to educate them, but to have those opportunities, you talked about the LIFT program and having one of those students involved in the first year, talk about the importance of having those extracurriculars for the students, the wellbeing of the student.

Paul: Yeah, it's extremely important.

It opens up doors for them outside of high school, down the road.

And I think it's really important to expose them to that as much as possible.

And it's just opportunities.

More opportunities we can provide to our students the better.

Rameen: Sheri, you want add anything else there about what might be transpiring here or has transpired here at the elementary school?

Sheri: Yeah.

One of the goals that I had set for myself for this year as the new principal was to make connections with our community.

And something that we are doing this year, we have partnered with the Historical Society in town and we have set up different days, for example, the end of October our students three through six will be taking a historical walk through an old cemetery here in town and the Historical Society will be meeting them there to explain that.

In November we're going to be meeting the Historical Society to learn about the Veterans Park uptown so that the kids, they see these places, but they don't always understand the history behind it.

So those are things I'm excited about.

Rameen: We're taping here on October 18th, so those two activities will be happening here for those students.

Very cool to hear about the students getting to learn about their community because maybe some kids don't know all those things.

Sheri: Yeah.

Rameen: I don't have anything else left to ask.

Either one of you want to add anything else before we wrap up here on this new episode on Martinsville?

Sheri: No.

Thank you for this opportunity.

Paul: Exactly.

Yep.

Thank you for having us.

Rameen: Well, congratulations on Paul coming back to Martinsville and Sheri just moving right up.

The two new principals at Martinsville Junior Senior High School and Martinsville Elementary, Paul Higginbotham, Sheri Cooper.

Thank you so much for your time and have a great rest of the school year.

Paul: Thank you.

Sheri: Thank you.

Rameen: Thank you so much.

And that'll do it for our latest on location episode of City Spotlight.

We've been talking in Martinsville Schools here in season nine.

Thanks for watching.

Thank you for tuning into City Spotlight.

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City Spotlight is supported by Consolidated Communications.

CCI is honored to salute the cities and their leaders in the area, as well as providing TV, Internet, and phone service for the local homes and businesses.

We live where we work, and are proud to support the communities we serve.

More information available at consolidated.com.

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