A Successful Season

I'm convinced that every high school principal is relieved when the prom season is over.

A couple of weeks ago, the juniors held their prom at Mac and Ray's. From all accounts, it was an enjoyable evening and uneventful from an administrative standpoint. And there's really no more that you could ask for.

Then last Saturday evening the seniors held their prom at the Roostertail. We were blessed with gorgeous weather and another great evening for the soon-to-be graduates.

There were a wide array of stretch limousines, a few boats that served as limousines, and young adults dressed to the 'nines'. I know the parents that served as chaperones were proud of their sons and daughters and I know that all of our parents and staff would have been proud of everyone in attendance.

To sum it up, you can rest assured I feel relieved. The behavior of our students was superb, and everyone arrived home safely.

There's just a few milestones left for the class of '09. Tomorrow they start their final exams, and only have four more days of school. That will be followed by Commencement on June 10 with the All-Night Party to follow.

I can only hope that everything continues to go as smoothly as the prom season.

An Appropriate Thank You

As I sit and write this on Mothers' Day, it seems only appropriate that I thank the long-existing group of Moms that have helped South (or the High) over the years. Spanning nearly the entire 80-year history of this high school, the Mothers' Club has worked tirelessly to provide funding and opportunities to enhance the experience for our high school students.

If you read old issues of the "Tower", it is evident their generosity was particularly helpful during the Depression and World War II. When the school and district was struggling, it was the Mothers' Club that came to the rescue. And now that we are experiencing our worst economic crisis since the 30's and 40's, it seems we are becoming more dependent than ever on their support.

The contributions of the Mothers' Club are seemingly endless. Just over a week from now, we will hold our annual Mothers' Club scholarship night. To prepare for this event, they stockpile money earned through various fundraisers so they can provide scholarship funds to deserving seniors. The next step is to interview countless seniors to determine who is most deserving and then award scholarships based upon either academic merit or financial need. Their primary goal, however, is to spread the available funds over as many students as possible.

Another significant role served by the Mothers' Club is that of preservation. The Preservation Committee meets with school officials and building architects to make sure we are consistent with the historical design of the building. In some cases, it requires extensive research while at other times the need is additional funding for the "extras" to keep the building historically accurate.

No matter the specific need at a given time, I have learned over my eight years at South that I can always depend on the Mothers' Club. In truth, it's probably how it is for most of us with our own mothers.

A single day in an entire year is hardly enough to give thanks, don't you agree? Nevertheless, Moms, we appreciate all you do.