OLYMPIC MIDDLE SCHOOL

PTA AND THE PRINCIPAL 2007

Paul Douglas

Olympic Middle School PTA has had a great year. We have great students, great staff and great administration. Today we would like to honor our principal, Paul Douglas. We all know that every day in every way educators touch the hearts of the children they teach. Principals are no different.

Here are the facts: 720 energetic adolescent boys and girls, and he is in charge. Not a position for the faint of heart. Many of us who have one or two students that age will say we have our hands full, what with getting them to school on time with their homework done and their planner signed each week. That is a feat of historical proportions. It makes us tired just thinking about it. Now imagine facing that student body every day and not just surviving, excelling. Bringing out the best. Taming the untamed. Educating the teenage mind. Really, history in the making.

On January 29 the Auburn Community was able to watch and take part in a community form on safety and gang awareness headed up by Mr. Douglas and other youth-oriented organizations. That was the first community meeting with another just around the corner. On that evening in January, parents and students were educated on some issues that may have been swept under the carpet by someone else. Not here though. I believe his approach of talking together, educating each other, and making things better was well received by the community, families and students.

Mr. Douglas, along with Mr. Grow, assistant principal, and Ms. Kelly, intern principal, Olympic Middle School is always ready for any student, any parent, any family; challenging or otherwise. The staff is wonderful. The atmosphere is friendly. Learning is occurring. Scores are up. Reading levels are up. Discipline problems are down. Parent participation is up.

Today is the 86^th day of 2007. There are 279 days left in the calendar year, only a few more months of school. Three more weeks until the WASL. But, at Olympic Middle School the pace is minute by minute, hour by hour and day to day. Mr. Douglas and each teacher feel the importance of being part of a whole, part of a student’s education, part of their day, part of their year, part of their life. Historical, we can hope so. We know so. At Olympic, each day is historical, newsworthy. Each student is involved in something breath taking, something so significant in their lives, that it makes it all worthwhile being part of it. Thank you Mr. Douglas for being there each minute, each hour, each day. Thank you for supporting each student, each family, our community. Thank you Mr. Douglas for your contribution to our moment in history.