Planning for most LMS events starts weeks or even months in advance, but a recent celebration at the school marked an event that had been on calendars all around the world for years longer than that, a total solar eclipse which would be visible in our skies. Solar eclipses occur several times a year as the moon passes between Earth and the sun, but total solar eclipses - where the moon completely blocks the light of the sun - are more rare, occurring every few years but typically in isolated areas like the middle of the ocean or at the North and South poles, not often in places where many people are able to view them. In 2017, people in North America were able to witness this phenomenon for the first time since 1979, and after this April’s eclipse, our country won’t be in the path of totality again until 2044, so even though Lookout Mountain’s view of the eclipse was only about 88 percent obscured, it was still an incredible sight to see (but not to look at directly, of course)!

LMS students spent the morning of the eclipse refreshing their knowledge about what would be happening in the skies later that afternoon. The older students looked back at their notes from earlier in the year about the mechanics of our solar system, while younger students were reminded again (and then again, and then again) not to look at the sun without their special glasses. One teacher remarked that she heard the kindergarteners excitedly chanting “Celery chips! Celery chips!” while lined up for lunch, and so after she’d had a good chuckle, she corrected them from “celery chips” to “so-lar e-clipse,” and reminded them again not to stare directly at it. Classroom snacks that morning very appropriately consisted of Moon Pies or Sun Chips, as all ages anxiously watched the cloudy weather to see if they would have a chance to see the eclipse at all!

After lunch, the whole school donned eclipse glasses and gathered on the LMS field for the celebration. Art teacher Ryan Patterson curated a perfect playlist for the day that rang out through the speakers as the children played; she selected songs to play in order of the progress of the eclipse, including “Moondance,” “Fly Me to the Moon,” “You Are My Sunshine,” “Ain’t No Sunshine,” and “Blinded by the Light.”

Science teacher Mary Avans cued students to the progress of the moon’s movement along with other changes to expect such as a drop in temperature. She also led the grades in trivia questions about moon phases, with winning answers earning candy prizes!  Students were placed around the field with their “buddies” from other grades; the fifth-graders were able to share with their kindergarten partners how they could just barely remember their last totality event in 2017, which occurred the year before they started their own kindergarten journey at LMS and before their buddies were even born!

As the school day came towards its end, the eclipse came towards its maximum coverage, and the clouds cooperated just enough to get some memorable and stunning views of this rare phenomenon.  As little but a ring of the sun’s light remained visible, the students fittingly played “Ring Around the Rosie” while Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire” played over the speakers. Ancient civilizations may have celebrated similar events with singing and dancing, but they didn’t have Johnny Cash to keep the beat! Students will not soon forget this special day, and 20 years down the line - when they are in their mid-20s and early-30s as the next totality occurs in our area in 2044 - they may even be telling their own kids about the totality they saw a part of in 2024 on the field at LMS surrounded by friends and fun!
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by Meredith Brown

Students at LMS stay engaged with a fun variety of hands-on projects mixed in throughout their daily curriculum, related arts, and afterschool clubs to extend their learning.  As the students cross the halfway point of the school year, let’s look at a quick sampling of what they’ve been up to as well as some of the recognition they have achieved.
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The second-graders took on a special project for the community right before winter break by hand-painting ornaments for the Lookout Mountain Police Department. Mrs. Cox said that the kids had “lots of fun with the glitter and paint and got super creative,” and were happy to thank the officers for all they do with notes and cookies. They got to turn their crafting skills all the way up to full power as they created musical instruments out of materials like carboard tubes, empty plastic food bins, and old scraps of yarn in science lab, learning about how sound is made through vibration.  They also got to see how dropping different objects into water creates wave patterns, and speaking of objects in water, they chose to name their classroom fish after their classmate’s mother, Hannah!

Along with the second grade, fifth-graders got to enjoy a fun field trip to the Tellus Science Museum in Cartersville, Ga. They had a great time exploring fossils, gems, electricity, and sports science. In fact, the fifth-graders have enjoyed lots of fun with their learning this year, becoming “mad scientists” (lab coats, goggles, and all) to dissect literary characters for ELA, building egg-drop contraptions for Mrs. Avans to release from the roof of the cafeteria, creating board games using engineering skills in science lab, enjoying their fifth grade gum privileges during homeroom, and eating outside at their reserved lunch tables. They have mastered the vital math and reading skills that will carry them to the middle schools of their choice next year, and they have passed along the best of their LMS knowledge to a future generation of LMS leaders, their kindergarten buddies.

And these kindergarteners have done beautifully with their first semester of elementary school!  They have learned the ropes and routines of their school day, made successful progression in their reading skills (both in the classroom and in literacy lab), and they have enjoyed getting to spend time interacting with their fifth grade buddies, including regular picnic lunches when the weather permits.  Mrs. Avans has presented the kindergarteners with engaging experiments in science lab, asking them to question what they think will sink or float before testing their predictions, and starting their understanding of computing language with gingerbread coding puzzles.     

First-graders had a fun field trip last semester, too, as they donned their warmest PJs to head to the IMAX to see the Polar Express. In the classroom, they have begun to apply their addition and subtraction skills to more complex word problems, they are telling time, and they are reading more challenging texts. In science lab, they have been studying light and learning about the sun, moon, and stars. They learned how opaque objects cast shadows, and they used paper cut-outs of insects, birds, and other animals to create and perform hilarious shadow puppet shows for their classmates.  Their later studies were especially “sweet,” as they focused on the phases of the moon, using Oreo cookies with various amounts of filling to represent the different stages of the pattern including new, crescent, and full moons. The first-graders have also enjoyed spending time with their third grade buddies, who have set a wonderful example for their young partners.    

Third-graders showed exceptional pride in their school this semester. Earning the title “Titans of Trash” by their teacher Mrs. Hughes, groups of students took it upon themselves to clean up around the playground, LMS field, and basketball courts. They further showed their excellent collaboration skills (along with effective communication) by playing “Minute to Win It” in science lab, laughing and learning as they catapulted pom poms into bins, scooped cotton balls by holding spoons in their mouths, and stacked towers of marshmallows or paper cups. They also spent time in lab making structures to show fields of magnetism and dissecting plants to learn about their inner structures and how the xylem moves water up and phloem moves food and water down.

A grade above them, the fourth graders were busy with dissections of their own, this time with owl pellets, carefully taking apart and identifying all the tiny elements inside.  They also got their hands dirty in their study of fossils, creating clay and glue molds of fossil casts and labeling each specific element of their particular structure. Back in the classroom, they perfected their multiplication skills with timed drills, earning prizes as they mastered each number set, and they enjoyed reading and writing about animal defenses as well as expressing themselves through poetry. The fourth- and fifth-graders in the LMS Robotics Team have had an extremely successful season so far. Kent Wingfield, James Cake, Hugh Gerwin, Teagan Neely, James Hickey, Austin Yates, and Deyann Dalwadi (supported by Mrs. Avans and Mrs. Hughes) won the first place championship award for all-around achievements in the five categories qualifying them for regionals, where they will compete in February!

And, speaking of successes, earlier this year, LMS was honored to once again be named a Level 5 Reward School in Tennessee. This grading is based on the Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System to measure student achievement and growth. Level Five is the highest category, indicating that LMS students are exceeding growth expectations. More recently, LMS received another stellar score, this time on the new Tennessee Department of Education’s school grading system. This newly implemented assessment looks at a school’s student achievement, growth, and readiness.  Based on this data, each school receives a letter grade A through F, with the goal of giving communities a “snapshot” of how their child’s school is performing. Lookout Mountain School was proud to receive an A letter grade, an achievement only 17.4 percent of Tennessee schools received statewide.

We can’t wait to see what all LMS students will achieve for the rest of this year. Already, students are beginning preparation for the upcoming LMS Spelling Bee, and they have started new projects in their art classes and science labs and checked out new books that have sparked their interest in the library. Clearly, their mix of fun and learning is a winning combination that students enjoy each day, and the LMS community is so proud of all their hard work!   

by Meredith Brown ​

The beginning of each school year always brings some change and newness, of course. Some students have graduated and moved on to their next steps; some youngsters are entering the classroom for the first time, and some faculty and staff members are stepping into the roles once filled by familiar faces around the school. LMS began this new year with even more change than usual, as a multitude of new faculty and staff members joined the LMS family to bring their talents and energy to the school. The LMS students, families, and community as a whole have loved getting to know them all and seeing firsthand what wonderful additions they have been!

Perhaps the most significant change this year is Emily Haney taking over as LMS principal after Ruth White’s retirement. Emily has been a wonderful fit at LMS, striving to “continue the tradition of academic excellence in the areas of student achievement and growth.” Emily comes to LMS after serving for over 12 years at Fairyland Elementary, including six as assistant principal, and serving the previous school year as assistant principal at Rossville Elementary. She is the mother of a teenage daughter, and she holds a B.S. degree in early childhood education and a master’s of educational leadership degree, both from Kennesaw State University. Emily is being beautifully supported in her new role by Missy McKenna, who has made the move from veteran LMS kindergarten teacher to LMS vice principal. They make a wonderful team and have had a successful start to the year. Emily shares that she has been “impressed with how hard the teachers worked to prepare for the opening of school” and that she is “very much enjoying getting to know each member of this school community.”

Moving into Missy’s kindergarten instructor’s role is her former classroom assistant, Kelly Carrol, whose top wish-list item for her classroom is laughter! Kelly has been joined by new faculty member Anna Harris as her classroom assistant. A North Carolina native, Anna is happy to be settled in Chattanooga with her husband and three kids. She shares, “From the moment I pulled up to LMS to interview, the building oozed character, and the community presence was felt,” adding that once she was inside the doors, she knew she didn’t want to leave. Anna looks forward to supporting Kelly in the classroom, with the hope that “when each student leaves for the day, they feel loved, seen, heard, and noticed.” She captures the fun of working with the kindergarteners, calling it a “smorgasbord of hilarious interactions” without a dull moment! Former LMS P.E. assistant Lacey Redden is experiencing these same fun-filled interactions, as she moves into the role of kindergarten classroom assistant to Lee Cook, and the students love interacting with Lacey in this new role.

Molly Ball is the new first grade teacher this year. She is from Murfreesboro and received her degree in early childhood education from Middle Tennessee State University. Molly has been impressed by the “welcoming and sweet community” at LMS, and her goal for the year is to be “invested in the lives of [her] students and their families and create a lifelong love of learning.”  Assisting Molly in this admirable goal (as well as anything else that she and the other first and second grade instructors may need) is another new face, educational assistant Kyle Wood. Kyle will also help with small group tutoring and literacy lab. He has worked as an assistant and substitute teacher in Hamilton County Schools since he and his wife moved to Chattanooga from the Dallas- Fort Worth area of Texas in 2020. Kyle holds a bachelor of fine arts degree from The University of Texas at Arlington as well as EC-12th grade certification for Art from Texas A&M University, Commerce. Outside of education, he is a working artist, painting primarily oil landscapes as well as some pet portraits, and some of his works are even licensed onto products like puzzles and cross-stitch patterns.

In third grade, Gina Hughes is happy to be returning to LMS, taking on the role of math and science instructor, and she is being joined by Betsy Cake, who will lead third grade ELA and social studies during Ms. Yeaworth’s leave of absence this year. Betsy is not an entirely new face at LMS; she is a Lookout Mountain native (and LMS graduate!), who has been involved with the school as a parent volunteer for many years. Students have loved getting to know her in this new teaching role, as she guides them to a deeper understanding of reading books and crafting what they have read into writing. Outside of the classroom, Betsy enjoys reading, which is very fitting, and she also loves to hike. One more shift in the third grade is Joy Kaeser, who has moved from instructor into the lead response to intervention (RTI) role for LMS, helping to “decrease student knowledge gaps and improve student performance.”

In fact, there have been several new additions to the school in the area of student support. Erin Reardon has joined LMS as counselor, much to the delight of Mrs. Haney, who has worked closely with her in the past and has seen her positive influence firsthand. Tara Strang will serve as school psychologist, and Bailey Olds will serve as social worker. Bailey splits her time with CSAS Lower School, and she shares that she can already see how “tight knit” the community at LMS is. She came to Chattanooga to study social work at UTC as an undergrad and then stayed on to earn her masters in that field. She previously worked as a therapist at Volunteer Behavioral Health and she hopes that her work at LMS will “support students and their families by addressing various needs in their lives,” and she is building “positive relationships and providing a positive experience for students that are needing additional social emotional help to encourage them to love school and strive for further achievements.” Debbie Lifsey is also new to Hamilton County Schools, but she is no stranger to Lookout Mountain; she and her husband lived here for 10 years, and her four children attended Fairyland School. She is also no stranger to McCallie families, having taught science there for 11 years and leading the school’s First Camp, where she got to know many LMS families during this summer camp program. Debbie joins LMS as student support coach, which allows her to “use a relationship-based approach to build trust, well-being, and belonging to help support students.” She says she could “quickly tell that this community loves and supports this school with their whole hearts.” As she is learning more about the LMS students, she laughed that one student had jokingly tried to convince her that his name was Chicken Nugget, and she can’t wait to meet more of the LMS families.

Finally, fifth grade also has a new face joining the LMS family this year. Jenah Cooper is the new fifth grade English and Social Studies teacher. Jenah is originally from Rogersville, Tenn., and she received her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from King University. During her time there, she served as the president of the student teaching club and competed on the acrobatics and tumbling team (a fact which is particularly impressive to her students). She moved to Chattanooga to teach pre-K at Good Shepherd School, and families on the mountain were thrilled to find out she was making the move to LMS this year. Jenah shares that she has “amazing support from the administration, coworkers, parents, and students” at LMS.  She says, “I look forward to seeing and teaching my students each day, forming relationships with those around me, and growing as an educator.” This year, Jenah hopes to “gain new skills [to] continuously apply in the classroom in present and upcoming years,” and she is happy to be learning and growing alongside her students.  She and Mrs. Inman have already made this final year at LMS a fun and special one for their fifth-graders.    

Clearly, there have been some exciting shifts and additions taking place at LMS. Even when you enter the LMS front office, you will see a newly remodeled space (thanks to funds raised at Night Out for Lookout) and the new face of clerical assistant Kim Weiss. And while there is a whole lot of “new” abounding, the elements that make LMS such a special place firmly remain: the tightly knit, supportive community that is dedicated to providing the very best possible education for its students as well as an environment that is - as Emily Haney puts it - “filled with smiles and laughter.”    
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by Meredith Brown          ​

After returning from spring break, it seemed like the days zoomed by twice as fast as normal until summer vacation. These “blink and you miss them” days were full of some of the most fun that LMS students had all year, celebrating the accomplishments they achieved and the friendships they made as they cheered each other on throughout the events in May.

First, the third- through fifth-graders got to take part in the Hamilton County track meet. One boy and one girl from each grade qualified to participate in the 100-meter, 200-meter, and 400-meter races along with the standing long jump, running long jump, and shot put. Each grade also got to send four boys and four girls to the 4x100 relay race. The participants all rode to Red Bank High School’s track on busses along with their entire class to support them. The students brought picnic lunches and spent the morning cheering on their classmates on the field. The cheering must have helped, because LMS performed exceeding well, winning first or second place in several events and placing in all but two events the entire day!

Next, the whole school got to race and play at the annual Field Day celebration. The LMS field was divided into a variety of fun stations including a hula-hoop rock paper scissors competition, various water games, classic three-legged and potato-sack relays, new football and pool noodle toss games, and the ever popular tug-of-war. Parent volunteers helped distribute popsicles and lead the games, and many teachers jumped into the action racing alongside their classes. Art teacher Ryan Patterson acted as emcee, encouraging students over the speakers and playing fun music to keep everyone’s spirits high. At one point, a line of fifth-graders stretched halfway across the field doing choreography to the music! What could possibly top all of this fun? Only the Lookout Mountain Fire Department sending a truck to spray water over the entire field full of students, who left school that day fully drenched and happily exhausted.

The Awards Day assembly the following week was a chance for students to celebrate both academic and athletic achievements. Principal Ruth White welcomed students and parents, complementing all the students on their successful year. She then awarded perfect attendance certificates to Georgiana Beasley and Katelyn Rowell. Music teacher Katie Huffine presented the Music Award to fifth-graders Charles Barnes and Damiyah Dixon; both of these students had been selected earlier in the year to take part in the county-wide Hamilton Sings concert event, performing seven songs including some in different languages. She also recognized Emma Mixon, who was alternate for the event and had to learn all of the music as well. Coach Darren Crownover recognized all of the participants in the track meet before awarding Presidential Fitness Awards for each grade. In order to receive this recognition, students had to place in the top half of their class in all seven physical fitness events, and an impressive 36 students met this goal!

As Awards Day continued, librarian Whitney Fessler took the podium to announce the Accelerated Reader awards. She shared that the fourth grade had earned the most total points for the year and that the entire school had amassed a remarkable 8243 AR points over the year, which covered 46,455,178 words read! The students who placed 11th-20th in overall points were announced and received medals, and the first through 10th place students received lapel pins in addition to their medals. The first place overall winner was fifth-grader Cate Burks, with an impressive total of 532.2 AR points.

Science teacher Mary Avans was the next presenter, recognizing the robotics club, garden club, and science olympiad team. She then awarded the Science Award to Kase Fugate, who she described as having a strong “sense of humility and sense of humor” in how he approached his studies and was - as Carl Sagan would say - a “skeptical interrogator of the universe.”

Art teacher Ryan Patterson presented the Art Award to Georgiana Beasley and shared that she had been “inspired by her growth” throughout the year.

The fifth grade teachers finished off the assembly; Lisa Inman presented the Redwood Award in mathematics to Eleanor Hoover, who she praised for always attempting to solve a problem before asking a question, and Ashleigh Cain presented the Susan Frankenberg Writing Award to Cyra Poureshmenantalemy, who she said captured her attention through her knowledge and creativity as well as how she acted as peer editor for her friends, offering guidance and suggestions.   

The final celebration of the year was fifth grade graduation, recognizing the students who had finished their time at LMS and are heading on to middle school next year. Principal Ruth White welcomed everyone, and Cyra Poureshmenantalemy led the Pledge of Allegiance and the LMS Student Pledge. Kase Fugate spoke about how he and his classmates appreciated the support of their parents, and Charles Barnes spoke about how the LMS faculty had supported the class members throughout their years. Payton Sprouse presented the class gift, and fifth grade teacher Lisa Inman recognized the 23 Presidential Academic Scholars. The class sang “Count on Me” before its representative Alex Faler spoke to the crowd on their behalf. Fifth grade teacher Ashleigh Cain presented the DAR Good Citizenship Award to Charles Barnes; Principal Ruth White presented the Christy McBryar Faculty Award to Alex Faler; and, Mrs. Caroline Bentley presented the Nancy Caulkins Scholarship to Larkin Teague. Andrew Smith introduced LMS Alum - and son of LMS bookkeeper and secretary Mary Duncan - Chris Duncan, who advised the departing students on their next steps into the world. Finally, Mrs. Karen Welborn, chair of the LMS board of directors, assisted Principal White, Mrs. Cain, and Mrs. Inman in distributing diplomas to the excited students, who were eager to join their friends and family for refreshments and photos to mark the day.

The fifth-graders were already being missed the following day as the rest of the student body spent their last day at school collecting their report cards, packing up their desks and cubbies, and running down any lost sweatshirts and water bottles! As they poured out of the school entrance at the end of the day to begin their summer breaks, the students were full of excitement, looking ahead to their own next steps at LMS and beyond, happy to be a part of such a fun, nurturing, and supportive community.
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by Meredith Brown

The Fairyland Festival at Fairyland Elementary School has been a not-to-be-missed event on Lookout Mountain since 1961. Originally a two-day affair with games and rides, the festival fare included fried chicken dinners in brown paper bags. The next year, the festivities progressed to the Methodist Church’s parking lot and included a live circus, complete with an elephant and the world’s strongest man! In 1963, the location moved to the school grounds, with a skydiver landing on the field behind the school to start the festivities!

The first festival chairs in 1961 were Locke and Marrianna Thomison, followed by Mason Daley, ’62, Bev Webb, ’63, Emeline Ferguson, ’64, Gail Voges, ’65, and the list of familiar names goes on and on. This year the Fairyland Festival was in the capable and creative hands of Amy Hill and Brandy Dove, and they chaired the iconic event beautifully. Between cotton candy, Clumpies Ice Cream, fabulous inflatables, a slew of games, pony rides and hayrides, and the iconic jail, there was hardly room for one more attraction. But one new highlight was an immediate hit. The Ridgeland High School cheerleaders organized a talent show, complete with a stage and a microphone, of course! Suffice to say there were no wallflowers at this festival, and the stage was packed, especially during the all out dance party that followed!
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Wow! What a grand success in a long line of successful festivals!

The LMS Auditorium was overflowing on a beautiful evening in early May as students, current and former LMS teachers, families, friends, and community members came out to show their appreciation for Principal Ruth White. Mrs. White is retiring after 31 years as an educator, with 24 of those years serving the Lookout Mountain School community as a teacher and as principal.  During the ceremony, Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp and Hamilton County District 11 Commissioner Joe Graham made a proclamation that May 2, 2023, would officially be known as Principal Ruth White Day, which was an honor Mrs. White has certainly earned in her years of dedicated service.
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Mrs. White moved to Lookout Mountain in 1991 with her husband, Johnny, and their young children, Rachel and Joel. She remembers coming from the “flatlands of Memphis” and being “immediately drawn to the charm and character of such an idyllic setting in which to raise our children” and how the “stunning architecture of this mountain school drew me inside its doors,” when registering Rachel and Joel for third grade and kindergarten respectively.

Who could have known in that moment what an impact Mrs. White would have on those very surroundings? She began teaching at LMS in the fall of 1994 in first and then third grade. Former LMS principal Paula M. Gossett mentored Mrs. White, encouraging her to pursue a masters degree in administration, which she did, and after 11 years teaching at LMS, Mrs. White was promoted to assistant principal and then principal at Battle Academy, where she led for several years. Upon Mrs. Gossett’s retirement in 2010, Mrs. White was selected by a committee of HCDE leadership and Lookout Mountain community members to be the new principal at Lookout Mountain School. She said that she felt privileged to serve in this role where the education experience for students is “exceptional, innovative, and rigorous,” preparing them for middle school and beyond.   

And while the high quality of the education has remained the same, many other changes have taken place during Mrs. White’s years at LMS. She has seen the school’s footprint grow with an addition on the north end of the building for kindergarten, science lab, art, and literacy lab classrooms; she has overseen renovations to the gymnasium and a full remodel of the auditorium, including new carpet, chairs, curtain, lighting, and sound technology; she has advanced the exterior of the school as well, with the addition of a beautiful greenhouse, the complete landscape remodel of the playground and its equipment, and, along with the support of the garden clubs on the mountain, the landscaping and new chairs and tables for outdoor classes to be held around the pond. Mrs. White notes that the all of the updates and remodeling throughout the school are due to “the fundraising efforts of the PTA and the generosity of this community.” With grit, determination, and a positive attitude, Mrs. White has seen LMS through the daunting challenges of possible school closure, rezoning, and the pandemic. She has also seen LMS rise to some of its greatest achievements, most notably its recognition as a 2022 National Blue Ribbon School. She oversees the big details, like adding security features to the school entrance and coordinating with the Lookout Mountain Police and Fire Departments to ensure LMS is safe and secure, and she also oversees the details that are on a smaller but still important scale, like new blinds in the classrooms. Mayor Wamp commented during Mrs. White’s ceremony that he had even recently seen her out watering the flowers in front of the school at the end of her long day, ensuring that she had done truly everything in her power to take care of every possible detail. He remarked that there was an allegory there, too, representing everything that Mrs. White had poured into LMS children over the years to help them grow.

Knowing this, it is not surprising that Mrs. White feels that her most meaningful LMS memories are “being with the children and seeing the joy of learning through their eyes.” She takes great pride in “the efforts of our village as we raise our children up to be strong, resilient, and courageous in pursuing their dreams,” and she wants them all to know that “they are each running a personal race, not a competition … we all develop at different times and have our own gifts, talents, and challenges. We are all truly masterpieces in the making!”

And while Mrs. White is clearly proud of her students, they are equally as proud of all that she has done for them. During her retirement ceremony, the students stood to surprise Mrs. White with a song that LMS music teacher Katie Huffine had secretly been teaching them called “You Have Made a Difference, ” as a slideshow of Mrs. White’s LMS memories filled the auditorium’s screen. Led by fifth-graders Charles Barnes, Eleanor Hoover, and Emma Mixon, the students sang, “You have made a difference - you have shaped our minds - you have changed the world, one child at a time. I hope that you’re as proud of me as I am proud of you.”

With grateful hearts and tears in their eyes, current LMS PTA president Charlotte Gregorie and Lookout Mountain Commissioner of Education Karen Leavengood thanked Mrs. White and presented her with a beautiful painting of Lookout Mountain School by the late Billy Parker. Mrs. White thanked everyone for their love and support, saying to parents that “you give your children roots, and we try and help you give them wings to fly and soar.” She commented on the amazing support of her colleagues and the mountain community over the years, including during the heartbreaking loss of her son, Joel. She expressed how everyone had lifted her family up while still leading the students “with joy and determination.” The faculty and staff that Mrs. White has led these past 13 years feel grateful to support her during the difficult times and the happy ones. They describe her as “wonderful and understanding,” “amazing,” and as “persevering in all circumstances.” The school’s bookkeeper/secretary Mary Duncan shares about Mrs. White, “her wisdom has always motivated me to do better, and she is not only my boss but also a mentor and friend … she will be greatly missed.”

Mrs. White knows what she will miss the most about her “home” at LMS too: She will think fondly of the laughter that “abounds each day,” the LMS Carnival and Night Out for Lookout, the hunt for the gingerbread man, hearing both children and adults reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and the Lookout Mountain School Student Pledge, and the “kindness, perseverance, courage, strength, citizenship, and responsibility” that she sees in the LMS community. She says, “It can be in the smallest of moments that we find our real joy and witness the hum of a building filled with traditions, celebrations, innovations, and delightful memories.” And despite missing these daily interactions, she is excitedly looking forward to her next chapter, seeing “God’s grace shining through” as she spends more time with Johnny, Rachel and her husband Jay, grandson Campbell, and a new granddaughter on the way!

Mrs. White has carried the torch of leadership beautifully during her years at LMS, and she says, “I know that Emily Haney will lead the charge into greater growth and continued celebrations for our beloved Lookout Mountain School!” Everyone in the LMS community is grateful for Mrs. White’s contributions to the school, knowing that her legacy of strength and kindness will continue on for years to come!

by Meredith Brown

On March 7, Fairyland Elementary School held its 18th Fairyland Family Art Exhibition, a much anticipated and beloved yearly event. As in years past, the Lookout Mountain Methodist Church magnanimously hosted the exhibit, which was co-coordinated by FES art teacher Beth Bradford and DeAnna Willingham, artist, former FES parent, dedicated friend of FES and overall volunteer extraordinaire.

The Fairyland Family Art Exhibition, first conceptualized in 2004 by FES parent Laura Durell, has cultivated and refined an “anything goes” philosophy that enthusiastically encourages participation of Fairyland School students, their families and members of the community with a heartfelt commitment to the overarching premise that any and all creative endeavors deserve equal recognition. This year’s exhibit certainly lived up to this mission, displaying a collection of at least 200 striking and diverse pieces, which showcased not only an abundance of local artistic talent but also a creative and unique array of media, running the gambit from acrylic, watercolor and oil paints to glitter, wood, papier-mâché and even feathers!  

Over the course of this daylong celebration of art, FES homeroom groups visited the show at staggered intervals to peruse the collection, taking particular delight in discovering the artwork of their schoolmates, their families and their neighbors on display. Additionally, it was a pleasure and an honor to once again welcome a busload of Thrive residents who have become long-term and enthusiastic patrons of the art show since Thrive opened eight years ago. In the late afternoon and into the early evening hours, the exhibit opened its doors to the wider community, welcoming a healthy turnout of Lookout Mountain locals as well as returning students, all there to admire the art and enjoy the delicious selection of appetizers, consisting of popcorn, cheese and crackers, strawberries, cheese puffs, Oreos, grapes and lemonade, all of which were ideal art show fare, without a doubt!

The true highlight of the day’s events, however, was undoubtedly the presence of this year’s artist in residence, Margaret Gaither. As special guest and featured artist, Margaret presided over the exhibition, displayed pieces of her personal art and addressed each homeroom group, explaining her artistic process and background. Especially fun was when Margaret invited everyone to partake in a school wide project whereby each student could add a few painted brush strokes onto a large canvas to ultimately create a collaborative acrylic paint rendering of FES. The finished product is bound to be a highly coveted item on the auction block at next year’s Music on the Mountain! 

A resident of Lookout Mountain, by day Margaret is a mother of four FES students (Nora, William, Carson and Bennett) and, by night, she is a neonatal intensive care nurse. But when she is not spending time with her four beautiful children and husband, Will, or treating infants, Margaret is in her home’s basement studio creating stunning and texturally rich paintings, many of which feature the world’s most noteworthy and architecturally renowned cathedrals and churches, such as Notre Dame in Paris and the New York City’s Cathedral of St. John the Divine and Trinity Church.

Margaret was homeschooled by her mother, also an artist, who inspired in Margaret a powerful and lifelong love and appreciation of art. As a young girl, Margaret took many art classes in her childhood hometown of Atlanta. In her teens, her art education was significantly broadened when Margaret’s homeschooling curriculum enabled her to travel throughout Europe and New York. It was these extended academic visits to Italy, Switzerland, France and the Hudson River Valley that exposed Margaret to the world’s most structurally and historically significant buildings and churches to which she is still drawn as an artist and feature so prominently in her artwork. Margaret earned a BFA at the Art Institute of Atlanta where her pieces were featured at her class’s graduation show. Starting out professionally as a graphic designer, Margaret later attended Georgia Sate University where, as a graduate student, she taught a course on art foundations and color theory.

Margaret’s philosophy that “art is the practice of identifying small areas of color, line, and light and layering them all together to create an image” is clearly visible in her artwork. Displayed on large canvases, her pieces often depict loose sketches of ornate churches. Margaret leans toward a mixed media and textured approach, creating art that employs “paint, ink, paper or whatever she can get her hands on.”  

The students at FES were mighty lucky to spend some time with Margaret Gaither at the art show and to learn about her technique and her interesting background. With undeniable talent, an eye for the beauty that surrounds her and a rich artistic education and background, how fortunate for us that Margaret also possesses a generous spirit, eager to share her legacy of knowledge and her love of art not only with her own children, but with all the children.

Learn more at www.mgaither.com.
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by Sally Burke
Fairyland School ​

One early spring day, I had the pleasure of riding with students on a Fairyland Elementary School bus on their afternoon journey home from school. Dispelling any preconceived notions of rowdy shenanigans and paper airplanes whizzing overhead, the scene inside this Walker County bus can only be described as orderly, quiet and downright relaxing. The students were well behaved and sat in assigned seats, some chatting with a friend, others reading a book or looking out the window. As we traveled along, wending and winding our way around the gentle curves of Lula Lake Road at an easy but steady pace, I occasionally had to remind myself that I was riding a public school bus as I took in the scenic views and early springtime colors, thoroughly enjoying the entire experience.
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The Walker County Schools Department of Transportation is a well oiled machine, made up of a highly conscientious, professional and cohesive team of drivers and supervisors who are “committed to providing the safest, (and the most) consistent and reliable transportation possible,” according to its mission statement posted on the website. Overseeing 6,000 bus riders, 87 daily routes and over 1.2 million miles each year, the Walker County Department of Education sees its buses as “extensions of the classrooms… [and] an integral part of the education of all students within the school district.” 

  Like a pair of bookends, the Walker County bus system provides sturdy support and serves as the first and last student interface of each day. That is quite a meaningful connection in the life of a child, and demonstrates that while bus safety is paramount, the passengers are equally important, valued and respected. And nowhere is this professional code of ethics more alive and well than on board Walker County buses No. 40 and No. 72 serving Fairyland Elementary School.

Corey Smith and Fran Rhodes are responsible for shuttling approximately 20 percent of Fairyland’s total enrollment of 269 pupils to and from school every weekday. Cory Smith, employed by the Transportation Department of the Walker County School District for over 16 years, has operated a bus for every school in Walker County. In recent years, however, Cory, a resident of Lookout Mountain, has driven the FES route exclusively, which conveniently enables him to deliver and retrieve his son, Jack, a fourth-grader at Fairyland School. Prior to working for Walker County, Corey drove an armored truck. An entrepreneur at heart with a head for business, he founded two companies with his father until they became a casualty of the 2008 financial crisis. The opportunity to drive a bus meshed with his previous driving experience and allowed him to drive his daughter to and from school each day.

Before becoming a bus driver eight years ago, animal lover Fran Rhodes worked at a kennel. Like Corey, the opportunity to be on her daughter’s school schedule was a factor in her decision to pursue a job as a bus driver.

Watching Corey and Fran interact with the students at FES, it is plain to see that they thoroughly enjoy their jobs, which Fran describes as “very rewarding, interesting and never dull.” They make personal and warm connections with the students and families on their routes. Not only that, Fran and Corey are highly trained professionals who regard the safety of their students with the utmost seriousness and attention to detail. In addition to following to the letter every federal law and regulation regarding the safe operation of a bus, Walker County imposes additional safety regulations that must be strictly upheld by all Walker County bus drivers. Both Fran and Corey maintain orderly and well behaved conduct on their routes and regularly instruct students on the precise procedures regarding bus stop safety. They also conduct monthly drills to review emergency exits, such as back hatches and windows, and the proper operation of the emergency break. Additionally, an older student is permanently assigned to count and lead younger students to an open door in the case of an emergency. 

Fran and Corey, full time employees, start their day between 4 and 5 a.m. and, depending on the traffic and weather, make their first pick up a little after 6 a.m. and their final afternoon drop-off between 4 and 4:30 p.m. Between their morning and afternoon routes, Corey works in the transportation office where he arranges all of Walker County’s student field trips, while Fran trains new hires and drives Walker County students on field trips. Both drivers keep their buses at their home properties when they are not driving students during the workday. 

Fran’s route serves students living in the southern part of Walker County located south of Nickajack Road to Menlo, Ga. Corey Smith’s route covers the northern part of Walker County above Nickajack Road. However, those route descriptions barely skim the surface. To provide a more accurate picture of the intricate routes and the complex schedules they follow would require the aid of elaborate spreadsheets, labyrinthine flow charts and 3-D logistics renderings. This, of course, is an exaggeration but the truth is not far off.

The bus routes and driver schedules of not only Fran and Corey, but of all Walker County bus drivers, have become increasingly complicated in recent years as the result of significant and pervasive understaffing of at least 30 bus drivers. Although Covid-19 has been a variable, other factors have contributed to the driver shortage, such as a significant number of drivers retiring simultaneously and an especially rigorous and time-consuming hiring process. Consequently, with fewer drivers than routes, being able to move over 6,000 Walker County students between their homes and school in a manner that ensures their safe, timely and comfortable transport is a daunting task that would require a team that demonstrates vision, patience, and creativity and is able to enlist the collaboration of bus drivers, administration, teachers, students and families. Fortunately, Walker County Schools Department of Transportation has such a team. 

The transportation office, known as the Bus Barn, is managed by Dena Renfro, transportation supervisor, Debi Madaris, transportation manager and William Murphy, fleet manager. Like air traffic controllers at the airport, this stellar trio is the brain power responsible for the entire fleet of Walker County school buses, all driver routes and schedules and ultimately, the safety and well-being of the passengers. While the shortage is unresolved, the Bus Barn team has implemented a host of creative solutions such as restructuring and combining routes and driver schedules (recorded weekly in a notebook nicknamed “the Bible”), establishing community stops in place of individual home stops and offering stipends to those drivers who take on extra routes. 

As much as Corey and Fran enjoy their jobs, like any occupation, being a bus driver has its challenges. Fran explains that driving in the fog can be stressful, but she relies heavily on the center white lights. Fran has experienced fog so thick that she has trouble determining whether she is going up or down the mountain. She also cited as problematic the random deer, armadillo, rattlesnake and other unexpected animal that runs (or slithers) in front of her bus. Corey said that when students are not met at their drop-off point by a parent or guardian is considered to be among the most challenging issues facing all bus drivers. This poses not only a safety issue, but it also results in a trickle down series of delays, impacting other buses. In Walker County, only students who are 9 or older, have a key and whose homes are visible from the road can be dropped off without an adult present. He stipulated, however, that even if those conditions are met, it is up to the discretion of each driver to make decisions regarding drop-off, based on unusual situations.

“If I see something weird … out of the ordinary, I can say no, I’m not letting [the student] out here.” He emphasized however, that such scenarios are not common on the Fairyland bus routes.

Among all the federal and county bus safety laws and regulations, none are regarded with more importance than those governing bus pick-up and drop-off stops. According to statistics and backed by Corey Smith, “the most unsafe part of riding a school bus is the drop-off and pick-up danger zone … where all the accidents occur.” The stringent laws addressing these stops apply to bus drivers, students and all vehicular traffic. In fact, the state of Georgia created “Operation Stop Arm” a public awareness campaign designed to educate drivers about those situations when cars are required to stop for a school bus, which is essentially anytime a bus is stopped with its arm down. Breaking these bus stop laws “can result in court appearances, hefty fines and other penalties,” according to the Walker County Schools website.

The buses themselves are also designed for safety, incorporating new, low and high-tech devices and solutions. Corey and Fran agree that a new passenger seat design with higher cushioned backs (creating a padded enclosure of sorts for the students in the event of a collision) is a huge safety improvement. Vital to the safe operation of the transportation system is being able to communicate all bus related updates and information, which is accomplished via a radio system that constantly broadcasts Bus Barn conversations to every Walker County bus and school office.

Additionally, Fran explained how modern buses are designed in such a way that, upon collision, the top section where the passengers are seated, will break apart beneath the floor, thus separating the students and driver from the combustible engine below. Advances in technology have contributed greatly to school bus safety. Most Walker County school buses are equipped with six cameras located both inside and outside of the bus. Also, the buses’ computer systems monitor and record practically every driver action taken, confirming proper use of lights, doors, brakes and speed. An especially unique safety device is one that forces the driver to walk to the rear of the bus to disengage an alarm before being able to exit. This visual sweep ensures that that no sleeping students are left on the bus.

The Walker County Department of Education provides a superior transportation program, and both the management and the drivers are fully committed to the wellbeing and safety of Walker County students. Most of all, FES is especially fortunate to have Fran Rhodes and Corey Smith oversee the safe delivery of its students. They are sharp-eyed, knowledgeable and discerning, yet kind, devoted and respectful. Fairyland students are transported to their destinations safely and always with smiles on their faces. 

Sally Burke
Fairyland School ​

At the start of this school year, Lookout Mountain School was honored to be designated an Exemplary High Performing National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Secretary of Education.  National Blue Ribbon distinction was achieved by only 297 schools across the entire country and by only six schools in the state of Tennessee. Honors like this certainly deserve to be celebrated, and recently students, faculty, staff, parents, and community members came together to do just that.       
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Blue Ribbon Week included four days of fun activities for LMS students to show school spirit about their accomplishment. The week began with students dressing in red, white, and blue to signify the national scope of their award. Since it was also Tennessee Tuesday, they got to enjoy MoonPies as a special snack. The next day was Wacky Wednesday, which allowed students to balance all their hard work with a little silliness. Laughter rang out as students arrived wearing giant beads and mismatched or backwards clothing; Halloween costumes got another wear, socks were used as hair bows, and students enjoyed a celebratory cake after lunch to cap off the wacky day. Thursday gave students the chance to get cozy and relax for a schoolwide pajama day. The weather was rainy and grey, which was fitting for the comfy attire, and, as a special treat, students enjoyed breakfast for lunch!

Friday was the culmination of the week’s events, and students were surprised and delighted when they got to walk a “blue carpet” complete with velvet rope, balloons, yard signs, and fun music as they entered school that morning. Teachers, Principal Ruth White, and the LMS Lion mascot cheered each student by name as they walked up the front stairs, and when they arrived in their classrooms, each child received a special blue T-shirt with Lookout Mountain School’s name encircling the Great Seal of the United States. They wore these shirts later in the day for the Blue Ribbon Celebration, a schoolwide assembly in the LMS gymnasium with some very special guests.

The ceremony opened with the Vietnam Veterans Chapter 203 Color Guard presenting the American and State of Tennessee flags. Mrs. White welcomed everyone who had gathered, and LMS fifth graders Alex Faler and Emma Mixon led the group in the Pledge of Allegiance and the Lookout Mountain School Pledge. Mr. Randy Boyd, University of Tennessee System president, congratulated the students and faculty on their award. He jokingly asked for a show of hands by students who planned to attend the University of Tennessee for college, and he was met with quite a few takers! He said earnestly that if kids kept up the kind of hard work and dedication they had shown in receiving this award, that any number of schools would be proud to have them as students one day. Next, guests watched a lovely short video about LMS, in which Mrs. White led viewers around campus while speaking about her love of the school and her admiration of the students, faculty, parents, and community that make it such a special place.

Mr. Weston Wamp, Hamilton County mayor, spoke next, recognizing women as a driving force in the success of Lookout Mountain School and sharing a story from his own time in elementary school, which assured LMS students that they would always remember their school receiving this award. Dr. Justin Robertson, Hamilton County Schools superintendent, asked students to raise their hands if they were happy to come to school each day, and he was pleased to see all the students in the gym shoot their hands into the air. He encouraged them to keep that enthusiasm and drive, and he presented the Blue Ribbon plaque to Principal White. Final remarks to the guests were made by Mr. Walker Jones, mayor of Lookout Mountain, Tenn. He shared that even though he had graduated from LMS 50 years earlier, he could still close his eyes and know in a moment from the distinctive smell that he was in the LMS gym, and he told the students that they would carry that same sense memory with them along with all their fond memories of LMS, no matter how long they were away. Music teacher Katie Huffine led first grade students in singing “Keep On Keeping On,” as an encouragement to all attendees to continue striving for success, and Beth Wingfield photographed the students and guests to officially capture the day.

Lookout Mountain School students will indeed carry the memory of this day and the feeling of pride in their hard work for years to come. The fun they had in the week leading up to Friday’s ceremony and the encouragement from the many special speakers at the assembly will spur them to continue their dedication to high academic achievement throughout the course of their education.  Congratulations on your excellent work, LMS Lions!
   
by Meredith Brown

Emily Haney has been named Principal at Lookout Mountain Elementary School. She has served as Assistant Principal and Early Intervention Program (EIP) Teacher at Rossville Elementary School in Georgia since January. Prior to that, she was an Assistant Principal and EIP teacher at Fairyland School in Lookout Mountain, Georgia.

“I am so excited to join the Lookout Mountain School community,” Haney said. “I am eager to meet and develop relationships with each child, their families, and our teachers as we embark on a new journey together. I look forward to working alongside the school community as we continue honoring the longstanding traditions and academic excellence of Lookout Mountain Elementary with every student.”

Haney previously served as an Academic Coach, EIP Teacher, and Classroom Teacher at Fairyland School (2010-16), EIP Teacher and fifth grade regular education Inclusion Teacher at McGarity Elementary School in Hiram, Ga. (2003-10), and as a second grade self-contained EIP Teacher at Kingston Elementary School in Kingston, Ga. (2002-03). She holds a B.S. Degree in Early Childhood Education and a Master of Educational Leadership, both from Kennesaw State University.

“Being an educator has brought me so much joy,” Haney said. “Throughout my career, I have had the opportunity to be a part of so many very special students’ lives. I truly believe that what starts in elementary school can change the world, and it is such an honor to be a part of something that powerful.”

Commissioner of Education for Town of Lookout Mountain expressed her enthusiasm with the new appointed principal, “We are thrilled to have Ms. Haney at the helm of Lookout Mountain School, “and added that “Karen Welborn, chairwoman of the Lookout Mountain School Board is equally as pleased.”
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Our current beloved principal, Mrs. Ruth White, announced her retirement earlier this year after serving in education for over 30 years. Mrs. White will be celebrated for her valued service at the end of this school year.