GBMS welcomes new teachers

Someone once said that, "if nothing ever changed, there'd be no butterflies," and this quote sets the tone for Gulf Breeze Middle School in 2007.

GBMS lost four outstanding educators this year. Wanda Padgett and Don Grantham retired, Debi Hedges moved to Tampa, and Kate Walker took a position in Cary, N.C.

New Gulf Breeze Middle teachers include the following:

Patti Triplett - Gifted Enrichment

Sarah Mason - sixth and seventh grade math

Paige Bates - seventh grade math and science

Lauren Baugus - eighth grade language arts

Laura Boyles - seventh grade language arts and reading

Mindy Clayton - Girls' physical education

Debbie Hepworth - Guidance Counselor

Debbie Hepworth, a resident of Gulf Breeze, has been a guidance counselor at Pace High School for the past five years, so we were very happy to shorten her drive. She will be a tremendous asset to the school, and she is looking forward to helping new sixth graders transition to middle school.

In addition, Patti Triplett chose to transfer to GBMS to teach a new gifted enrichment class for those students with a gifted educational plan. In her enthusiastic and passionate manner, she contacted gifted teachers throughout the state concerning ideas and best practices in developing the new curriculum.

Formerly, advanced classes were open exclusively to gifted students at Gulf Breeze Middle. In 2007, all advanced classes will be performance based and students will qualify for advanced language arts, science, math, and history academically. Yearly averages, FCAT and NRT scores and in some cases, an additional assessment score are used to identify the top 30-40 students at each grade level. The gifted enrichment class and performance-based advanced classes should better meet the needs of students.

Orientation Day is August 16 - New students may pick up schedules between 9 and 11 a.m. and returning students may pick up their schedules anytime between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Students will meet the teachers, obtain bus schedules, order yearbooks, and purchase PE uniforms ($20). School supply lists may be found at www.gulfbreezemiddle.org.

School begins Monday, August 20 at 7:45 a.m.