Dunham: ‘Some kids wouldn’t have graduated’ without FC-CIS Site Coordinators

Clarke Central Assistant Principal, Sheila Dunham, refers to the FC-CIS Site Coordinators as “servant leaders” and says they are valuable not only students but staff as well.

FC-CIS sat down with Sheila to discuss how the two Site Coordinators manage relationships and contribute to the overall success of students.

FC-CIS: How do the Site Coordinators serve the students at Clarke Central?

SHEILA: They are experts at building relationships with students. Each one has a caseload, but at the beginning of the year, in particular, they do a lot of extra things just to build those relationships. You’ll see them in the cafeteria talking to students and helping to monitor and support the students. The students will come up to them and share stories; you’ll see them at the end of the day at bus duty, the same thing, interacting with students, faculty, and staff. They have built such strong relationships.

FC-CIS: They were both on hand to help with summer school last year. Was that a big help?

SHEILA: Yes. Even after summer school was over, one of the students on the caseload was looking for them. That’s how strong the relationship is- this student is in the middle of summer break and coming up to the school to visit one of them.

FC-CIS: I know you are supportive of the recognition program that the Site Coordinators host every month. What reinforcement does that provide to students?

SHEILA: They do many things to reward the students. They have incentive programs- one of the programs they’ve established is called ‘Honorable Gladiator.’ We have a Gladiator Pride Metrix at Clarke Central; we like to honor the students and recognize different characteristics. Each month, they will nominate a student that has gone above and beyond or has improved character traits.

FC-CIS: What have you personally experienced working with Korbyn and Rodney?

SHEILA: The Site Coordinators are just so valuable- things keep popping into my head. Rodney Robinson has served here on our security team for years, so he already had the relationships. But Korbyn came in, and she just established them so quickly. I was personally amazed at that.

FC-CIS: Are these coordinators making a difference?

SHEILA: I can’t even tell you how much value they are to the students. The results show for themselves. The students are making progress, and they are graduating. They are coming off caseloads because they are graduating. So what more success could the students have? I don’t know that some of the students would’ve graduated without them.

To learn more about Sheila’s experiences with the Site Coordinators, please watch the video.

For more information on the Site Coordinators, please visit the Site Coordinator page.