"Stretching budgets, creative scheduling, organizing inservices, providing a listening ear and modeling a strong work ethic have become my vehicles for impacting the future," says Ann McDuffie, principal of Edgewood Elementary School in Columbus. Under Mrs. McDuffie's leadership, Edgewood Elementary School adopted and implemented the Accelerated Reader Program, designed to address the wide range of reading skills present in any student population. This computer-assisted program assigns students to their appropriate reading level and uses a point system to reward them for their individual progress. In an effort to improve parent involvement in their children's education, Mrs. McDuffie has also implemented an annual Partners in Education Night; a Backpack Science program that allows students to take home science activity projects to share with their families; and in consideration of the time constraints faced by many parents, regularly scheduled lunch-hour sessions for parents, students and staff to meet.
Columbus State University, B.A.
