80 • SEPTEMBER 2023
Ridgeland High School – Our Story Dr. Sharon U. Slater With still a few minutes remaining before school start time, the Ridgeland High School students are already huddled in small groups and talking just outside the school’s back attendance office waiting anxiously for the familiar “ding” of the school bell saying ready, set, welcome back to school! With backpacks filled with a new MacBook Air, chilled water bottles, and a pompom here and there, the Ridgeland High School Titans ascend on their school with eagerness and excitement. Shedding the slower pace of a sun-filled summer and shouldering the renewed responsibilities that come with beginning a new school year, our students are ready to excel in their academics, advance in the arts, and accelerate in athletics. As their chorus of different voices and their portrait of different faces fill the outside air, if one leans in carefully, looks intently and listens closely, one can easily determine that perhaps the most amazing thing about Ridgeland High School is her unrelenting desire to “Bring It!” The Ridgeland High School story takes place on a peaceful cityscape inside an architecture content to reflect the beauty of our individual talents and our collaborative strengths. Ridgeland is home to a family of Titans representing more than eleven different countries! Our people are dynamically diverse and purposefully passionate. Each day our principal, Ms. Crystal Chase, reminds us that she loves us big and wants us to “keep the main thing, the main thing—for the choices we make today do indeed affect our tomorrow!” This daily charge readies every Titan to bring his/ her best attitude and best effort. Ridgeland starts its effort to “Bring It” by establishing systems that support and serve our goal to motivate, educate and graduate every student. To accomplish this, Ridgeland must create, collaborate, and communicate within our own Titan community and then city, state, and national communities as well. One system unique to Ridgeland is our teacher mentoring initiative ~ “Words, Ways, and Wings.” This program provides our teachers the opportunity to gain support in developing the skills and knowledge they need to become acclimated to their Titan family and serve our Titan students. Ms. Christyl Erickson shared personal insights and inspiration with our teachers during last spring’s reception designed to honor and encourage one of our Titan teachers for all their efforts during the school year. Not only does RHS proudly support our teachers as they “Bring It,” but it also supports and celebrates our students throughout the school year who “Bring It” as well. One of our primary academic support tools is daily quality instruction. In addition to that, we provide Titan Time! This is a specifically scheduled time during the school day that affords our students the opportunity to receive targeted and specific tutoring to help them meet challenges set forth by daily rigorous direct instruction. For Titan Time, our teachers design individual and/or small group instruction that assists and guides our students in becoming independent and proficient learners. We value the time we spend affecting one or our most important resources–our Titan students–and during Titan Time, our teachers “Bring IT” – Instruction and Tenacity! Another system that supports our efforts is that each spring we create and celebrate our diverse strengths, abilities, interests, and perspectives with a school-wide multicultural fair. Students are invited and encouraged to visit more than 40 different tables that introduce them to different cultures and languages. Attending this event promotes cross-cultural communication, collaboration, and understanding, encourages critical thinking and problem-solving, fosters empathy and respect, and prepares students for global citizenship. Best of all, it’s Ridgeland’s opportunity to accentuate her people and celebrate their desire to “Bring IT” ~ Internationalism and Triumph. Feel the energy! Sense the anticipation. As the audience patiently waits for the box office to open, RHS’s auditorium was about to explode with teenage talent in our loud and lively rendition of Disney’s “High School Musical.” Our students were about to “Bring IT” as they provided the audience with enthusiastic entertainment, captured the interesting characters, and presented a youthful culture. This signature event for RHS always brings us closer to each other and to our beloved community as we tell our story in song and dance. We are bringing the mark of excellence to our own stage. Indeed, Ridgeland’s story starts at 586 Sunnybrook Road, but Titans touch the local, national, and international arena. Our academies (engineering and culinary arts) engage students in a rigorous curriculum and authentic workforce training. Our robotics team was recently recognized as state champions for the design award! They then traveled to Dallas, Texas, for the world championship. Our academies give RHS’s students a rich opportunity to feel the pulse of an ever-changing world and be leaders in shaping its outcome. Our “Bring IT” leaders are our principal, Ms. Crystal Chase, our assistant principals, Ms. Felicia Burton, Dr. James Gardner, Mr. Bertram Goodloe, and Dr. Sharon U. Slater, and our literacy/instructional specialist, Ms. AK Horlock. Proudly we “Bring IT” ~ Instruction and Thought; Inspiration and Teamwork; Intelligence and Transformation. Ridgeland High School is not only a great place to belong, but a place where the best call it home. Hometown MADISON • 81