Bob Mathis Elementary Faculty & Staff
Surprised with Trip to Zoo Atlanta
Bob Mathis Elementary School faculty and staff started the pre-planning week with a surprise trip.
In conjunction with State Representative Omari Crawford, Principal Dr. Dawn Blackwell, and her administrative team surprised teachers and staff with a trip to Zoo Atlanta to kick off the new school year. They spent the entire workday at the zoo doing team-building activities and preparing for the return of students.
“Our theme this year is, Learning Is An Adventure: On A Safari Towards Success. So, we thought the zoo backdrop would be perfect to kick off the theme for this year,” said Dr. Blackwell.
After they were bused to the zoo, the staff spent the first part of the morning listening to Dr. Blackwell’s presentation as she outlined the goals and expectations for the school year. They then went into the zoo for a scavenger hunt. Afterward, they were treated to lunch and did more team-building exercises and planning before they were bused back to the school for dismissal.
“We are super excited to get back to our teachers and to introduce them to something brand new, something that we’ve never done at Bob Mathis before,” said Dr. Blackwell. “The energy is starting to build, so the teachers are starting to get excited for the new school year, and they’re learning that they have permission to think outside of the box and to dream and do big things.”
First-grade teacher Vivian Florence, who has been in education for 29 and half years and 12 years at Bob Mathis, said this is the first time she has experienced something like this.
“It’s very exciting and unexpected, but I’m loving it,” said Ms. Florence. “I’m part of the leadership team, and I was shocked. They said they wanted to surprise everyone this year.”
Ms. Florence added that the surprise zoo trip inspired her to do more surprises for her students to make learning more fun this school year. State Rep. Crawford said he didn’t hesitate to say yes when Dr. Blackwell told him about the idea.
“We’re honoring our teachers because they deserve it,” said Rep. Crawford. “Thank you for your hard work; thank you for helping to mold our students. Our students are extremely impressive, particularly those at Bob Mathis.”
Dr. Blackwell said this school year is a year of excitement.
“This year offers opportunities for us to solve new problems, do new things, and think outside the box. I encourage my teachers to understand that challenges are going to come, but our attitude will determine how those challenges are met,” said Dr. Blackwell. “We can get through any challenge as long as we stick together, keep a positive attitude and handle business.”
