BARRY'S CORNER- LIVING IN ELKMONT

Turned the papers in today. As of February 1st, I will be retired. I was at Reid Elementary in the late 80’s as a PE aide and worked 1/2 day at Reid and 1/2 day at Elkmont my first year of teaching. I spent the rest of my career at Elkmont High and now Elkmont Elementary School. So much has happened since that first day. I’ve seen the whole campus change, the administration change many times, and many improvements and demolitions over the years. I’ve seen many teachers and staff come and go and many stay who have become sisters and brothers to me. We’ve had our kids, watch them grow up and graduate and many of us have said good bye to parents during my time at EHS. 

“Life “ has happened while I have been a part of EHS. I’ve had the pleasure of teaching and coaching many of you reading this and watching you grow into adults and marry and have children of your own. Many of those children I have not only met but get to interact with daily. It’s not many times I am in town or any where and I don’t hear a “Hey,  Coach Pugh!” Playground, gym and car line have been a part of my life for a long time. Not going to act like moving on is easy. It can be scary. But it’s time. Been told over and over a teacher knows when it’s time to pass the gavel and this is my time.

I truly appreciate all the words of encouragement over the years. I have laughed my hardest and cried my hardest while I have been teaching. Young lives can be a joy to work with. The satisfaction of knowing we have been even a little part of the growth process is a teacher’s best reward. I’m gonna miss it; I know I will. New things await. This is a whole new beginning. It’s great to leave with so many great memories!! I’ll still be around and will always love and support both Elkmont Schools. It’s family!!! Have a good one!

GOING TO THE ATHENS PARADE TOMORROW?

Lots of us Elkmont folk go to the Athens Christmas Parade.  Elkmont is always well represented in the parade.  This year our Miss Merry Christmas representative is Stephanie Leigh Bates.  Look for her and give her a big Elkmont shout when she passes by in her carriage.  

IF YOU GO TOMORROW...
The Athens Christmas Parade is Thursday, Dec. 6, at 6 p.m. There are over 140 entries. This year’s theme for the Trustmark Bank Christmas Parade is “Floats of Christmas Past”. Trustmark Bank is the primary sponsor and the headquarters for all of the Christmas Parade information.  Please be advised of the following traffic information provided by Athens Police Chief Floyd Johnson:

The entrances to Athens High School will be closed to all but parade entrants after school lets out for the day (around 3 p.m.). The turn lanes used by school traffic for access to and from Hobbs Street will be closed at this time. The parade starts at 6 p.m. at Athens High, goes west on Hobbs Street, goes south on Jefferson Street and around The Square, and goes south on Jefferson Street to Hometown Grocery. However, some of the larger float entries will not be able to use Hometown because of school buses and marching bands. Athens Police will direct these south on Jefferson to U.S. 72 or east on Forrest Street (if the float can make it under the railroad overpass). 

Athens Police will close Forrest Street at Marion Street intersection and the Forrest Street at Clinton Street intersection to accommodate parade entrants.

An average of 10,000 people come for the parade, so motorists should use caution and watch for pedestrians. If you are going, be sure to get there early by 4:30 or even pick out your viewing spot tomorrow morning.  The weather forecast for tomorrow night is going to in the low 40s and cloudy so bundle up and bring some hot chocolate with some Christmas cheer.

MEET OUR 2018 MISS MERRY CHRISTMAS

Each year a young lady is selected from the senior class of each high school in the county to be the Miss Merry Christmas Representative. This year's Elkmont Miss Merry Christmas is the lovely Stephanie Leigh Bates.

Our Miss Merry Christmas makes her first appearance in the Athens Christmas Parade tomorrow night, December 6 @ 6 pm. She will of course be in the Elkmont Christmas Parade, December 8 @ 1 pm. Be sure to wave when she passes by.

Stephanie is the daughter of Steve and Beth Bates.  Her grandparents are Wade Bates & late Ann Bates (such a dear lady), and Butch Allfrey. She is President of the Senior Beta Club, and the Mu Alpha Theta Math Honor Society. She also serves as the Vice-President of the 2019 Senior Class. Her other accomplishments include being a member of the Limestone County Gifted Program and a member of Cool to Be Kind organization.

Stephanie was also chosen as the 2018 Girls State Representative for Elkmont High School.  Off campus, she is President of Athens-Limestone Junior Civitan Club. She takes an active part in many church activities at Elkmont Church of Christ youth group.  Stephanie truly embodies the Christmas Spirit through her numerous service projects such as the Christmas Angel Tree, LCCI Canned Food Drive and as a volunteer with Athens Animal Shelter. Her future plans are to attend the University of North Alabama to pursue a degree in accounting.

CHRISTMAS PARADE -CANCELLEDq

It has been decided. This year’s Elkmont Christmas Parade has been cancelled due to cold, very wet weather.

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As in years past, parade watchers can expect to see a fleet of antique tractors and trucks, lots of firetrucks, the Elkmont High School band and auxiliary, riders on horseback, and Jolly Old Saint Nick bringing up the rear atop a carriage drawn by a team of Clydesdale horses. The theme for this year's parade is “Carols of Christmas,” with floats designed around a favorite holiday song. Elkmont High School teacher and longtime girls basketball coach Steve Bates will serve as this year's grand marshal.

“Steve does a lot of things behind the scenes for people in this community, but he never wants to be recognized for what he's done,” parade planner Susan Pylant said. “This is our way of honoring someone who means so much to this community.”

Our parade is a parade for everyone!!  
Starts at 1 pm from the school.

Float entries will be accepted through Thursday.
REGISTRATION LINK

 

Parade Route:
It will begin on Redus Street, north of Elkmont High School, travel down Highland Avenue, turn onto Upper Fort Hampton Road and head through downtown Elkmont and onto Alabama 127, where it will terminate in the Piggly Wiggly parking lot.


ATHENS NEWS COURIER ARTICLE LINK

THINKING OF CHRISTMAS - DAY 5

BARRY' CORNER - LIVING IN ELKMONT

So today I’m leaving school and the middle school basketball team was practicing. One of my former elementary kids was talking to a friend and I overheard this ...”coach Pugh’s been here forever”.... today I would agree. The weeks before Christmas break seem to drag on forever. It’s like the limbo time when your alarm goes off in the morning and you decide 10 more minutes but you lay there and not rest and you get nothing productive from it. 

That’s what these weeks feel like to me. Telling kids to stop talking, stay in line, keep your hands to yourselves, give me that remote, spit out that staple, no, you can’t see who can’t spit the highest....you know. The Christmas commercials, decorations, and that gift from the bowels of the earth the “Elf on the Shelves” cause some kind of momentary “lack of intellectual” thinking in our young. It’s like the running of the bulls trying to get them from the building to the gym and back. I break a sweat and have to use starting blocks to keep up. They lose their minds!! 

Yes it’s true we the educators of America get an average of 2 weeks off for Christmas vacation. After the weeks leading up to that the much needed rest goes all too quickly. 25 years of pre-Christmas bedlam! Whew!! So parents smile when you see us...give a nod of support... and try not to show your absolute giddiness on the first day back of the second semester! Have a good one !

THINKING OF CHRISTMAS - DAY 4

THINKING OF CHRISTMAS - DAY 3

We all know that Santa loves cookies and milk. However, the reindeer love treats too.
 

THINKING OF CHRISTMAS - DAY TWO

The Spirit of Christmas isn't just on Christmas Day.

FFA "METAL STUFF" FUNDRAISER

Many of you are doing early Christmas shopping or have been bitten by the Farmhouse style bug.  Elkmont's FFA (Future Farmers of America) is having a fantastic fundraiser you can't pass up.  Customize your metal signs or metal fire pits with something unique from our talented high school students.  Bring a piece of hand crafted Elkmont to your home as you help our local FFA club. 

CUSTOM FIRE PITS

*Your personal design- $250
 

*If we have already have the design in our inventory-$200 

*If you do not want it painted black with high temperature paint, $10 off the price. 

CUSTOM SIGNS

*$35 per square foot with a minimum square foot charge of $35. 
*$10 per image charge not counting text. 
*If sign is over 3 sq ft,  no image charge.
 
We can also do custom work and will provide quotes. 

MORE INFO 
To order: Email elkmontffa@gmail.com  
*All work requires payment of half of the cost upfront and remainder paid upon pickup. 

Shipping:
*There is a $35 delivery fee if we deliver.
*We can also work with costumers on shipping to their local Fastenal store.