Week of February 10th, 2025
We are so proud of our Combs students who represented us at the District Spelling Bee last week! On Thursday, our grade-level winners and runners-up competed against students from across the district, and we are thrilled to share that Gabby Clark won the district-wide 5th grade Spelling Bee!
Gabby and Zoi Jackson then advanced to the district championship on Friday, where they competed against top spellers from grades 3-8. After six rounds, the competition narrowed to just three contestants—including Gabby, the only elementary student left standing against 7th and 8th graders from STEAM Academy. What followed was an incredible 29-round showdown, with words so challenging that officials had to search for additional ones to keep the competition going! In the end, Gabby finished as the district runner-up, an amazing achievement!
We are so proud of all our students who competed and gave it their best, and thank you to Dr. Rogers for organizing the school-wide bee and sponsoring the Combs contestants to the district bee. We also wish the best of luck to our Combs representatives as they move on to the regional bee—we know they will make us proud!
We are thrilled to announce that Ms. Sherron Daugherty, 3rd grade teacher, has been named Combs Intermediate School’s Teacher of the Year!
Ms. Daugherty is a dedicated, compassionate, and inspiring educator who goes above and beyond to support her students. Her commitment to fostering a love of learning, building strong relationships, and creating a positive classroom environment makes a lasting impact on our school community.
Please join us in celebrating Ms. Daugherty for this well-deserved recognition! We are so lucky to have her as part of our Combs family!
It is with a heavy heart that we share the passing of our beloved Combs Kitchen Manager, Ms. Lorna Cook. Ms. Lorna was a cherished member of our school community, dedicating herself to ensuring every child was not only served breakfast and lunch but also cared for and welcomed each day with kindness and warmth.
Our administrators and counselors visited classrooms to share this news with students in a supportive and age-appropriate way, and additional district support staff were made available to assist any student or staff member in need.
Ms. Lorna’s impact on our school family was immeasurable, and we will all deeply miss the joy and care she brought to Combs each and every day. Please know that we are here to support our students through this loss. If your child needs additional support, do not hesitate to reach out.
The Power of "Yet"
Did you know that adding one small word to a sentence can change how we think about challenges? That word is "yet."
Instead of saying, "I can't do this," try saying, "I can't do this... yet!"
Research shows that when students believe their abilities can grow with effort and practice, they are more likely to take on challenges, persist through difficulties, and improve over time. This is called a growth mindset, and it helps students develop resilience and confidence in learning.
- Students with a growth mindset are more likely to take on challenges and persist through difficulties, leading to higher achievement over time. (Dweck, 2006)
- Brain research shows that when students practice something new, neurons form stronger connections, making learning easier over time. (Blackwell, Trzesniewski, & Dweck, 2007)
- In one study, students who learned about growth mindset improved their grades in math by nearly 30% more than those who did not. (Yeager et al., 2019)
- Using phrases like "You worked really hard on that!" instead of "You're so smart!" helps children develop resilience and focus on effort rather than ability. (Mueller & Dweck, 1998)
- Studies show that when students add "yet" to a sentence like "I can't do this yet," they become more motivated to keep trying and are less likely to give up. (Dweck, 2006)
Try using "yet" at home when your child faces a challenge—it’s a small change that can make a big difference!
