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By DONALD MOTTERN | Staff Writer

PELHAM – Pelham City Schools was recently recognized by the Council for Leaders in Alabama Schools (CLAS) by having two of the district’s schools bestowed with 2023 School of Distinction awards.

Out of 240 schools that were nominated for consideration, only 32 schools in the state were selected to receive the distinction. In the State Board of Education District 3 of CLAS’s 2023 Schools of Distinction roster, there were a total of four schools represented and Pelham High School and Pelham Oaks Elementary School won two of the four awards to give Pelham City Schools a weighted representation.

Stanhope Elmore High School and Thompson Middle School rounded out the rest of the District 3 selections.

Pelham Oaks Elementary was selected for its Panther Pals program, a student-designed and student-led program that encourages fourth and fifth-grade students take part in the education of younger classmates. As part of the program, students take the time to mentor a kindergarten or first-grade student in a number of subjects and provide a focused approached in the development of literacy and reading skills.

The spirit of that program continues throughout PCS with another iteration of Panther Pals also organized at Pelham High School. The High School program focuses on the development of cooperation and friendship among students of all levels and propagates the advocacy for disability awareness and inclusion.

However, Pelham High School was highlighted instead for its Jitterbugs program and its novel approach and clear results that have garnered increased student confidence.

The Jitterbugs program focuses its attention on the development and inclusion of the school’s special needs students. It does so by allowing those students to take part in a school-based coffee delivery service that is intended to foster a sense of independence and result in social connections for the students.

“The program empowers and equips students with valuable life skills as they take coffee orders, prepare the coffee and then make deliveries to teachers throughout Pelham High School,” read a description of the program from Pelham City Schools.

Following the announcement of the awards, CLAS will further honor one school from each of the State Board of Education districts by naming them a CLAS Banner School. The winners of that honor will be announced at the upcoming CLAS Banner School Luncheon currently scheduled to be held in May. Pelham High School was one such winner during last year’s luncheon when it won for its development of the Green and Gold program.

“We are very proud of programs at two of our schools for being recognized by CLAS as worthy of being shared with the state so that other schools may replicate them,” Superintendent Chuck Ledbetter said. “Not only did Pelham Oaks Elementary and Pelham High both have programs that were recognized this year, this is also the second year in a row that a program from Pelham High has been recognized. We are proud of our schools as they show ‘The Pelham Way’ to the state.”