by Amelia Johnson (8th grade)
Let’s give Ms. McClenton a warm welcome to our wonderful CMS community. After Mr. Fahler’s retirement there were a lot of changes to the principals at Colonial Middle School.
One change is Ms. McClenton replacing Mr. Kaplan as the 7th grade principal.
This isn’t Ms. McClenton’s first job at a school, or even as an assistant principal. Before coming here she worked as an assistant principal for seven years in high school and in elementary schools. She was also a teacher for 11 years spanning grades third to sixth and taught various subjects, including, social studies, science, ELA, and even special education. All those positions were in the Philadelphia School District.
Ms. McClenton loves being an assistant principal, sharing, “I love making an impact, I like to call myself a climate changer.”
She also likes the structure, organization, and helping kids feel like they belong. She has a knack for remembering kid’s names and making connections with students.
“I want to build a community. I want to give students a sense of belonging.” Ms. McClenton said.
And now she's here at CMS, ready to leave her mark. Ms. McClenton has some great goals that she would like to accomplish during her time here she says. “I would love to create a group for students that feel like they don’t belong.” She went on to say, “It would be for them to have courageous conversations about experiences to enhance the CMS experience.”
One of her responsibilities is helping new students transition into the school, she hopes to create a program with teachers to help students feel more welcome.
With all the different positions and experiences before coming to this school there are many things that make CMS unique. Just a couple are, this is a high performing school district, and her first time in a suburban school district.
Although we may have some advice for her, she has some advice for us students.
“I give students and adults this information. Everyone is trying to be somebody they’re not, be yourself. Treat people with kindness, have integrity, hold yourself accountable, and most importantly be kind!"
On this final note Ms. McClenton has one final piece of advice: “Try and that’s all that matters. I really like it here, and I just wanna make a difference. Don’t forget to be kind!”
Welcome to CMS, Mrs. McClenton!