Since its opening in August of 2001, Madison County Central School (Pre-K through eighth grade) has been home to an average of 1200 students a year with a faculty of nearly a hundred. A team of four dedicated leaders oversees everything for Madison Central, the largest school in the county.

The man in charge is Principal Sam Stalnaker, a man with a long history in both military service and the education profession. Now a retired Lt. Colonel with over 25 years in the Army Reserves, he served in the Military Police Corps.

Originally from Clermont, FL, he holds degrees in education from Iowa Wesleyan College and Valdosta State University. After coming to Madison, he taught physical education and seventh grade math at Pinetta Elementary for 17 years. When Madison County Central opened, he taught physical education, and then served as assistant principal until July of 2006 when he became the school's current principal.

He and his wife Deloris (married 24 years), members of the Madison Church of God, have a 20-year-old daughter, Alexis, now a junior at "Heaven on earth" – the University of Florida. They also have another daughter, Bethni, who attends Kindergarten at Madison Central.

He loves staying busy overseeing the large student population. "These kids are my passion; I love 'em. They're mine from 7:30 til the time they go home, and I treat them the way I'd treat my own."

Yolanda Haynes was born in Thomasville, GA., but grew up right here in Madison. Her mother, stepfather and brother live here as well, and she has three children of her own, a 17-month-old daughter named Zhiya, and two older sons who attend Madison Central: second-grader Zarion and fifth-grader Zarkese. In her first year as Assistant Principal, she says she really enjoys her work, directing and planning activities, coordinating and overseeing the teachers and other duties.

With degrees in education from Florida A & M University, she started as a paraprofessional at Madison Primary, soon began teaching K- 2nd grade for six years, and was the Madison District Teacher of the Year for 2009-2010.

It was "by the grace of God" that she got into the education field, she says. "I had teachers who kept telling me they saw so much potential in me, and that made me want to give back to the community and to help kids the way I was once helped."

Walton De Waine Knight, a small-town Georgia man who describes himself as a "country boy," was born in Savannah and usually refers to Savannah as his home. However, he grew up in nearby Brooklet, GA, a town as small as its name suggests (population 1,113 according to the 2000 Census), where "we always had horses when we were kids," something he says he really missed when he went to work years later in the Metro Atlanta area.

In high school, he was president of his senior class and into numerous clubs and athletics. He holds degrees in finance, education and Special Ed certification from Augusta State and Georgia State Universities as well as a Master's in Education Leadership from Saint Leo University.

When he retired from the business world in 1990, he went into education as a second career on the advice of friends already in the profession and discovered he really enjoyed working with kids. He worked with Special Ed classes in various Atlanta area school districts, and then moved to Florida in 1999, working in St. Petersburg, Ocala, and finally Lafayette County, where he has been ever since, with his six horses brought from Ocala, now working at a school whose mascot is a wild horse known as the bronco.

Now, as one of the Assistant Principals at Madison County Central School, he loves the sense of working as a team with Barnes and Haynes as much as he loves working with the kids. "Without team spirit we couldn't succeed." He says.

Valencia T. Barnes, born and raised in Tallahassee, attended Leon County Schools and worked several years as a legal administrator. During that time, she began tutoring in the afternoons, discovered how much she enjoyed teaching, and began moving toward the education profession, receiving her Masters in Educational Leadership from Florida A & M University.

Her first teaching position was as an adjunct professor teaching English classes at Tallahassee Community College, and for the next several years, she worked in both the Leon and Wakulla County School Systems, sometimes with struggling students, teaching English and reading at an alternative girls school in Tallahassee. No stranger to teamwork, she also served as the English Department Chairperson and School Leadership Team Member at one of the schools where she taught.

In the meantime, her afternoon tutoring grew into her own private tutoring company which she runs out of Leon County, where she lives with her husband and two sons ages two and four. She drives all the way from Tallahassee to Madison every day, a commute of about an hour. She particularly likes the team spirit and working together with the others, she says, agreeing with Assistant Principal Knight. It takes a team to get the job done.

On Dec. 9 the Madison Academy hosted their annual Christmas program. The theme this year was "A Barnyard Christmas." All of these students from Madison Academy were a part of the program. Everyone participated, from 3K to eighth grade.

The turnout to support the children this year was spectacular. By the time the show began, there were no seats available in the Van H. Priest Auditorium. There was standing-room only.

Madison Academy would like to thank everyone for their support and for attending the program.

Imagine getting rewarded for reading your favorite Harry Potter book.

That's the idea behind the AR (Accelerated Reader) Program at Madison County Central School. "The district promotes reading for all reasons," said Principal Sam Stalnaker, whether it is for learning or pleasure, and the AR program helps them do that with a variety of contests and games. In the school's library, each book is assigned a point value, based on number of words per page, number of syllables per word and vocabulary. Picture books for kindergarten students are half a point each. The average Harry Potter book may be worth twelve or more points. Students may read any book within their grade/ability level, and then take a quiz on it, which they must pass with a score of 80 percent or higher to be awarded the points.

Madison Central's seventh grade students have set these goals for themselves for the year: 12 points for the first semester, 25 by the Christmas break, and 50 by the end of the year. Last Wednesday, Dec. 15, the seventh grade teachers bought pizza, and showed a video of Toy Story 3 in the cafeteria for their students who had already met their midterm goal of 25 points. Collectively, the seventh grade class of 160 has already amassed 4,473 points.

At the end of the school year, all students in all grades can redeem their points for cash or prizes. There is value in a good, tangible reward, Stalnaker said, and statistics bear him out. Two years ago, the point total for the entire school (about 1200 students) was roughly 60,000. Last year, that total climbed to 90,000. This year's total won't be known until May, but Stalnaker expects it will easily surpass 90,000.

Other contests for this seventh grade class include "The Great AR Race." Teachers have divided the students into three teams; however, the students will not know which team they are on until the end of the year when point totals are tallied and the winning team announced. "We tell them to just read, read, read, until then." Seventh grade teacher Celeste Fleming said, "Reading is key, and we know that."

By pushing their students to read and read again, and by making the process both competitive and fun, the teachers of Madison County Central hope the kids will develop a love of reading and turn it into a lifelong habit.

Left to right: Crystal Bishop, Sidney Davis, Rachel Ashford, Tami Swilley, Christina Owens, Mitchell Zinck and David Cooper stand in front of the boardroom with their new diplomas.

It was the second adult class to graduate (for a total of 43) since the Madison County School Board began the program sixteen months ago.

The GED program, coordinated by Paula Ginn, works with North Florida Workforce to ensure each student's success. Sheryl Rehberg, Director of Workforce, gave the closing speech, congratulating the students on their accomplishment. Workforce provides logistical support for the program in the form of computers and facilities. It also funds one teaching position. Graduates of the program are then referred to Workforce for guidance in securing jobs.

Guidance Counselor Lynne Brown said the program "is the brightest thing going on in Madison County right now...20/20 could have come here and have done a show about any one of our students in this class, and the obstacles they had to overcome (returning to school as adults.)"

The seven adults receiving their diplomas Tuesday night were Crystal Bishop, Sidney Davis, Rachel Ashford, Tami Swilley, Christina Owens, Mitchell Zinck, and David Cooper.

Ronnie Williams grew up in Blountstown, FL, where his father worked as a paramedic and a corrections officer and his mother was the manager of a local store. He attended Blountstown Middle and Blountstown High Schools, and credits his late grandfather, Elijah B. Hutchinson, with influencing his decision to go into education. Hutchinson, a former principal of Blountstown Middle School, "really made me want to go on and get my education and become an administrator as well." Williams said.

After graduating from Blountstown High's Class of 1986, he majored in education at Florida State University, then returned to his hometown, teaching "a little bit of everything" (math, science and special education) at the very schools he once attended, Blountstown Middle and Blountstown High.

He first worked as an assistant principal for a year in Pinellas County, and then in Gadsden County, where he heard "a lot of good things" about Madison County Central and moved there to work with Madison Central's principal, Sam Stalnaker.

Now, Williams is in his first year as the principal of Madison County Excel Alternative School. He is also a deputy sheriff at the Madison County Sheriff's Office, and has been for several years, working evenings, weekends and special events. As a result, he stays quite busy, but his enthusiasm for the kids of Madison Excel is unmistakable. "They're great to work with," he said of the sixth through twelfth grade students. "My goal is to see them all succeed."

The students are referred to the school from Madison Central and Madison High for a variety of reasons, some behavioral, for example excess absences, others simply a need for a different learning environment than the one offered by a traditional school setting.

One of the best parts of his job, he says, is seeing the learning that takes place when the kids see the light at the end of the tunnel, and realize there is a reason to stay in school. In providing them with an environment where they can do that, he sees what kind of impact he can have on their lives. "I've seen students accelerate their learning. I've seen kids who've made a big change." Some have even made a complete turnaround.

They want to learn and be successful, and they now like school as a result of Madison Excel's program. "They come to me and say, 'You know, Mr. Williams, you've got a point...we can reach our goal.' "

The other big plus that comes with the job is the enormous amount of support and parental involvement, as well as the positive relationship with the community, working hand-in-hand with the school. Community organizations, churches (especially First Baptist Church), the volunteers who mentor, and even Madison County School Superintendent Lou Miller have offered help and support. "There's an entire coalition of people who want to see our students succeed."

And that, says Williams, is what makes a difference.

The fourth through eighth grade students from Madison Academy enjoyed a field trip to the Barksdale Farm in Pinetta just before Thanksgiving. The students were given a tour of the farm by foresters Harper Hanway and John Holman from Southern Forestry Consultants, Inc. (Monticello, Florida, office).

As a part of the tour, the students were shown the five-year forestry plan for the farm, shown how to age a tree, introduced to many of the tools and equipment the foresters use on a daily basis, and were taught many Florida history and forestry facts while on a nature walk.

For lunch, the students and teachers were invited to the farmhouse on the Barksdale property for a traditional Thanksgiving Feast, prepared and served by many of the Madison Academy parents.

The students from Madison Academy plan to go back to the Barksdale Farm in the spring to see the progress of the timber harvest and clearing that will begin in the next few months.

If anyone's school or church group would be interested in touring the farm, please contact Mary K. Blume at 973-6233.

Cindy Lou Who, Rachael Webb, asks the Grinch, Shakera Santiague, why he is taking their Christmas tree.

Their performance of "Christmas Through Cartoons" was worthy of many praises. The group traveled through time, visiting many classic Christmas favorites including The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, The Little Drummer Boy, A Christmas Carol, A Charlie Brown Christmas and Frosty the Snowman.

The narrators for the play were Tiffany Alexander, Morgan Borden, Jessica Fralix, Chelsea Hanners, Michaela McQuay, Beky Miller and Tyra Lovelace.

Education is a right that most Americans take for granted. This right has been recognized since the adoption of the Universal Declaration on Human rights in 1948. Since then, there have been numerous human treaties that reaffirmed the right to a free and appropriate education for all children.

The No Child Left Behind Act signed into law by President George W. Bush, mandates that all children will function on or at grade level by the 2013 – 2014 School year.

In order for students to reach their full potential, they must attend school. Children cannot learn if they are not in school. Children are going to continue to be left behind if parents continue to keep them out of school and away from the free and appropriate public education that is guaranteed them by law. When children are absent, they are denied learning many skills which they will need to function honestly and successfully in this ever changing society. Parents cannot continue to let their children dictate to them when and if they should attend school. School attendance is a must in order for children to learn.

Parents need to once again act in the capacity of parents. They must not only send their children to school, but they must be involved in their child(ren)'s education from day one. They need to call and visit the school not when a problem arises, but before there is a problem. Parents need to be involved in PTO and other school organizations. They should attend school board meetings so that they will have first-hand knowledge as to what is going on in the school district.

During the fifties and sixties, education was the number one priority for parents as well as students. Children had to attend school because parents knew this was their ticket out of poverty and the key to success. We should return to this method of thinking, because education is still the key to success.

Eighteen eigth grade students from Madison County Central School were inducted into the Florida State University's S.S.T.R.I.D.E program on Thursday, Nov. 18, at the Van H. Priest Auditorium.

S.S.T.R.I.D.E stands for Science Students Together Reaching Instructional Diversity and Excellence. It is an Outreach program for the Florida State University College of Medicine. During the induction ceremony, the 8th grade students received White Lab Coats donated by Madison County Memorial Hospital. The White Coat ceremony is a tradition in college Health-Related fields.

These 8th grade students went through an application and interview process to be accepted into the S.S.T.R.I.D.E program. During their 8th grade school year, they will have many enriching Science activities, including CPR/AED certification, extra field trips, and guest speakers.

The S.S.T.R.I.D.E program follows students through high school graduation so that any of those students choosing to pursue a college degree in Science, Health, or Medicine will be well prepared, and hopefully "ahead of the game."

Ms. Forrest Massey is the Instructor for these 8th grade students, and Ms. Lynne Sapp is the Contact person for the FSU S.S.T.R.I.D.E program at Madison County Central School. Ms. Kathleen Braswell is the Contact person for the S.S.T.R.I.D.E program at Madison County High School.

Candy Dolcy, FSU's Coordinator for Rural Outreach programs stated, "We have lots of special events planned for these Madison students, and are looking forward to a very successful school year."

Ms. Sapp added, "Four Madison County High School S.S.T.R.I.D.E graduates are now students at Florida State University pursuing undergraduate degrees in Science and/or Health. We are very proud to see the success of these students in the fruition of the S.S.T.R.I.D.E program."

Navigating The Nursing Program Maze.

Having been in nursing and nursing education for more than 35 years, I believe the present to be the most exciting, challenging and rewarding time of all! The nursing shortage and findings from the Carnegie Foundation's study on professional nursing education and the objectives outlined in the 2010 Affordable Care Act legislation have recently provided the foundation for nursing educators to re-evaluate educational pathways for nursing licensure and practice. The initial reexamination and recommendations affirm that nurses should achieve higher levels of academic training and education within an educational system that supports and promotes a seamless transition from one certificate or degree level to the next. Certainly, future directions for nursing education will impact choices students are making right now regarding their basic nursing education.

One of the greatest concerns of potential nursing students at all levels is related to the roles, functions, and required levels of education. "Where do I start? What are the pre-requisites? What are the differences in the various programs that are available? Can I receive credit for programs I have already attended?" Many more questions exist and their relevance to the potential student is significant. A variety of programs/pathways exist that vary in entry requirements, length, cost, type of certificate/degree/certification awarded, and a host of other variables. Potential students should examine all of these in light of program/degree length, academic requirements, and job responsibilities.

The very basic level of nursing education is that of the Certified Nursing Assistant. Such programs vary in length from a few weeks to several months. Many exist in combination with other programs or modules that may offer the students additional skills in areas such as phlebotomy. Depending on job responsibilities, nursing assistants may also be referred to as nursing technicians, patient care technicians, personal care-givers, and patient care assistants. Students who choose to enter nursing at this level can enter the workforce quickly and gather skills/experiences that are transferable to the next level of nursing care providers. Programs offering this level of training and education are found in community colleges, health care organizations and private institutions.

The Licensed Practical Nurse program is approximately one year in length. Satisfactory completion of this program enables the graduate to apply to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Licensed Practical Nurses (NCLEX-LPN). Licensure as a Practical Nurse in Florida is controlled by the State Board of Nursing. Practical nurses find employment in many areas of health care, especially in nursing home and rehabilitation facilities. Most of these certificate programs are located in community colleges and technical centers.

Registered nursing students may choose to obtain an Associate of Science degree in Nursing from a community college or they may opt to obtain a Bachelor of Science degree from a college or university. The AS degree track will take approximately 3 years to complete whereas the BS degree track will take at least 4 years. Graduates of both programs are required to pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) before they can obtain licensure from a state Board of Nursing. Both degrees provide graduates with skills necessary for entry level positions in nursing. However, individuals interested in managerial, research, teaching and advanced practice may select the baccalaureate degree over the Associate of Science degree as their initial educational plan, especially if they have already completed the required general education courses (biology, anatomy and physiology, chemistry, nutrition, psychology, sociology, growth and development and others).

Other options exist for the nursing student, regardless of their level of education and training. Some of the more popular programs include the LPN to ADN programs whereby the Licensed Practical Nurse is granted some form of credit for education and experiences as a LPN. The ADN to BSN is another option selected by many RN's whose first degree was the ASN. These nurses are counting on the advanced degree increasing their eligibility for specialization opportunities as well as options in management and administration. The flexibility of online or hybrid courses creates an attractive option for those nurses who want to obtain the next academic degree, but, must work while doing so.

The Master's Degree in Nursing is the minimal requirement for advanced nursing practice such as an Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner. Graduate degrees are also required in some areas of nursing administration, management, research and for certification in some specialty areas. The minimal requirement for entry into a graduate degree program is the Bachelors in Nursing degree.

As you can surmise, there are multiple entry levels into nursing. For the student to effectively and efficiently seek enrollment in the appropriate program, he/she should carefully consider individual long term goals, personal needs such as finances and family support, pre-requisites or other requirements, and their own individual level of commitment to lifelong learning.