KENANSVILLE — It is that time of year again. The time when the administrations from the Duplin County School hold their retreat to get back in the groove for the upcoming school year. The Duplin Schools central office administrators, principals and assistant principals traveled to Kenan Auditorium this week for their meetings which began on Tuesday and concluded at noon on Thursday.

“We have been going for 10-and-a-half hour days for our retreat,” stated superintendent, Dr. Wiley Doby. “We work on a four day week in the summer to save on energy costs and this event observed the same schedule. It has been truly a great event with great participation from each person here. We have primarily used our own people to lead the workshop and it has made for a successful process. We are learning from ourselves.”

The theme for the three day retreat was “Team Work — Works!” Rather than having a training session where the participants were to sit and listen, the retreat planners used a more dynamic active, hands-on, activity based program where everyone became engaged in the learning opportunity.

Phillip Middleton, Director of Middle Grades for Duplin County Schools, was very enthusiastic regarding the workshop, “What everyone has been learning in this last session was how the new appraisal instrument, (the process used to evaluate teachers), will force the teachers to think and to reflect on not only what they are teaching but how so to become better and more effective teachers. As administrators it is our responsibility to help all teachers to become better professionals.”

According to Doby this activity gives each of the county’s administrators an opportunity to get better acquainted with each other and to hear the same information at the same time. “This allows for questions that arise to be answered on the spot and everyone can be on the same page.” The superintendent added that activities such as this one where administrators have to be active is sometimes hard for them to switch roles but it is an excellent way for them to learn and discover more about themselves.

To contact Billy Todd, call 910-592-8137 ext. 117 or e-mail sigeneral@myclintonnc.com.