"Arrows aaaaaare, Superstaaaaaars........"

Warning: Excessive bragging ahead. Those easily offended need not continue. :-)

So the school district ratings have been posted and Clinton has been added to the category of "Star Schools" which is the highest rating a district can receive. Only 4 districts in the entire state have achieved this goal and we are one of them. So here's what I have to say: pbtplbtplbtplbtplbtplbt. (that's the sound you make when you stick out your tongue and blow when you're 5 years old :-P) To all of those former Clintonians who say "Clinton's just not what it used to be....." in this sad, depressing tone of voice - You're right, we're not what we used to be - we're better. Now I'm not placing unwarranted weight on test scores. I know there are other important factors to consider in any district, so let's do just that: Brand new schools? Check. Renovations/improvements at existing schools? Check. State-of-the-Art Athletic facilities? Check. Technology in the classrooms? Excellent teachers? Award-winning, extra-curricular programs? Check, Check, aaaaaand Check. So if you're someone who left Clinton because "it's just not the same," shame on you. 20, 30, 40 years ago, your parents moved here and raised you here for a reason. Now I know people have left for other reasons - jobs, family, college, etc. and life just took them in a different direction. We moved to Fairhope, Alabama for 3 years for Robert's job. But once we had a child, and the opportunity arose for us to come back, we did. So if you've left for some other neighboring city, I'm truly sorry. In my opinion, you made the wrong choice, but you're welcome to come back anytime. Now there's the issue I have with people who actually DO live in Clinton and complain about the dumbest things. There are plenty of places to eat in Clinton to satisfy your cravings. With the exception of my Outback Cheese-Fries obsession (and who doesn't have that?), I try really hard to patronize local establishments. If the Clinton movie theater is playing the movie you want to see, then go there! Why drive 20-30 minutes and waste the gas just so you can sit 8 inches higher than the person in front of you? People act like stadium seating in a theater is God's gift to man. I have NEVER been unable to see a screen at the Clinton theater. And if we'd all continue to go there, the "trash" will stay away. It also irks me when people talk about how much better the Madison Wal-Mart is than ours. So one day I decided that I had to see for myself and I went. Ummmmmmm........ NO. I saw more trashy people in that store than I think I've ever seen in one place in my life. I actually saw a girl walking around with no shoes on her feet..... gag. And the store itself was in much worse shape than the Clinton store. So that's out the window. We have grocery stores, boutique shops, churches, re-sale shops, mechanics, gas stations, veterinarians, doctors, dentists, drug-stores, hotels, lawyers, hardware stores, a skating rink, movie theater, restaurants, delis, fast-food chains, dance studios, city-league sports with excellent facilities, numerous parks/playgrounds, Kindermusik (which a bunch of Madison/Ridgeland people drive here for, BTW), brand-new public library, dress shops, daycares, a COLLEGE, antique shops, book stores, engineers, architects, karate classes, several Health/Fitness facilities, banks, post offices, and the list goes on and on....... With the exception of a shopping mall and a hospital, Clinton has everything you need to live a comfortable, suburban lifestyle. And if you don't like it, you're welcome to leave. Otherwise, quitcherbitchin'.(Now if you're a supporter of private school, stop reading because you may be offended.) I also take a little issue with people who are sending their kids to private school in a town where the public school district is in the top 4 in the state. Why on God's green earth would you shell out that kind of money to a private school when your child can get an excellent education for FREE? Because you want them to go to a "Christian school?" Is your kid that bad off that they can't learn to be a good person on the Christian guidance they get at home and at church? Isn't that your job as a parent? I've seen the graduates of Christian/private schools. Do you know who the wildest, most party-animal kids were when I went to college?? Private school kids. You think that sheltering them from any negative behavior is going to help them, but it's not. You're just prolonging the inevitable. They are going to come in contact with all types of people as an adult, and hiding it from them until they're 18 is only going to hinder their ability to deal with those people who are "different" from them. Whether the difference is intelligence level, religious beliefs, skin color, moral/ethical beliefs, or people who are just downright mean. They're out there as grown-ups and your kids are going to meet them one day. So why not prepare them while you can be there to give the advice, comfort, and wisdom when the bad stuff happens? You may as well toss them in the deep end before teaching them how to swim. And then there's those who choose private school because their kid can't cut it in public school sports. OK - brace yourself - the coach, though he may inherently be an ass, isn't being mean: your kid just isn't good enough. If he was a benefit to the team, he'd make the cut. But he didn't and the sad part is that you can't accept it. "But playing ball is his life." Well, odds are, if he can't even make the public high school team, he probably doesn't have a future playing ball. So little Johnny needs to figure out something else he's good at, like math or science, so maybe he can be a teacher or an engineer. And you need to encourage that. Because even if he makes Podunk Private School's Varsity team because there's only 87 people who go to school there and half of them are girls, he's probably not going to be playing for the Yankees or the Packers. Deal with it. The Clinton Public School District is an awesome place to educate your children. Are we perfect? Of course not. No school is perfect. Do we have our share of slackers, bullies, or behavior problems? Sure. Do administrators or teachers make poor decisions occasionally? Of course, they're human. It happens everywhere. But if you take all the bad and weigh it against the good, the good wins every time. So as for me and my family, we choose Clinton. We're here for the long haul. And if you've done the same, Congrats...... I think you made the right choice.