Donoho Focus Group Shows Support of World AIDS Day 2011

Donoho students and faculty showed their support of World AIDS Day 2011 by wearing red today. The theme for World AIDS Day 2011 was "Getting to Zero- Zero new HIV infections. Zero discrimination. Zero AIDS-related deaths." Thank you to the Donoho Focus Group for bringing awareness to this worthy cause!

Volleyball Team Wins Class 1A State Championship

Donoho defeats Addison (19-25, 25-21, 20-25, 25-20, 17-15) in the finals of the Elite 8 volleyball tournament in Pelham. The Lady Falcons are the Class 1A State Champions!! CONGRATULATIONS LADY FALCONS! We are proud of you!

"The Pitch - Episode 4", September 26, 2011

"The Pitch - Episode 3", September 19, 2011

"The Pitch - Episode 2", September 8, 2011

"The Pitch - Episode 1", August 29, 2011

"The Pitch - Trailer", August 10, 2011

Teacher Spotlight: Lisa Light

Mrs. Lisa Light joined the Donoho faculty in the fall of 2007. She currently is the Intermediate Department Coordinator in the lower school and teaches English. Mrs. Light uses a variety of teaching methods in her classroom, including digital poetry and video book reports to engage her students. She has embraced the use of technology in instruction and has conducted workshops for her peers on how to use these resources in the classroom.

Mrs. Light is certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards in the area of Early Adolescence English Language Arts. Her board certification, which is valid for ten years, is a complement to her state teacher license. She recently completed the recertification process, featuring student learning in her language arts classes. This certification is achieved upon successful completion of a voluntary assessment program designed to recognize effective and accomplished teachers who meet high standards based on what teachers should know and be able to do.

During the summer months, Mrs. Light serves as co-director of the Jacksonville State University Writing Project. This project gives area teachers inspiring ideas and classroom techniques for improving students’ literacy skills. In 2010, Mrs. Light was awarded a two-week summer fellowship from the Holocaust Educators Network at Columbia University in New York City. Twenty-four teachers from across the country were selected to participate in the seminar, which offers a way for teachers to think collaboratively about teaching the Holocaust and other state-sanctioned atrocities. After the seminar, Mrs. Light shared resources with her peers at Donoho and developed in-service programs for Jacksonville State University.

Mrs. Light is married to Jimmy Light and they have one daughter, Tara.

Teachers Receive iPad 2

Congratulations to Mr. Russ Connell and Mrs. Michelle Swinford who both received an iPad 2 for use in their classrooms this year! Teachers were introduced to iPads in the classroom during pre-planning this week and the iPads were given away today to two lucky teachers during the faculty luncheon. The implementation of iPads is part of the school's plan to continue to incorporate technology into our college-prep curriculum. We look forward to sharing how these teachers use these devices in their classrooms!

Faculty and Staff Return for the 2011-2012 School Year

Faculty and staff returned to school today for pre-planning in preparation for the first day of school. They are excited about the 2011-2012 school year and look forward to welcoming back their students on Wednesday, August 10. Exciting things are happening all over the Donoho campus!

Lower School Science Teacher Attends Prestigious Workshop

Lower school science teacher Donna Plunkett was one of nineteen teachers who spent the week of June 25 –July 2, 2011, touring Alabama and learning about natural sciences in the prestigious Mountains to the Gulf workshop sponsored by Legacy-Partners in Environmental Education, McDowell Environmental Center, Alabama Water Watch, JSU Field Schools, Gulf of Mexico Alliance, and Dauphin Island Sea Lab.

Dr. Jim Lacefield, a geologist and author, Dr. Bill Deutsch of Auburn University and Alabama Water Watch, and Dr. George Cline, a herpetologist at Jacksonville State University, each helped the teachers hone their science skills.  Dr. Cline spoke about the different flora and fauna of the various regions, Dr. Lacefield discussed the characteristics of specific geology, and Dr. Deusch explained how the geology shaped the local watersheds.

The group enjoyed activities at McDowell Environmental Center, Little River Canyon, Cheaha State Park, Elkahatchee Creek near Alex City, and the impact crater in Wetumpka.  They canoed the Coosa River and searched for fossils near the Conecuh River before winding up at Dauphin Island's Sea Lab.

The Donoho School Names New Board Member

The Donoho School is pleased to announce the appointment of a new member to its Board of Directors. Dr. Pankaj K. Kashyap is in private practice at Anniston Gastroenterology Associates in Anniston, Alabama. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of California-Berkeley in 1984 and his medical degree from the University of California-Los Angeles in 1988. 
 
Dr. Kashyap is board certified by the American Board of Gastroenterology and the American Board of Internal Medicine, and is a member of the board of trustees of Stringfellow Memorial Hospital where he has served as the chief of medicine. He is president of the Calhoun County Medical Society and is a member of both the American College of Gastroenterology and the Medical Association of the State of Alabama.
 
Dr. Kashyap and his wife, Vandna, have three children – Nisha, a 2011 graduate of The Donoho School, Raj (class of 2014), and Sonia (class of 2018).  They reside in Anniston, Alabama.


Welcome, Dr. Kashyap!

"The Pitch" - Episode 20, March 29, 2011

"The Pitch" - Episode 19, March 7, 2011

"The Pitch" - Episode 18, February 21, 2011

"The Pitch" - Episode 17, February 7, 2011

"The Pitch" - Episode 16, January 31, 2011

"The Pitch" - Episode 15, December 6, 2010

"The Pitch" - Episode 14, November 22, 2010

"The Pitch" - Episode 13, November 15, 2010