Articles - Spotlight on Education

McKibben Lane Elementary School
"Meeting the Needs of the Total Child" 

By Leslie Poythress

At McKibben Lane, all faculty and staff members are committed to providing an educational program that will prepare their students for responsible citizenship. Lane’s mission is to establish a strong foundation of sequential learning experiences for the students through its Core Knowledge Curriculum. The curriculum is based on the premise that every American must master certain facts and ideas to become "culturally literate" and succeed in contemporary society. The demand of excellence from the faculty and students ensures unparalleled academic, physical, emotional and social, development. All stakeholders seek to meet the individual needs of every student by setting high standards and expectations, and presenting varied instructional opportunities in an atmosphere of mutual respect. 

Principal Penny Smith is leading the school to success. Ms. Smith is a native Maconite. She attended public schools through the eleventh grade, before enrolling in college on an early admissions policy. She is a graduate of Macon State College, Wesleyan, and Georgia College and State University. Altogether, she has received a B.A. in Elementary Education, a Masters in Early Childhood Education, and an Educational Specialist Degree in Administration and Supervision. Ms. Smith has three daughters, two of whom recently graduated from Bibb County Schools, and her sixteen-year-old daughter is a junior in the International Baccalaureate Program at Central High School. 

Lane currently serves approximately 490 students. Its diverse student population is one its greatest strengths. Lane’s school family consists of students from all over the world, including Australia, Bulgaria, China, India, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Vietnam, and several African countries. Its community of multi-ethnic groups from differing socio-economic backgrounds provides lots of opportunities for cultural exchange among students. Lane encourages mutual understanding and respect among its students in order to ensure that they have positive experiences when encountering other cultures. 

Students with special academic and/or behavioral needs or concerns are identified through the Student Support Team/504 Process, and parents are encouraged to be active participants in developing strategies for addressing specific needs of students. If deemed appropriate, students may be referred for special testing to identify specific strengths and weaknesses. Lane identifies and serves students who qualify for Gifted Education, Resource Learning Disabilities Instruction, Resource Emotional/Behavioral Disorders Instruction, and Primary Level Autism. They also serve students in the areas of speech, occupational therapy, and hearing impairment. The English to Students of Other Languages program serves students whose first language is not English.

Technology is a central component of the curriculum at Lane. Most of the certified staff have completed state requirements for technology training. Each classroom is equipped with several student-accessible computers that are networked to the Internet. A teaching- station computer in each classroom connects to an elevated television monitor for easy instructional viewing by all students. The school has a computer lab that is also networked to the Internet. The Lane Production Studio is equipped with state-of-the-art video recording and editing equipment, as well as a teleprompter and related equipment used for daily broadcasts.

Students at McKibben Lane may participate in a variety of activities. Membership in the Junior Beta Club is open for students in fifth and sixth grade that maintain an overall 90 average and satisfactory conduct. Lancers in Action assist teachers and other adults throughout the building. Grades 3-6 elect their own class representatives, who assist in making school decisions and provide service to the community. Book Clubs are a popular activity for many students, especially at the third grade level. Students are assigned a book to read, and meet one afternoon a month to discuss the book over snacks. 

Lane has strong parent and community support. The Lane PTA (Parent-Teacher Association) is very active. It sponsors a variety of fundraisers to help finance special projects, special needs, and provide additional materials and equipment for the school. Volunteers provide release time for teachers to attend special meetings, acknowledge birthdays and special occasions, and honor teachers with special luncheons at the beginning of each school year. Many PTA members have donated their time to landscaping projects and upkeep of the playground equipment. Principal Smith realizes the importance of parental involvement: "Lane is truly a family school where parents are expected to become involved. In fact, if parents are hesitant to come to school, we go to the parents." v

McKibben Lane Elementary
990 Newport Road
Macon, Georgia 31210
Phone: 478-471-5416
Website: www.bibb.k12.ga.us/Lane/default.htm