🚨🏈We are excited to announce Jeff Gierke as the new Head Football Coach of Clay High School!
Coach Gierke brings experience and passion for the game as well as a passion for developing student-athletes! He brings an exciting brand of football to Clay High and is ready to implement his leadership within our program! Join us in welcoming Coach Gierke and his family to the Blue Devil Family! Go Blue Devils!
#theclayway #ClayFootball #RiseoftheBlueDevils #WelcomeCoachGierke
📖✍️ Building Strong Arguments in Mrs. McKinney’s Class! ✍️📖
Students in Mrs. McKinney’s class are mastering the art of analyzing textual evidence! 🔍 They’re diving into articles, evaluating whether the evidence is strong or weak, and sharpening their critical thinking skills.
By combining reading and writing, they’re learning how to support their ideas with credible, well-chosen evidence—an essential skill for academic success and beyond! 💡📝
Strong evidence = strong arguments! #TextualEvidence #CriticalThinking #ReadingAndWriting
Senior Spotlight:
Meet Shayla Nichole Campbell—a dedicated student with a bright future ahead! After graduation, she’s heading to SJRSC to earn her AA before pursuing her dream of vet school. Shayla chose SJRSC because it offers her the opportunity to use her Bright Futures and other scholarships while staying close to home. Her solid preparation in College Algebra and four years as a Vet Assistant, along with a 3.78 GPA, have set a strong foundation for her academic journey. Beyond the classroom, volunteering has taught her invaluable lessons in empathy, kindness, and the importance of giving back. We're excited to watch her continue to grow and make a difference!
#FutureVet #ScholarshipSuccess #BrightFutures #StudentJourney #CommunityImpact
📚✨ Deep Thinking in Ms. Miller’s Class! ✨📚
Students in Ms. Miller’s class are sharpening their critical thinking skills by analyzing texts and making inferences! 🔍💡 Through close reading and thoughtful discussion, they’re uncovering hidden meanings, drawing conclusions, and strengthening their ability to think beyond the words on the page.
From literary themes to real-world connections, these scholars are learning that every text tells a deeper story—if you know how to find it! 📝📖
#CriticalThinking #ReadingSkills #FutureScholars
Great Visit from School Board Member Mr. Alvero!
We were honored to welcome School Board Member Mr. Alvero to Clay High today! He had the opportunity to see firsthand the incredible work happening in our Career & Technical Education (CTE) programs. From hands-on learning to career-ready skills, our students are doing amazing things!
Thank you, Mr. Alvero, for your support and for recognizing the impact of CTE in preparing our students for success! 💙#CTE #CareerReady #ClayHighProud #EducationMatters
🐓🎉 Celebrating National FFA Week at Clay High! 🎉🐓
This week, we’re honoring the incredible impact of FFA on our students and community! To celebrate, we added a little fun—hiding chickens in our Agriculture and Veterinary classrooms. 🐔🔍 Students who found them got to turn them in to Dr. Halter for some sweet rewards! 🍬
FFA plays a vital role in shaping future leaders in agriculture, animal science, and beyond. We’re proud to support our FFA students and all they do! 💙💛 #NationalFFAWeek #FFA #ClayHighProud #FutureLeaders
Critical Thinking in Action! 📖📝
Ms. McGahee’s English class is diving deep into texts with opposing arguments, sharpening their analytical skills by evaluating the validity of each claim. Through careful reading, discussion, and evidence-based reasoning, students are learning how to separate fact from opinion and identify strong, well-supported arguments.
Building critical thinkers today means empowering informed decision-makers for the future. Keep questioning, keep analyzing, and keep thinking, Blue Devils!
Bringing Color to Life! 🎨✨
In Mrs. Blevins’ art class, students are exploring the magic of the color wheel! From mixing tints and shades to discovering how colors interact, they’re learning how to create depth, mood, and contrast in their artwork.
Art education fuels creativity, critical thinking, and self-expression—one brushstroke at a time. Keep creating, keep experimenting, and keep bringing color to the world!
#ArtEducation #ColorTheory #CreativityInSchools
The Power of Music in Schools! 🎶✨
Music is more than just notes on a page—it’s emotion, expression, and connection. In Mr. Allison’s band class, students are not only creating beautiful music but also learning techniques to bring emotion to every performance.
Music education builds creativity, discipline, and teamwork, enriching the school experience in ways that last a lifetime. Thank you, Mr. Allison, for inspiring students to find their voice through music!
#MusicEducation #PowerOfMusic
The Power of School Counseling! 🎓✨
Ms. Horn is making a difference, guiding students through their future plans and course selections for next year! From exploring career paths to aligning academic choices with their goals, she’s ensuring every student feels confident about their next steps.
School counselors play a vital role in shaping bright futures by providing support, guidance, and encouragement. Thank you, Ms. Horn, for helping students turn dreams into plans!
#SchoolCounseling #StudentSuccess #FutureReady #GuidanceMatters
Future Scientists in Action! 🦆🔬
Students explored how different waterfowl beak adaptations help them thrive in various aquatic environments. Through hands-on investigations, they tested hypotheses, analyzed feeding strategies, and wondered how these adaptations impact survival.
From dabbling ducks to probing shorebirds, they examined how beak shape determines feeding success in different habitats. Curiosity and critical thinking were on full display as they connected science to the natural world!
Engaged minds. Scientific inquiry. Real-world learning. #STEM #HandsOnLearning
🎓 **Senior Spotlight: Saleh Saleh** 🎓
Meet **Saleh Saleh**, an outstanding senior with big plans for the future! 🚀
🏫 **Next Stop:** University of Central Florida (UCF)
⚡ **Major:** Electrical Engineering
🌟 **Why UCF?** "The Orlando area offers amazing internship opportunities for my major, and UCF is one of the top engineering schools in Florida."
🔑 **What prepared you for college the most?**
"My amazing teachers, especially **Mr. Derousie**, who not only taught me well but also gave me invaluable advice on college preparation."
🎓 **What prepared you for life after high school?**
"Getting my **AA through dual enrollment** has been the biggest help—it’s given me a head start for university and my future career."
Saleh, we are so proud of you and can’t wait to see all the incredible things you accomplish! #SeniorSpotlight #ClassOf2025 #FutureKnight #EngineeringDreams #CollegeBound
📖🔍 Mrs. Leporati’s English classes are diving into nonfiction texts to uncover deeper themes! By analyzing structure, word choice, and key details, students are sharpening their critical thinking skills and gaining a deeper understanding of real-world ideas.
🍽️👨🍳 Mr. Marti’s culinary classes are cooking up more than just great food—they’re building essential career skills! Today, students focused on interview techniques and the importance of soft skills like communication, teamwork, and professionalism. Preparing for the future is just as important as preparing a great meal! 🍴🔥 #CareerReady #SoftSkills #FutureChefs
📚✍️ Our students in Mr.Milligan's classes are sharpening their writing skills! Through focused practice on structure, word choice, and text analysis, they are learning to craft clear, compelling, and well-supported ideas. Strong writing is the foundation of strong thinking, and we’re proud to see their growth!
Dr. Halter's Leadership Council met to brainstorm ways to grow their leadership skills and ways to mentor aspiring leaders. Keep doing great things!
So proud of our Blue Devils! We increased 2% in graduation rate, and 2% in acceleration rate for the 2024 school year! We look forward to continuing this tradition of increasing student achievement again this year!
It is great to see alumni Matthew Mitchell giving back to Clay in helping students in our Vystar branch!
🎓 Senior Spotlight: Chevy Baxter 🎓
Meet Chevy Diane Baxter, an ambitious senior ready to take on the future! After graduation, she plans to attend SJRSC and pursue a career as an X-ray technician.
Her dedication to studying, responsibility, and regular school attendance has prepared her for success in college. She also credits high school for teaching her essential life skills like social skills, time management, and conflict resolution—all of which will help her thrive in the next chapter of her journey.
Join us in celebrating Chevy and wishing her the best as she embarks on this exciting path! 🎉👏 #SeniorSpotlight #ClassOf2025
📚✏️ Preparation = Success! ✏️📚
Students compete tasks in English class that predict performance on upcoming state exams.
💯 Success isn’t about luck—it’s about preparation! Let’s show what we’re capable of and make this test season our best yet!
Keep up the great work!!
