A look inside: Gavin South Junior High

Gavin South Junior High

Address: 25775 W. Hwy. 134, Ingleside

Phone: (847) 546-9336

Web site: www.edline.net/pages/Gavin_South_JHS

District's name, Web site: Gavin School District 37,

www. .edline.net/pages/GSD37

Number of students/grade levels offered: 500, in pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, sixth, seventh and eighth grades

Number of staff: 75

School mascot: Tiger

When was school built: In the mid-1950s

An interesting tidbit: The school district was created before the first established village in Lake County. Hainesville is the oldest town in Lake County, established in 1848. Gavin was created in 1844.

Principal: Ron Banion

• He has been at the school for two years.

• What is your favorite memory from Gavin South? "In my first year, we had a teacher, Larry Addison, who was retiring. He served as teacher, coach and athletic director at the district for 35 years. On the last night of the Tiger girls basketball tournament, the district threw a surprise retirement party for him. During the party, hundreds of people who worked with him, played for him, worked as teacher assistants, a lot of people who knew him, came out to say goodbye and thank you. It was kind of a homecoming. We had close to 900 people at that event and it was a complete surprise for Larry. But it was such a great feeling of community and family that was on display that day."

• What do you think is an unique aspect of your school? "We have new computers throughout the district this year. They are brand new and are being installed as we speak. It'll be a great new aspect of the school."

• What are you most proud of? "I love that we have the oldest and youngest students in our district at one time. We have 3-year-olds attached to the pre-kindergarten classes and, simultaneously, we have eighth-graders in my building. The best part is they co-exist very nicely."

• If all school enrollments were determined by choice, what would you say to potential parents to convince them to choose Gavin South for their children? "We have such a stable staff who bring such a sense of community with them here. The staff also seems to come and stay here, and love the school district. That brings a great, stable, communal attitude on what needs to be done for the kids and the community."

• How has technology changed the way students learn over the past five years? Has that been a good change? "It's been good because it allows students to develop interests easier than if the students were simply in a teacher directional education setting. Through the use of the Internet and the various academic and social sites, they can develop interests that weren't open to them in the past that would have required massive amounts of legwork. Now, this is all at their fingertips."

• If you can get one thing accomplished between now and the end of May in your school, what would it be? "We are in the process of developing a philosophy for early prevention for students who need help in basic programs. We are also working on different assessments to make sure teachers have the tools to determine where kids need development. We are also trying to develop strategies for expanding and exploring to give kids more choices on what interests them outside the academic classes."