Spanish Fort Middle School

33899 Jimmy Faulkner Dr.

Spanish Fort, AL 36527

Welcome to Spanish Fort Middle School, home of the Toros! Our goal is to help transition and advise students for entry into the next phase of their education. We provide a strong and rigorous background in the core classes and enrich our students' experiences with a variety of electives. We also have many clubs and athletic teams to provide opportunities for our students to participate in extracurricular activities at our school. We want their experiences at Spanish Fort Middle School to help them grow into well-rounded, responsible students who are ready to succeed in high school and beyond. We want our students to make a "Commitment to Excellence" at Spanish Fort Middle School, home of the Toros!

Phone: 251-625-3271

Email:

Degrees and Certifications:

B.S. Auburn University M.S. University of Montevallo

Mrs. Leslie Wheeler, Principal

My name is Leslie Wheeler, and I am proud to call Spanish Fort my home. My husband and I moved here from Birmingham over eight years ago and absolutely love it! In our 18 years of marriage we have moved around quite a bit: Alabama, Arizona, Oklahoma, then back to Alabama again. We love being down by the gulf and feel that we have finally found our forever home. Kevin and I have 3 boys and a sweet little girl who surprised us late in life. Our children keep us very busy as they are all very active in the community. We feel extremely blessed to be apart of such a wonderful community.

My career in education began in 1999 when I graduated from Auburn University and took a teaching position in Jefferson County where I stayed over a year. In 2000, I was recruited to Oak Mountain Middle School in Shelby County to teach 6th grade and sponsor the school's dance team. In 2003, my husband and I moved to Kayenta, Arizona to work on the Navajo Reservation. I taught school there for one year and learned more about myself than I ever knew possible. In 2004, we moved to Oklahoma where I took a break from teaching to work for an insurance company. In 2005, we moved back to Birmingham where I was able to get my old job back at Oak Mountain Middle School teaching 6th grade and working with the dance team. During this time, I went back to school and earned my Masters in Educational Leadership from the University of Montevallo in 2008. We stayed in Birmingham until 2011 when we heard the ocean calling us down south. I took a job at Fairhope Intermediate teaching 5th grade one year and 6th grade the next. I came on board at Spanish Fort Middle School in 2013 and have never looked back. I am delighted to be apart of the phenomenal faculty and staff here at SFMS. I have been all over and have never seen a school and community more committed to high expectations and excellence than here in Spanish Fort.

Phone: 251-625-3271

Email:

Degrees and Certifications:

B.S. Southern Connecticut State University M.S. University of South Alabama

Mrs. Jacquie DePalma, Assistant Principal

My name is Jacquie DePalma and I am the Assistant Principal at Spanish Fort Middle School. I grew up in Southern Florida and attended high school and college in Connecticut. I received a B.S. degree in Special Education in 1978 at Southern Connecticut State University, a M.S. degree in Collaboration (General Ed/Special Ed) in 1992, and later on a M.S. degree in Educational Administrator from the University of South Alabama in 2009.

I have 17 years of teaching experience, mainly at the middle school level in Connecticut. My family and I moved to Spanish Fort, Alabama in 1997. I taught for one year at Fairhope High School before transferring to the Central Office as a Special Education Resource Consultant. I spent 16 years in this position and 4 years at Fairhope Middle School as the Assistant Principal.

I have been married for 35 years to Michael, and we have three married children, and two grandchildren. Our family has been attending Bay Community Church/CITY HOPE in Malbis since 1998.

Traveling is my hobby, and my passion is medical mission trips. I have been to Honduras and Haiti many times. My husband and I decided to move to Baldwin County because of the excellent school system and the beautiful beaches. We have recently bought a travel trailer and enjoy camping with the entire family!

I believe each and every child has the potential to bring something unique and special to the world. I will help children to develop their potential by believing in them as capable individuals. I will assist children in discovering who they are, so that they can express their own opinions and nurture their own ideas. I have a vision of a world where people learn to respect, accept, and embrace the differences between us, as the core of what makes life so wonderful.

Phone: 251-625-3271

Email:

Degrees and Certifications:

B.S.-University of Mobile M.S.-University of South Alabama

Mr. Jon Fillingim, Assistant Principal

My name is Jon Fillingim, and I am a relatively new arrival to the public-school system here in Baldwin County, but I have been an educator for over twenty years. In the spring of 2018, I moved from my position as a teacher in Mobile to one as a teacher at Spanish Fort. I grew up in a family of educators, so it seemed very natural and sensible that I would become one myself. I have taught on both the high school and middle school level in the fields of both English and social studies. Presently, I am serving as an assistant principal at Spanish Fort Middle School.

After attending local universities to get my degrees and certifications, I began teaching on the middle school level before moving to high school. While on the high school level, I taught grades 9-12, worked with the golf team and various other sports and clubs, and returned to get my master’s degree and my certification in educational leadership. I am very pleased to have found a home at Spanish Fort Middle School, and I look forward to many successful years here for all of our students, teachers, and staff. I feel lucky to be a part of what is going on in Baldwin County and feel blessed to be at a school like Spanish Fort Middle.

Mission Statement
Student Handbook 2021-2022
State Report Card Grade
Leadership Team

Mr. Oliver Sinclair, Principal

Mrs. Jacquie DePalma, Assistant Principal

Mr. Jon Fillingim, Assistant Principal

Mrs. Leslie Wheeler, Assistant Principal

Nigia Bolton- Counselor

Lewana Goodrich- Counselor

Brooke Walsh- Media Specialist

Caye Milstead- 6th Grade ELA Teacher

Brandon Yohn- 7th Grade Gifted; Social Studies Teacher

Melanie Behel- 8th Grade ELA Teacher
School Resource Officer

Correa, Derek

Officer Correa graduated from D'Iberville High School in D'Iberville, MS in 2002. He made the decision to serve his country in the United States Navy as a Hospital Corpsman in 2004. After completing the Naval Hospital Corps School, he was stationed at the Naval Hospital at Camp Lester in Okinawa, Japan for two years. Derek was then sent to Field Medical Service School at Camp Pendleton in California. After this specialized school, he was stationed with the 2nd Battalion, 11th Marines with the 1st Marine Division at Camp Pendleton. While with the 1st Marine Division, Petty Officer Correa deployed to the Al Anbar Province near the Syrian border of Iraq for thirteen months in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Derek honorably separated from the military after five years of active service in May of 2009. He married his fiancé, Kristin, in August of that same year. In May of 2012, Derek obtained an Associates of Arts degree with a concentration of Criminal Justice From Hinds Community College. Derek and Kristin moved to Spanish Fort in July of 2102 so she could begin her career as a Pediatric Dentist at Malbis Parkway Pediatric Dentistry. In October of 2012, Derek was hired by the City of Mobile Police Department and was sent through the Police Academy. He served the city of Mobile for four years as a Patrol Officer. Derek decided that he wanted to serve the community in which he lived and was hired by the Spanish Fort Police Department in November of 2016 as a Patrol Officer. In June of 2018, Officer Correa, was sent by the Spanish Fort Police Department to the Nation Association of School Resource Officers' Basic School Resource where he became nationally certified. Officer Correa is excited to be able to make a difference in the lives of the children in our community by working at the Middle School. Officer Correa and wife, Dr. Kristin Correa, have two young sons. The family attends Costal Church in Daphne, AL. They love all things Disney.
4 Part Plan

Dr. Woodburn's Four Part Plan:

Your child’s academic success is of paramount importance to the Baldwin County Public School System! Over the past four years, under Mr. Eddie Tyler’s leadership as superintendent, backed by an unprecedented commitment from our Baldwin County Board of Education, we have implemented a four-part academic success plan, which is a holistic academic initiative that is designed to help students, teachers, and administrators be the very best they can be. The four parts to the plan involve improvements in student literacy, helping teachers become more diversified in their instructional techniques, making academic decisions based on real-time data, and assisting administrators with monitoring student achievement within their schools. Each part of the plan is essential and supports the other parts. Implementation of the plan has helped the district become increasingly academically successful, as evidenced by improvement in state-mandated test scores. The Baldwin County Public Schools’ Four-Part Plan allows all district personnel to be on the same page, to support each other on the journey toward academic improvement, and to focus on what is most important, the educational success of all students.

Dr. Joyce Woodburn
Dean of Academics
A brief look at Baldwin County Public Schools Four-Part Academic Success Plan:

1. Guided Reading
Supported by Scholastic
Emphasis on student choice in reading
We have trained 300+ K-6 teachers in Guided Reading
We first implemented a Guided Reading pilot in three middle schools and five high schools
In 2018-2019, all 46 schools implemented Guided Reading

2. eMINTS
eMints is a teaching initiative
Emphasis on using different methods of teaching
Emphasis on building community in the classroom
Two-year training program
2018-2019 (and beyond): We offer teachers stipends for attendance at night trainings
2018-2019 (and beyond): We pay for substitutes for teacher day training
2018-2019 (and beyond): We tie eMints to National Board certification (district pays $2000 in application fee)

3. Scantron Analytics
This is a HUGE game changer!
This is a product of Scantron
All data sources are on one electronic platform
All data in iNOW transfers into Scantron Analytics, such as:
TEST SCORES: ACT scores, all state assessment scores, Scantron Achievement Series scores (formative assessment), Scantron Performance Series scores (summative assessment), WorkKeys, and classroom grades, along with,
Discipline information
Attendance information
Student academic watch list
Standards attained/not attained
Data helps us restructure how we “do school” and shows us where we need to focus for improvement
There is a BIG DIFFERENCE between saying that data drives instruction and actually requiring that data drives instruction.

4. Curriculum Leaders
We hired curriculum leaders in all middle and high schools
We continue to use instructional coaches and reading coaches in all elementary schools
What is the job of a curriculum leader?
– Monitor student achievement in the entire school
– Work hand-in-hand with the principal to improve student academic achievement
– Co-plan, co-teach, mentor teachers
– Conduct data meetings with teachers, usually by grade span or core content area
BCBE Safety Message

Protecting our students, teachers and employees is my priority. The Baldwin County Public School System has partnered with the Baldwin County Sheriff's Office, the Baldwin County Commission and our municipal law enforcement agencies so that ALL our school campuses have a dedicated School Resource Officer each school day.

As part of our school system's Multi-million dollar commitment to safety, "buzz in"- video identification chick is available on each campus. Everyone must follow stated safety procedures.

Of note, just because you hear "lockdown" does no necessarily mean there is an emergency on campus. We are sometimes alerted by law enforcement of a concern in the community that prompts us to implement our safety plan.

Of supreme importance: if you hear something, say something- not on social media- but report immediately to law enforcement, a teacher or school administrator all concerns. School administrators and law enforcement will sort out the validity, Together, we form a partnership that keeps our schools safe. Thank you for being a partner!

Anthony Sampson

Director of Prevention Support