BCS Advantage Magazine Fall 2016 | Page 11

“We are proud of Enka Intermediate School and are excited our children have this opportunity,” explains Queen. “In Hominy Valley we talk about Enka Pride. This pride comes from the community support, the passion teachers and staff bring into their classrooms, and the desire and determination of our students to learn and succeed.” At the helm of this state-of-the-art school is its inaugural principal, Carleene Finger, who has worked in public education since 1995. She first came to BCS in 2007, serving as Assistant Principal at Candler Elementary, Principal at Charles C. Bell Elementary, and most recently, Principal at Leicester Elementary. Dr. Baldwin speaks highly of the veteran educator, explaining that Ms. Finger “rose to the top because, as a leader, she brings the highest levels of experience, enthusiasm, and success to her new post.” On this historic day for the Jets, Ms. Finger is found just inside the door welcoming students to their new home, and helping them find their classrooms. She is honored and humbled to be chosen to lead Enka Intermediate, and with her calm and confident demeanor, she quickly points to her 24 homeroom teachers and 50 additional staff members as the key resources for students. “They are all very dedicated educators and our teachers teach because it is their calling,” says Principal Finger. Then, looking out at the students en route to their homerooms, she adds, “This is an age where students are beginning to better understand their own identities. So giving them a variety of opportunities to explore their interests and develop skills is critical to helping them answer the big questions they face, such as ‘Who am I?’, ‘What do I want to do?’, and ‘Where do I excel?’.” Principal Finger hopes that 10 months from now as the final bell sounds for summer break, each student will be able to say, “I have learned so much and have grown as a person. I know my teachers care about me and love me.” “That’s what I want to hear,” says Ms. Finger, “and how I will know it has been a successful first school year at Enka Intermediate.” 9