HARVEST
LAKESIDE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
123rd HARVEST CELEBRATION
THEME
Moving Forward by Offering Christ Everyday
DATE
November 12, 2023
10:55 AM
SCRIPTURE
Philippians 3:13-14
HARVEST SPEAKER
DR. CLARENCE SUTTON
Dr. Clarence Sutton serves as the superintendent of Huntsville City Schools. The Huntsville City Board of Education unanimously approved Dr. Sutton’s hire in June 2023. He is a veteran of public education with nearly 30 years of experience as a teacher, principal, and central office administrator.
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As superintendent, Dr. Sutton has five areas of focus:
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Promoting student success
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Supporting teachers and staff members
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Creating a new strategic plan for the district
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Prioritizing system culture, climate, and safety
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Engaging in strong communication and community engagement
“Our goal is to be a premier school system where we inspire, engage, and empower all students,” Dr. Sutton says. “This takes all of us uniting to promote our students, teachers and staff members, and our school system. Let’s go forward together.”
Dr. Sutton has served as the district's chief of staff, deputy superintendent of Learning Supports, and chief academic officer prior to becoming superintendent.
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Prior to Huntsville City Schools, he served as the longtime principal of Central High in Tuscaloosa where the school significantly increased graduation rates, increased yearly scholarship offers for students, and established a career pathway program which is now used as a model across the state.
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He believes in the power of partnerships with businesses and community organizations to enhance student learning and develop potential workforce opportunities for students after high school.
“Businesses are great at tracking trends,” Dr. Sutton says. “We need to work in collaboration with business partners to identify future pathways for our students.”
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Dr. Sutton and his wife, Jameka, have six children and two grandchildren.
SYVLIA FLAKES
Harvest Chair
