By Charles Ashley - Publisher - Mississippi Tribune
In keeping with The Mississippi Tribune’s theme of “news from the community, about the community”, one of the publishers of the Mississippi Tribune, Charles Ashley interviewed this week, from Otken Elementary School, the new Principal, Camita Nobles.
Ashley: Principal Nobles are you married and are there any kids?
Nobles: Yes, I’m married to a wonderful man, Mitchell Nobles. January 2010 will be 15 years. We have four (4) children, 3 boys and one (1) girl, ages 11 months, 5, 7, and 9. Two of my children attend Otken.
Ashley: Tell our readers about yourself.
Nobles: I grew up in McComb and attended Otken and McComb High. All my family and my husband’s family live in McComb. Therefore, I have deep roots in McComb and want what’s best for the community. I have a Bachelor’s degree from Jackson State University. I taught school in the Jackson Public School System and the Memphis Public School System. I have a Master’s degree in Educational Administration and Supervision. I was made Assistant Principal at Otken in 2002 under Becky Morgan’s guidance. Last year (2008) I was promoted to principal. I take great pride in what I do. I believe in our program. One of our favorite slogans is “our children are our greatest natural resource”. I truly have a passion for what I do. I love people and I love children. I want what’s best for everyone. I believe one must have two (2) things in life for true success and they are God and an education.
Ashley: What is you vision for Otken?
Nobles: For Otken to be the best elementary school in the United States of America we have to strive for excellence in every way. We need our parents and our community as a whole to all work together.
Ashley: What grades are at Kennedy? Nobles: Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grades. Ashley: You’ve been principal a short time. Has it been a smooth transition with your staff from Assistant Principal to Principal?
Nobles: I have a wonderful staff. We all get along so well. They are very professional and extremely caring. We are a data driven school so our teachers pay attention to what our kids need. I’m totally satisfied with my staff and the education that my own children are receiving.
Ashley: When I interviewed Kennedy principal, Ms. Katrina Hines, I noted that she was only 33 and I asked her was she confident she could land Kennedy at such a young age. You are only 34, so I ask you the same question.
Nobles: I believe that I’m in this position because God chose me for this position. I believe strongly in God and this is my calling. Just knowing and believing that gives me great confidence. I feel I’m doing a good job because the evidence of the children’s academic and behavior data reflects this.
Ashley: Tell me something special about Otken’s way of thinking.
Nobles: We think as a family. We care about the children and each other deeply. It’s not just a workplace. Our school is a PBIS School (positive behavior intervention support). An example is that we focus on the children’s positive actions and not the negative. We reward the positive and ignore the negative actions. This makes the kids do more positive things because we pay more attention to the positive things. Kids love attention. We have weekly positive celebrations at Otken in the classrooms and monthly school wide.
Ashley: How has it been working with upper lever management such as Supertindent Palmer there and Ms. Monique Gilmore?
Nobles: It has been and still is a really nice experience. Miss Palmetree is a wonderful person for the position she’s in. She really wants to form a relationship with people. With all the challenges she’s had. She’s done a great job. She cares about the student which is important to me personally and she cares about people in general. As far as Monique, she’s a great person to work with. She’s driven and aggressive as far as getting McComb Schools what we need. She is a great PR person and personally I like her.
Ashley: I’ve been keeping up with the flu scare throughout the state of Mississippi. What can you tell our readers about how McComb School District particularly Otken is handling this issue.
Nobles: We are taking all the precautionary measures suggested by the CDC (Center for Disease Control), such as washing hands, coughing in our sleeves, etc. There is hand sanitizer in all classrooms and bathrooms. We have staff meetings on this subject. So far we’ve been blessed with minimum cases. We are 100% on it.
Ashley: What are the “First Tigers?”
Nobles: We are the foundation for our kids in the McComb School District System. We are here to get them ready. When our kids leave Otken we want them socially and academically ready. A small percentage comes here academically and socially unequipped and when they leave Otken they are well rounded. They are ready for success. We make sure they are ready for Kennedy principal, Mrs. Hines.
Ashley: What do you like doing outside of school?
Nobles: Being with family, my husband and my boys, riding motorcycles, my daughter, ride bikes. We go to the zoo, sit outside eating snowballs. We belong to St. Mary’s #1 where the Honorable Pastor Banks leads us. We do a lot of church activities.
Ashley: You appear to have a pleasant aura about yourself.
Nobles: I try my best. A lot of people tell me that. That’s just my personality and I owe it all to God, who created me. I’m simply blessed, my parents, James and Mable Kate, are extremely supportive of all I do. They help with the kids, give me good sound advice and shower me with a love that is unconditional. My husband is the same, very supportive, a very good man. I have a wonderful job with a staff that makes me look good. So I have no reason no to be pleasant.
Ashley: Well, that concludes my interview. I wish you well in all you do. May God Bless you and your family.
