MTHS Welcomes New Teacher

Those of you familiar with me and my articles know that I am an attorney, but also know that I am privileged to serve on the MT school board. I feel it is important for the public, especially the stakeholders who pay the real property taxes, and those that have students in the MT school system, to know their teachers and get involved as much as work and other family responsibilities will allow in your student's education. An key part of this is getting to know and going to meet your teachers.

I said all of that to introduce you to a brand spanking new teacher at the Marked Tree School. His name is Derik Drewett. He will assist in the baseball coaching and teach Physical Education.

MTHS, both the women and the men's programs, have taken off in the last few years and have quite a tradition going back decades. This past year, both teams performed very well, and the men came within one game of playing in the State championship game in Fayetteville's UA Baum Stadium. Then, to the dismay of the players but the good fortune of head coach Matt Wright, he was hired as principal. His assistant was hired by Paragould. The boys of MT baseball were stunned, my son among them, and wondered what was happening.

MT hired Michael Wages as head coach last week. He is a Marked Tree boy from a Marked Tree family with a rich tradition of baseball. I will share his story in my next article.

Derik Drewett graduated from Watson Chapel near Pine Bluff, having grown up in the metropolis of Sherrill, in 2003. Both of his parents have taught school; the tradition of teaching is very obviously something he takes seriously. He is a new graduate of UALR and has played a little baseball as a right handed pitcher.

A little baseball? What am I saying? Right out of high school he was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals, but wisely chose to continue his education at UA Fort Smith Junior College.

He graduated from UALR with a degree in Health and Exercise Science and will assist in the baseball coaching, and teach. He is well aware of MTHS excellent educational reputation earned in the last few years and seems quite excited about undertaking the challenge. He likes outdoor sports, fishing and water skiing. He was drafted again by the Baltimore Orioles this spring, and chose a career in education. That says something positive about his values, his dedication to teaching and his love of young people.

So parents, the rest if up to you to meet Mr. Drewett, to visit with him, welcome him to our MT community, as I did, and find out what you can do to assist him in the education of your precious students.