Klages taking state position

By Tiffiny Woo
Published: May 30, 2008

After six years working in the same office at Admiral Moorer Middle School, Instructional Specialist Cindy Klages is moving away from the desk and into the field.
As a Eufaula City School employee, Klages is on loan to the Alabama State Department of Education to work with secondary schools interested in the Alabama Reading Initiative program.
It seemed like divine providence that brought Cindy and her husband, Scott, to Eufaula.
Having worked in Cobbs County Georgia and Dothan as a middle school math teacher for 13 years, Cindy and Scott were contemplating a move to Eufaula from their home in Stockbridge, Ga.
It was during this time that Scott’s brother, Dan Klages began working for Eufaula City Schools and Cindy and Scott set their sights on the Bluff City.
Cindy says God was taking care of them as they prepared to return to Alabama just six months after arriving in Stockbridge.
“I found out there was a teaching position open here (at AMMS) for an eighth-grade math teacher!” she said. “We sold our house in a day and a half and didn’t lose a penny.”
It was while she was teaching at AMMS that Klages got her first training in the Alabama Reading Initiative Program, which she came to know in-depth when she moved into the position of Instructional Specialist.
While at AMMS, Klages wrote two grants that awarded the school $70,000 worth of technology, completed Secondary Alabama Reading Initiative New Hire Facilitator training, served as the SREB Making Middle Grades Work site coordinator, served as the local professional development coordinator, organized an after-school tutorial program, facilitated the AMMS Alabama Reading Initiative recertification in 2004 and 2005, and served as the Reading Coach, just to name a few.
Klages also presented at the Alabama Reading Initiative state reading coach meetings in the spring of 2005. Still, it came as a surprise when the state department requested her for the position of Secondary ARI Regional Literacy Coach.
“I said, ‘But I’m a math teacher!’” said Klages on her response to the job offer. “But you know that’s one of the things that makes it work so well. I’m able to offer an insight on collaborative teaching methods.
“I’ve been at some of those state meetings where they come up with different ideas, and I would think that (one) suggestion wouldn’t really work for math teachers. Then I would come up with ways that would work.”
Her new position with the state department will have her traveling to three different schools in the region each week. She’ll be coordinating and helping to train reading coaches on the Alabama Reading Initiative Project for Adolescent Literacy, or ARI PAL, program.
Klages will still officially be an employee of ECS and will retain her tenure with the school system. More than that, she says, her loyalty to ECS is strong. “I’m just two doors down and always willing to help,” she said.
Reeda Betts, Specialist for ARI Secondary Schools, handpicked Klages to the position, and Klages says just being selected for the position says a lot about the quality of schools in Eufaula.
“Cindy has served as a Best Practices Facilitator for ARI for the past three years,” said Betts. “Her primary responsibility as a regional secondary literacy coach will be supporting schools in (ARI-PAL).  With her knowledge and talents, she will be a great asset to the staff.”
“Eufaula is a great example for other school systems,” said Klages. “AMMS is one of the few middle schools involved in the ARI (Alabama Reading Initiative) Program and one of the few that still have an exploratory program.”