Author Archives: martyhkelly

Authored by Marty Kelly (The following is adapted from a speech given to the Jackson Area Association of Independent Schools) (Also, I’m really sorry if you are tired of the “It’s gonna be May” meme, but I’m even sorrier if you don’t understand it because that means you missed out on the glory that wasContinue reading “Gaudeamus Igitur: It’s Gonna be… Nay, It IS May!”

Authored by Marty Kelly Though my colleague and friend now, Ray McFarland was once my high school advisor who let my graduating class of seniors have a lock-in at the then brand new CPA. Talk about cool. He was also the actor that my family and I loved to watch at New Stage Theatre inContinue reading “Bravo Ad Infinitum: Spotlight on Ray McFarland”

Authored by Marty Kelly So I’ve got some great news. I finished that book I told y’all about that was giving me fits of guilt. That David Gemmell book about Aeneas before Aeneas was really Aeneas. It was okay. Bad news: I noticed a number of typos. Sigh.  Other bad news I didn’t talk aboutContinue reading “The Corner of “Practically Perfect in Every Way” and Practically Prepared to Binge Watch All Day”

Authored by Marty Kelly (and Upper School colleagues) Have you ever had something that you never knew you really needed until you had it? Like something you lived your whole life without and now absolutely cannot live without? Like dry shampoo. Or a straightener. Or wine. Seriously, how did I ever live without them? TheyContinue reading “Simply the Best: Hollie Marjanovic”

Authored by Julie Rust When I was a fresh-faced 21-year-old middle school ELA teacher with big ideas and way too much confidence, I knew I was going to crush my admin’s class observation and evaluation. I loved these kids. They loved me. We were whirling through novels and grammar concepts and writing projects like nobody’sContinue reading “Presenting Val Prado’s “$450,000 Inheritance Project”: The Perfect Antidote to the School/Real World Divide”

(*Please, at least one person, tell me you get this reference.) Authored by Marty Kelly In my last post I confessed to not reading any books this semester. Well, technically I think I confessed to not finishing any books this semester. Which honestly is weirder than my saying I haven’t started any books. You see,Continue reading “Looky, Looky, I got Book(s)y*”

Authored by Marty Kelly After falling down a rabbit hole of teacher memes, I saw this post on Instagram (I’m not cool enough for TikTok or savvy enough for Snapchat and certainly not young enough for either). This particular post was a picture someone offered of Work/Life Boundaries for teachers. “I will only enter gradesContinue reading “A Time to Be Tired”

Authored by Marty Kelly Matt with Middle Schoolers on Free Choice Friday Please don’t judge me, but I didn’t pick up a pandemic hobby. I mean, if gluttony counts, then absolutely I did. And, sure, I dyed my hair hot pink at one point, but other than that, I was quite the pandemic let down.Continue reading “Welcome to the Crossworld: Meet Your Guide, Dr. Matt Luter”

Authored by Marty Kelly Claire at work “Those who can, do; those who can’t, teach” is a laughable sentiment for most St. Andrew’s faculty, particularly for Claire Whitehurst, one of our Upper School art teachers and an artist herself. This SA alum (‘09) gets her artist blood honest–and got it early too. When a youngContinue reading “She Contains Multitudes: Meet Claire Whitehurst”

Posted by Marty Kelly Teacher, writer, singer, cyclist, traveler, and newest addition to St. Andrew’s Upper School English department, Dawn Denham is, above all, a storyteller. And an honest one at that. Despite the fact that she had been coming to Mississippi since she was 16, “I didn’t like Mississippi,” she told me. “I hadContinue reading “Meet and Greet (the) Dawn”

Posted by Marty Kelly Hi. I’m Marty. And I’m a hater of change. Like the U.S. Treasury. Okay so not that kind of change (but can’t we all agree that pennies are so over?). No, I’m talking about change change–of the sea variety. Like the time we moved houses in second grade right before ChristmasContinue reading “Room(s) for Improvement”