1. $200,000 in Title I dollars
1. $46,000 for an engineering grant
2. $20,000 in extended contract dollars to address at risk students
3. $10,000 from the state money for at risk schools

Last year there were requested renovations, new equipment ordered, additional supervisory support assigned, participation with the faculty in professional development by me and our assistant superintendent, and additional staff added to work on specific programs. Those are just part of what is being provided to a school that is a part of this community’s history and a school that will always receive the support of this administration and this board, as will all of our schools.

JCM classes are, in general, smaller than most at other high schools right now. That’s appropriate because they are working to reach a goal that I am confident they will attain. They made wonderful progress last year with all student subgroups passing the state test. I have emphasized that fact consistently when meeting with groups in the community, at school board meetings and when interacting with the media. This school district supports the work of JCM staff and students as we do the staff and students in all of our schools.

The transfer of teachers about which the students spoke to the school board occurred because more than 120 students chose to transfer from JCM to NSHS at the beginning of the year. The federal mandate of No Child Left Behind required that all JCM students be given an opportunity to transfer because they had been on the state list for a number of years.

Because JCM had been staffed for 880 students and now has fewer than 700 students and NSHS has 1258 students instead of 1140 we needed those teachers in the larger school. Mrs. Crump, principal and the state assigned Exemplary Educator for JCM were part of the conversations during which the teachers to be transferred were selected. Their recommendations were taken and they had a significant hand in making the decisions, as did the principals of other impacted schools (Liberty lost several “4th Block” teaching spots) and Liberty’s assigned Exemplary Educator. Factors considered included :

- class sizes in all high schools
- principal requests
- recommendations of the Exemplary Educators
- teacher certification areas
- diversity on the staffs of the impacted schools
- date of hire for teachers when all other factors were similar

This move had to happen to ensure that all students in all schools have the courses available that they need to graduate. These are decisions that must be made for various reasons all over this country as student populations shift naturally. The NCLB mandate requires that students in a school that has been on the state list for a number of years be given the opportunity to transfer.

We didn’t encourage JCM students to transfer and were, frankly, very surprised by the number who chose to do so. We have talented, committed staff and smart students at JCM who work hard and are focused on raising the graduation rate at their school. In short, JCM is a good school where your children can receive a quality education, as are all of our schools.
 

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