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The Truth:
With that in mind, do you have any specific goals with
respect to the state report card grades over the next few
years?
Jemison:
We’re working on a lot of different things here at school.
We’re implementing homeroom and seminar schedules which will
allow teachers to work with small groups of students who are
struggling in different areas. We’re looking at all groups
of students. We don’t just want those who are struggling to
improve, we want our exceptional students to go beyond where
they are – because that’s part of it, too. We have to make
sure we push everybody to another level. All of our students
should be growing educationally.
The Truth:
The report card for 2012-2013 shows that black students
achieved higher grades in reading and math than did the
general student population – 96.4 and 94.5 respectively.
However, when it comes to graduation rates – black students
lag noticeably – 88.6 percent compared to the overall
graduation rate of 92 percent. What, in your mind, is the
reason and how will you be addressing such a disparity?
Jemison:
I don’t think there is necessarily a reason. I don’t think
there’s anything we do. A lot of our kids are transient, for
example. The formula they use – how many days a kid is in
your district for example – I don’t necessarily think their
numbers are genuine.
Part of our plan for this school year, however, is to
identify kids who are struggling, to find out where they
fit. Every student is not made to go to a traditional high
school, we have other options for our students. We are
generating lists of student who need extra attention, extra
direction. They might need a place where they can earn
credits while working such as a vocational career center to
learn skills that are good for the real world.
We have students now who graduate from here as certified
cosmetologists, or in culinary or as licensed mechanics –
they have all those skills. We try to point them in a
direction in which they will be successful. We have
partnerships with online classes also. Our job is to
identify students who are those potential drop outs, who are
going to fail in this setting.
The Truth:
So then, what are your challenges as a new principal and as
an African –American principal?
Jemison:
I will answer the first part first. I’m coming into a
building – this year our levy didn’t pass, so we are
offering no transportation for high school students. So I’m
spending an hour of my day, not inside the building where I
could be doing great things for students, but outside
directing traffic.
So many things are
happening – they are replacing the OGT with another test and
we have to find computers for each student to take the test.
Many of the challenges are based on the levy. We are three
teachers down, we are bus drivers down, custodians down. We
in financial distress and it’s only going to get worse if
our November levy doesn’t pass. So transportation, new
testing, less staff and more students, I’m new with a new
assistant principal and new athletic director … we are
working against the odds but it’s okay because there is an
excitement here.
As an African American,
it’s a struggle because a lot of people question your right
to be where you are and that’s not coming from any direct
challenge – it never would be. But it comes in questions
that you’re asked when you’re meeting with parents. Or
questions that you’re being asked that you know others
haven’t been asked before.
But I’m trying very hard
not to concentrate on any of that – there’s such an
excitement in the air – morale is up. The kids are excited.
I met with each class at the start of the year and I told
them – this school is going to turn around. We’re going to
have fun here; we’re not going to make rules and not allow
our great kids to do great things because we’re worried that
something might happen or that there might be trouble. We’re
not going to let anyone who would make our name look bad
dictate how we’re going to run our school.
I’ve built partnerships
with four or five area businesses. We’re doing students of
the month; we’re doing staff members of the month; we’re
doing teachers of the month; we’re doing a lot of things
that make people excited about being here and when you’re
excited, you learn more, you teach more, you work harder and
it changes the whole atmosphere.
Life’s been completely
overwhelming. I don’t have a minute to have my own thoughts
in my head but it doesn’t matter because I’m excited and
happy. There is a change in the air. That doesn’t mean it
was bad before, but it’s
different.
This is a different day
and a different season! |
