Demographically, Jefferson City High School (JCHS) had 74.3% White students and 16.6% Black students with 42.4% free (or reduced) lunch in a population of 2,618 in 2008 (DESE, 2014). Thus defining JCHS as a large suburban secondary school based in an urban setting. I was hired for the 2009 school-year to help model the vision of learning in my school community by supporting the development of faculty skills that match the will of our directive. The mission of the JCHS community seeks to teach, inspire, motivate, and empower students to be responsible members within a global society (Jefferson City, 2011). The details of successful implementation to fulfill our mission to each student were ambiguous in both philosophy and application. The reasonably lofty …show more content…
The same pattern is repeated in Mathematics (26.4% and 39.3%) compared to total of 48.1% (DESE, 2014). Predictably, the pattern of below average disaggregated data for these students continues through graduation as 70.3% of Blacks and 73.8% of free or reduced lunch students successfully complete high school compare to the JCHS average of 83.3% (DESE, 2014).
Additionally, the JCHS Total Attendance Rate (TAR) can be remedied as the poor rates of these two groups contribute to a 92% TAR compared to the Missouri state average of 94.5% TAR (DESE, 2014).
Increasing the attendance rate of these student groups provided access to the educational opportunities offered at JCHS as long as there is follow-up and follow through. These budding positive relationships were supported with consistent feedback and communication to the student and family to cement a sense of value and purpose to the family’s commitment to the student’s