Lincoln, Linn Tech agree to buy Jefferson City High School complex

RobHunterJohnson 5 months, 2 weeks ago

How about 2 high schools? Rob

jcguy25 5 months, 2 weeks ago

Now will just have to wait and see if the bond issue in April gets passed or kill the whole deal.

mikemojc 5 months, 2 weeks ago

How much will it cost for the JC School Board to replace facilities for approximately 2,000 students? I think L.U. and Linn tech are getting fire sale bargains. I also think it would make better fiscal sense to add capacity and possibly renovate existing facilities rather than build brand new everything. The current high school buildings are not so broke that it's not feasible to keep using them.

backesmarc 5 months, 2 weeks ago

The current high school facility is almost 60 years old. Simonsen is definitely aged as well. And you're not renovating for only 2,000 students, you'd have to renovate for 2,700 and with current enrollment numbers in k-3 , Simonsen won't be big enough to hold the class size that's coming through in 6 years. The cost to renovate the existing facilities and add additional space is still going to be in the $50M - $60M range. Why spend that kind of money to keep 60 year old buildings? Why not invest and spend that money on a site designed for today's educational environment and built to accomodate the class sizes we are anticipating seeing?

JCLifer 5 months, 2 weeks ago

Invest the money to remodel the existing high school building AND build a modest second high school on the West Side. That is the cheapest least disruptive and best solution.

JCneeds2HS 5 months, 2 weeks ago

ATTENTION Citizens of the Jefferson City School District

The Leaders of the Citizens for 2 Public High Schools are on the School Board Meeting Agenda.

Monday Dec. 10, 2012 6pm. 315 East Dunklin Street WE REQUEST YOUR ATTENDANCE AS A SIGN OF SUPPORT

Rod Burnett and Dan Ortmeyer will be addressing the school board in opposition to the proposal for 1 large high school for our district. We feel the current and expected increased Enrollment justifies the need for 2 high schools.

Citizens for 2 Public High Schools: We disagree with the school board’s proposal for 1 large high school for our district.

Web Page: jcneeds2hs.com Contact Dan: jcpsnotforsale@hotmail.com Contact us at: info@jcneeds2hs.com Facebook page: facebook.com/jcschooltax Paid for by Citizens for Two Public High Schools, Dan Ortmeyer, Treasurer.

JCneeds2HS 5 months, 2 weeks ago

We are already operating two schools, Simonsen 9th grade ,711 students, JC grades 10, 11, 12, 1,957 students totaling 2670.

mikemojc 5 months, 2 weeks ago

3 high schools when you count the alternative school operating out of the Miller Performing Arts Center.

Gotigers 5 months, 2 weeks ago

S.

Gotigers 5 months, 2 weeks ago

Sorry about that...So we spent $6 million to renovate the football stadium just a couple of years ago. Now we are selling that investment and the rest of the high school is only worth $2 million? Give me a break.

Souperstar 5 months, 2 weeks ago

^ That's the ringer...

Not having a plan for expansion and launching forward with sudden opportunity doesn't make fiscal sense to me. It's costing all of us.

JCLifer 5 months, 2 weeks ago

Don't forget they are getting that wonderful building Simonsen too. Probably costs more to tear it down than it is worth.

JCLifer 5 months, 2 weeks ago

Why don't they just remodel the existing high school and Nichols Career Center, and then build a modest second high school on the west side- maybe at Apache Flats where the land is a lot cheaper?

Where are all the high school students from other districts going to go if they shut down Nichols Career Center? Doesn't this school board value work-based applied education? Do they really think that every student should go to a university?

This whole thing stinks to high heaven, and it appears that it was designed by greedy academians without any input from folks with common sense or folks in local industries. Is this something the Chamber of Commerce good ol' boys set up?

RobHunterJohnson 5 months, 2 weeks ago

JC LIFER<We are going to have to annex some land at Apache Flats? Rob

JCLifer 5 months, 2 weeks ago

JCPS already built an elementary school out there (Pioneer Trails) and the JC Parks Department does all the work on Binder Park and the baseball fields. Seems not to be a stretch to build a second modest high school there too?

MakeSense 5 months, 2 weeks ago

I love this idea! I am happy these institutions are thinking outside the box and collaborating with one another to provide good educational opportunities to our students.

We have been putting band aids on that high school for too many years. The Simonsen facility is not efficient for the needs of our students. It originally started in the hands of Lincoln University. It is part of their history. I believe they are happy to have it back.

I hope the voters of this community will make an investment in the future of our students. This is a great opportunity for this community.

lovebeingmom 5 months, 2 weeks ago

The impact that Linn Tech and Lincoln can have on the education of our students is very exciting. It is wonderful that they will be collaborating together and expanding programs they already have while adding new programs. Our central Missouri students will have a great deal to look forward to. In turn, this will be wonderful for our community and those who are hiring students who are being educated at these schools. It is my understanding that JCHS will continue to have other students from outlying districts attend just as they do now, however, they will work within a certain Academy. What an exciting time to be a student in our district!

JCLifer 5 months, 2 weeks ago

I see another win-win possibility for the Lincoln purchase.

Maybe Lincoln University will use the old high school site to launch a Laboratory School, or maybe a Charter School. If Lincoln could run a high school that would hold at least 100 students for each grade, that would take some pressure off the public school system for one huge high school. A reduction of six hundred students would make a noticable difference.

Lincoln could use the lab school to grow their teacher prep program. The school could be a high-success, premier academics school for those students who want a lot more than what the public school offers. Dual transcripted college credit could easily be done to give these studends advbanced standing for enrollement into Lincoln's college programs.
Maybe the Lincoln high school could focus on providing a world-class education to minority and disadvantaged students- the same students that are so poorly served in the JCSD.

There might be some good to come out of a Lincoln purchase of the old high school that is not being reported. If Lincoln could skim off 600-1000 students for its lab/charter school, that would make the MegaSchool idea a little more paltitable to voters, and it would offer citizens an additional opportunity for their children to obtain a high-end education.

TickledPink 5 months, 2 weeks ago

All of you who think the Academy campus will be the answer to all our woes are delusional. I talked to 3 different educators from Rolla and Springfield yesterday at a family get together and every last one of them said the academy style is NOT working. Two high schools is the only way to improve our students' futures and the sooner the council, school board, et al figure that out, the better this town will be. Economic growth is never going to happen as long as JC is looked at as a backwater village and that's the only mindset we seem to have at the decision making levels.

Littleinvestor 5 months, 2 weeks ago

The state is phasing out vocational training on the high school level. Many schools are fighting that but unless the taxpayers bring down a big hammer, the state is going to insist every high school grad go to college. Tech schools and FFA are going away. What a bunch of dopes. One of the best employees I ever supervised, catching on to the job very fast, had never had a college course. Wish I had her back.

JCLifer 5 months, 2 weeks ago

It that is the case, you just know the DROP OUT RATE will skyrocket! I have known so many kids who hated high school becaue they were so bored. The vocational classes give them skills to get JOBS and go to WORK. All this touchy-feely academy stuff of making everyone be a doctor, lawyer, or engineer is for the birds. The school board must be smoking crack to come up with these ideas. You just know the tax money that is spent to hold a bond issue election will be totally wasted. There is no way that many people are going to support these crazy schnanigans of the school board. I'd like to know how many school board members actually send their kids to JCPS. I'll bet most of them are either going to a private school or are being home-schooled.

MakeSense 5 months, 2 weeks ago

You really need to look at this website. As you can see, there is an academy for Industrial & Engineering Technology that focuses on several trade and technical skill groups. The whole point of this academy model is to serve students better - not focusing on only college prep courses. That is why I am completely for the academy model. You really should look at this website. It provides a lot of good information. You might not agree with it but you should, at least, open your mind to the possibilities.

newjchs.us/Academies-CoreAcademies.html

JCLifer 5 months, 2 weeks ago

I see broad, theory-based college-prep education here. Nothing about specific skills to help a student get AWS certification to get a job as a skilled welder. Warm fuzzies do not get students jobs.

This academy is going to "leave behind" about 40-50% of the student population. Meanwhile, 70% of the jobs of the future do not require a university degree.

JCPSDad 5 months, 2 weeks ago

JCLifer - this is where your lack of education on this matter shows through to those who have already educated themselves on what the academies concept really does. These academies are designed for exactly what you said they would not be doing. Each of these academies will have close, VERY CLOSE integration in to the career center. So a student wanting to pursue a path in welding will get that career tech training and certification, and oh by the way - their general studies like Algebra will be geared in a way that is relevant to their interests. Instead of a traditional model where a kid sits in a class - studies a chpater in their science book - takes a test at the end of the week - moves on to the next chapter - goes to the career center to learn welding................... No integration in that model, no relevance to the student to retain the knowledge being taught to them in Science and other areas...........

JCPSDad 5 months, 2 weeks ago

As a parent who visited a school that was utilizing the acedemy model and who has MADE SURE "I" understood what this change in the instruction model meant to my 6 year old son and 4 year old daughter, I know this is the right direction for my children. Those that bash the academy model or state it will not work are woefully lacking in actual information. It does work - in every instance it has been applied it has showed a dramatic increase in student retention and engagement. Kids that feel they have a choice in their education feel more ownership in it. When a kid no longer has to say "why do I need to learn this" because every lesson is rooted in real-world activities, they will learn. At the school visit I attended a student was working with a government representative from Nigeria on a project covering many aspects of required learning. Can you remember 90% of the stuff you learned in High School? Chances are "NO".... But these kids are going to remember working with that Nigerian politician on that project and those skills they learned became instantly relevant and they WILL remember them. That is amazing!.

NOW,,,, the discussion of academies it irrelevent. Academies are happening whether the bond/levy passes or not. JCPS has already committed to this initiative and started the transition. GET OVER IT!!!! The question now becomes, do we as parents help provide the BEST environment possible for our kids to succeed? A single campus makes sense on soooooooo many levels over multiple high schools, with the single drawback of athletic opportunities. I know this can be a big issue, but I feel the positives in education outweigh the drawbacks of every kids being able to put on that Jays football jersey. Positives: 1.400-500 "school" sizes with teachers the kids will become very familiar with over 4 years and students they will know better, no more blips. 2. More opportunities - you cannot duplicate all opportunities at 2 HSs. This means more chances for AP, and other courses. Better integration into business community activities and career tech programs. 3. KNowing that half our students would not have to deal with renovation headaches for 4 years of their high school careers, just to be in a remodeled building, while the other half are in the latest and greatest building possible that will provide the ideal learning environment. 4. Real-Estate: think of those new to JC, will they want to live in the new HS part of town and build their or on the old part of town? This will quickly create economic divides. 5. 2 HSs will cost millions extra in busing and management each year, so long term the single campus saves taxpayers much MUCH more. 6. PRIDE!I want my kids to be proud of their "campus". Education draws families. If we provide the best school in the state, families and businesses WILL COME.

THIS IS GOOD FOR OUR KIDS, OUR BUSINESSES, AND OUR COMMUNITIES!!!!!!!

JCLifer 5 months, 2 weeks ago

What school did you visit?

mikemojc 5 months, 2 weeks ago

"It does work - in every instance it has been applied it has showed a dramatic increase in student retention and engagement." Perhaps true, but misleading. The instances were it has been applied needs to be examined IN CONTEXT.

The places were it has been applied, the Academy model has been used as a 'magnet school', one school in an environment that includes many other traditional high schools. Students apply to/audition for placement in the Academy school, and can be returned to traditional school if they do not meet performance expectations. As such, the statistics for these Academy model schools are skewed because the Academy school is basically a Gifted/AP Program. Competitive placement of motivated students all but guarantees above average performance numbers.

If Jeff City wants similar results we would also need multiple high schools, preferably more than 2.

JCPSDad 5 months, 2 weeks ago

mikemojc - you are confusing New Tech schools with the academy concept. Two totally different initiatives. One is project-based, the other has to do with groups of kids working within the curriculm standards to focus towards fields relevent to that academy. Example; If I was in the Health Services academy my algebra questions would be worded in a way that reflects a health service issue to make those equations more relevant. Likewise, if I was in the Engineering academy my projects and questions would be geared toward how they relate in the engineering field. Academies are about tying concepts to real-world situations to make them relevant. The lack of education on this for our community is the only problem, but more than that it is the lack of willingness of some in the community to actually educate themselves before they start misleading others.

JCLifer 5 months, 2 weeks ago

Why don't teachers now start tying concepts to real-world situations to make them relevant? They sure don't need academies or a Mega School to teach concepts with relevance and rigor.

JCPSDad 5 months, 2 weeks ago

You said it yourself - "relevance". What kid is going to want to complete a rigorous project based in the health care industry if they have no interest in that area? Is it relevant to that student? Have we engaged that student in what interests them? The purpose behind Academies is engagement. Allowing students to have a choice in how their education is delivered to them so that they can pursue their interests. For that student with zero interest in the health care industry if we force them into a very rigorous project focused in that genra, will they succeed????? Sounds like "simple math" to me.

dokeus6 5 months, 2 weeks ago

What about the kids who have zero interests in any field? What if they have no clue what they want to do with their lives at fourteen years old when they enter the academy? Are the learning programs flexible in their curriculum to allow for interest changes during the students time at the school? Will the student still receive an appropriate education if they do make a interest change? They should be taught the same basic skill set but the interest classes should not come into effect until their junior and senior years like college curriculum dictates. Has the school district seen to it that there will be enough counselors or learning experience coordinators at this school to direct those outlying students or does the school district feel that these outlying students are not worthy enough and the students will be left alone to fend for themselves like ninety-five percent of the students that walk those halls now? Instead of building a Taj Mahal of all schools, why can't we devote the resources we have to making the learning experience better for all students and not the select few of the families who are pushing this project to further along their cause. Those of us who have lived here our whole lives know who runs this town and it's not the mayor or the city council.

JCPSDad 5 months, 2 weeks ago

DOKEUS6 - The main problem is that concerns are being addressed in forums like this instead of being researched or asked to the right people. I have asked these questions to the right people, which is why I am comfortable for my kids to be in an environment like JCPS is wanting. YES, every kid will cover the same exact High School requirements and standards. The only difference is in "how" the material is presented. Kids will have interests. Academies will help them be more engaged because they have a choice in how the information is presented to them in High School. It does not lock them into career paths or even specific academies. PLEASE --------- Read the website and ask the RIGHT people your questions so that you can get the correct answers, not just those making assumptions.

dokeus6 5 months, 2 weeks ago

Well I have one very important question. How much is this going to raise my school tax on my personal property tax?

dokeus6 5 months, 2 weeks ago

I found that it will cost me close to an additional 130 dollars a year on my personal property tax to help pay for this monster. How can I vote yes on this?

JCPSDad 5 months, 2 weeks ago

DOKEUS6 - that is the question everyone should be asking. I am passionate about this because I have seen what is possible with this vision at other schools. I have made sure to go to each JCPS event discussing this and asked MANY of the same questions bothering those in this forum. I am not a "drink the Koolaid" kind of person when it comes to the success or failure of my kids' futures. I see value in this............. I desperately want others to see those opportunities as well. I would easily sacrifice the costs to fund this program if it meant the potential to give my children what I have seen at other schools. If you have children under 6th grade - this impacts you very intimately and it will be a personal decision of how you want their futures and educational experiences to look. If you are a concerned citizen and not a parent that will have kids impacted, PLEASE do not look to the costs, as this area normally does, but to the needs of our students and what that is worth to help their futures.

RobHunterJohnson 5 months, 2 weeks ago

So are we going to be producing RNs and LPNs, or Welders and Mechanics, right of High School? I can tell you about the welding end of it, having attended Linn Tech back in the 70s, Having a carreer spanning more that 35 years in pipefitting. I want JCPSDad to tell me how many kids have their minds made up by 11th or 12th grade? Especially in a vocation, how many kids got to college and return with no direction? You are laying to much on the many, and not that a few might have their minds made up, but most will not at the high school level. They are kids who should be taking in a plethora of information rather than specializing in one or two subjects for years! Rob

JCPSDad 5 months, 2 weeks ago

Rob - those were the same exact questions I had when academies were first discussed. No kid is certain of a career path at 14 years of age, BUT, they do know what interests them. The academies will not lock a student into a career path, it only encourages engagement by presenting the material in a manner that is relevant to their interests. Kids do have the ability to change academies - they are not locked into that path. These are the questions you should be looking for on their website that are already answered, or asking a JCPS educator about issues you have instead of posting those concerns to this forum where those who are adamently against and have no education on the actual facts will feed into concerns and amplify them.

dokeus6 5 months, 2 weeks ago

"The academies will not lock a student into a career path, it only encourages engagement by presenting the material in a manner that is relevant to their interests."

So how would a second high school not do the same thing? Why do we have to build academies for this? The answer is they don't want to split the kids up so they can have one school to pick the athletes from.

And why aren't the JCPS educators out talking about the issues?

JCPSDad 5 months, 2 weeks ago

Stay on topic - your concerns were about Academies, so I addressed those. Academies and the 2 HSs are 2 separate issues. Academies are happening whether the Bond is passed or not. Try to separate your concerns.

dokeus6 5 months, 2 weeks ago

How are these academies going to happen if they don't have voter approval? And please don't tell me what I'm supposed to do. I'm not your child.

JCPSDad 5 months, 2 weeks ago

DOKEUS6 - you are absolutely right and I apologize for the condescending tone of my reply..... This is a VERY important issue that will impact everyone in the community, not just the parents of JCPS students. Passions can run very high very quickly when it is not just someone's financial livelihood that is affected but the potential future of their kids. Any concern is valid and should not be talked down to. I do believe that each concern should be fully discussed, however. I am not qualified, obviously, to speak to issues of which I have no direct knowledge of - which is why I would rather people self-educate through channels already up for questions like these so that the answers are legitamate ones and not ramblings from an impassioned parent.

To answer your question about academies - it is my understanding that teachers have already been placed in their academies and are working through changing how the curriculm is taught. Academies will happen in the old High School, even if the new one is not built, and will be starting to affect kids within a few years.

JCLifer 5 months, 2 weeks ago

This article is about building a mega school. You are the one deflecting the topic trying to mix in confusion for voters with talking about the academies.

It was already stated that academies are going to happen anyway, regardless of what happens to the high school. If that is the case, your talk about academies is even more off topic.

The biggest issue raised by forum commenters here has always been we do not want our kids to go to a huge, one-campus highschool. We want more opportunities for our kids. We want a safer environment for our kids. We want the teachers and administrators - all of them on the campus- to know our kids by name.

If academies are a done deal, we don't need to talk about that anymore. The vote will be to raise our taxes and go deeper into debt to build a new mega school building. It is clear that vote will be about 3/4 "NO" from the opposition of the voters. Why not start listening to the people you are demanding to pay for all of this? Why not work up several scenarios and let the voters decide? Why did the Superintendent try to ram this mega-school down our throats? Why did the very expensive rock pile get purchased already, especially if we still don't know if or what might be built there?

MO4LIFE 5 months, 2 weeks ago

Not gonna happen do the math 4500 students in 2016 and 6 or 7 academies equals 600 to 700 students per academy and intramural sports between academies are not going to allow students to get scolarships for sports or debate or any of that because the sports teams that represent the whole JC jays not he intramural will be comprised of all the big names in town that carry weight like leuetkemeyer, leubbering, lepage, etc. ( the people that really run this town OLD MONEY!

lovebeingmom 5 months, 2 weeks ago

Tickled Pink while talking to other educators who believe this model is not working, have you researched districts who are using this model with very positive results? Have you actually spoken with educators who are using this model? Check out the city of Nashville. Each of their schools have all gone with the Academy Model. Every teacher that I have spoken with that is teaching in an Academy would not go back to the Traditional "Sit and Get" education. Each and every student that I have spoken with who attends a school using the Academy Model would not go back to their old way of learning. This is not about having each student go to college. It is about finding out what each student can excel in and give them opportunities to learn in that way so they can see they actually can do something with their lives whether it be secondary education or a vocation after they graduate.

JCLifer 5 months, 2 weeks ago

The bond issue results will tell the truth about how many parents really want to send their child to the largest high school in the state. Can you imagine going to a high school with over 3000 students? The JCPD will have to put in a satellite police station and holding cells just to deal with the problems cramming that many students together on one campus.

backesmarc 5 months, 2 weeks ago

Yes I can imagine going to a high school with 2,700 - 3,000 students that's architected, designed, and built with those types of class sizes in mind. And I can imagine my sons going to an academy of 500-700 students and being prepared to be contributors to the economic and business community of Jefferson City the day they leave high school. And I can imagine the one of a kind education they will receive at JC. And I can imagine the future that such an education will open up for them. And I can imagine being proud to be a part of that. I hope that those with imagination will see the potential of what's at stake here. Because the people that are opposed have a lot of criticism but very little imagination.

JCLifer 5 months, 2 weeks ago

And all the research indicates that the smaller the high school is, the better the academic performance for all students. Two high schools will help more students succeed than one large pressure cooker campus, regardless of how many academies they have. Academies may be great, but the research shows they are greater in smaller schools.

JCPSDad 5 months, 2 weeks ago

JCLifer - logic seems a bit off. A second high school means 1500 kids sharing a space and teachers. 7 Acadamies means 400-500 kids groups together with the same teachers throughout their high school experience. If the smaller the class-size equates to better academic performance, please explain your logic??????? If having closer relationships with the educators and a smaller group of classmates means better engagement, again, explain your logic??????

rollnthndr 5 months, 2 weeks ago

You want to put 3,000 to 4,000 kids on one campus with 400-500 student academies. How about 1500-2000 kids on a campus with 200-300 hundred in an academy? By the way the Metro Nashville Public Schools began their discussion of academies in 2006 and implemented them in the 2012-13 school year. Our district did NOTHING to inform their constituents about the academy concept. When you go the district web site regarding academies the secondary planning committee has been meeting but there are no minutes regarding what has been discussed since May 2012. Management metrics have not been communicated to the district patrons because we don't have any, but the board will take this too a vote without any of this information available. Too bad our district didn't take the approach of MNPS when implementing this model. I don't have a problem with the academy model, but we need better communication from our district leaders and a second high school.

JCLifer 5 months, 2 weeks ago

Why do you people keep mixing apples and oranges to confuse the voters? The number of high schools has nothing to do with academies. We do not want one big megaschool.
Academies may be fine, but do them in two smaller schools.

Mega school = mega problems. Mega school = fewer opportunities for sports, band, academic competitive teams, cheer leaders, student government, etc.

JCPSDad 5 months, 2 weeks ago

JCLifer - what research have you seen or found that academies work better in smaller high schools? This was the comment you made previously, which I am fairly confident you pulled out of the air. The size of the HS has nothing to do with any of the research, it is the "THE CLASS SIZE" that is relevant. The intention is to get these kids college and career ready. No district could ever fully support and fund 2 high schools with exactly the same academic opportunities. There are many ways to include a wider variety of extracurricular activies, like student govenment and intramural sports. Why not have these at each of the 7 academies - hows that for opportunity?

spelchek 5 months, 2 weeks ago

What happens when there's major demand for one area over another? Waiting list? Find something else you like? Lottery? Eliminate one career field to compliment the popular one? Doesn't that open the possibility to disenfranchise students in a minority?

jcguy25 5 months, 2 weeks ago

So instead of funding two sets of student government, sports, etc.. you propose funding 7? One for each academy? That really doesn't make sense. Also, smaller surrounding schools that have students bused in to attend Nichols, are they now going to be incorporated into the academies?

lovebeingmom 5 months, 2 weeks ago

With the design of the new high school, it will not look or feel like one HUGE high school. Instead it will be broken into seven smaller high schools with only 400-600 students per Academy. This will not feel like a huge high school any longer. I have seen schools using this model with almost the same amount of students we have. It can and does work and does not seem large when broken into these separate learning environments. It is not cramming them in any longer. The new design clearly shows this.

RobHunterJohnson 5 months, 2 weeks ago

Curriculum, list for us what the seven schools are going to study? Rob

MakeSense 5 months, 2 weeks ago

newjchs.us/Academies-CoreAcademies.html

Please visit this website. It will show you what they are going to study. They CHOOSE what they are going to study.

RobHunterJohnson 5 months, 2 weeks ago

So I went to the site, what academy does a child study Geometry?

MakeSense 5 months, 2 weeks ago

I believe it would be in Foundation Knowledge & Skills in the center of the ring for the basic skills then they might also teach a more advanced Geometry course to those students who have chosen the academy that focuses on math.

rollnthndr 5 months, 2 weeks ago

JCPSDad you are not telling the full story regarding the schools you visited. NONE of the schools visited offer ONLY the academy approach to educating their students. All these districts have more than 1 high school and the academy approach is part of the overall education process. Our district did not vet this idea with the community. Rather Emperor Mitchell formed a Secondary Schools Committee to gather community input regarding the infrastructure for the academy model. How do these other communities offer the academy approach in their schools? They use more than one educational methodology/approach to best meet the interests/needs of their students and they do it with more than one campus. With the predicted enrollment of our district by 2016-17 we will have a high school campus of close to 4,000 students. And keep in mind when the district selected the site for the new campus they did not take into account the population of the Holts Summit area. And district administrators want to reduce the threshold for secondary busing to 1 mile. How much will the additional transportation costs amount too? The district will not answer the question on the maximum size of this proposed MEGA high school. The district is only taking this approach because of our graduation rate is only 85%. The school board is asking us to be a guinea pig for Mitchell's grand plan. Our school board needs to quit being an advisory board to the superintendent, and start representing the community. When we realize this one style approach isn't working, Mitchell will be long gone and we will be fixing the problem.

Paroquet 5 months, 2 weeks ago

JC doesn't want it's pool of sports candidates, particularly for American football, to suffer being diminished.

Sports > academia

If you get a chance, watch the movie "Idiocracy". It pretty much sums things up quite succinctly.

JCB 5 months, 2 weeks ago

Kids are going to get lost in this school. And I'm not talking about from classroom to classroom. I also worry about kids getting the attention they need and deserve. And what about sports? A lot of kids aren't going to get a opportunity to play High School Sports that they would if we had two High Schools.

backesmarc 5 months, 2 weeks ago

JCB - all of the research and field visits to study the academy model have suggested completely the opposite of "Getting Lost" - instead it suggests that kids "are found". Because of the way that academies are structured, students have an opportunity that they don't have in traditional educational models and that is to build 4 year relationships with their teachers, staff, and administrators of the academy that they are in. It produced closer and better connections between student and educator - not less.

In regards to sports, have you researched how many students are trying out for sports at the middle school level the last two years?

JCLifer 5 months, 2 weeks ago

It would be really bad for a student to be stuck with a bad tenured teacher for four years. That would really mess a lot of kids up.

JCPSDad 5 months, 2 weeks ago

JCLifer - so your understanding is that the academies would be like elementary school? I teacher for each grade? Or only 1 teacher for math, 1 for science, etc.? One bad teacher in an academy would not equate to an entire group of kids being disadvantaged.... There are always going to be "bad" teachers. That's why there should be greater emphasis on evaluation.....

jcguy25 5 months, 2 weeks ago

Maybe they aren't trying out anymore because they know with so many students they'll never get a chance. Same for debate teams, band, etc. Many kids are not being able to participate due to the size already.

RobHunterJohnson 5 months, 2 weeks ago

I attened Parkway in mid 70s, enrollment was 2200, 10, 11, 12, over 800 in my class of 75! The same school today 1200, just think of the opportunity for each student by the amounts of extras high schools added since then? rob

mia 5 months, 2 weeks ago

PLEASE let me sell my home before I have to pay for this JC mess in that backwater town. We relocated and are extremely impressed with the School of the Osage and Camden County schools. The kids are well rounded and polite. Unlike the little smart mouthed heathens that JC churns out. Half of their jocks seem to be on drugs.

earlsmusic 5 months, 2 weeks ago

That "Campus" is going to be one big Youth Penitentiary when the "students" who have been raised to "don't let noone tell you what to do nohow" start their little rivalries between the "Academies." And I'm not even touching on the teachers with their turf wars.

rodinman 5 months, 2 weeks ago

The Academy approach to teaching is inside the classrroom. It can be done at one or two high schools. This is about the brick and mortar. Two high schools will have two valedictorians, two student council presidents, twice as many students involved in extracurricular activites.

mikemojc 5 months, 2 weeks ago

You nailed it. The Academy model does NOT require a single campus. In Jeff City's case, I think we've needed a second campus for quite some time. It's quite possible to use the Academy model at both the new and old schools.

Historian219 5 months, 2 weeks ago

The really sad part of all this babble is that this story is really about how post high school students (of any age) will benefit. Maybe someone can tell me why everyone in this town seems to be angry at everything.

mia 5 months, 2 weeks ago

They are angry because for years they have wanted two schools. Competition between schools is a good thing but for some reason Jefferson City doesn't see it that way. Not being from JC, I was shocked at how backwards the school system is. And lets face it, its the same old crowd that runs everything. Thats why they are angry. I don't think its babble, I think its how people feel. Youth Penitentiary is a perfect explanation.

JCLifer 5 months, 2 weeks ago

Mia nailed it. Folks know this town can be so much more than it is, but they are sick of the same old families controlling everything and holding this town back unless it is only growing their way. Seems they don't want any decent paying jobs to come and take away their huge supply of minimum wage labor pool.

Is there any other state capital city as backward and hickish as Jefferson City?

RobHunterJohnson 5 months, 2 weeks ago

JC, and mia, Thats the right answer, the same old FAMILIES. THE SAME OLD BUSINESSSES, gas prices, road layouts, bridges, buildings, schools, Football fields, and they all get a piece of the pie! When I returned to JC in late 70s my neighbor was the ROTC instructor at JC High, he kept saying over and over the emphasis should be on academics, not sports. He could not believe it, as I recall "they had the whole day for a pep rally"? We need 2 High schools, like someone above said two more of everything, 8 million for a school with a 6 million dollar stadium? The JC tax payer is getting the ------- here? Rob

MakeSense 5 months, 2 weeks ago

I don't understand. There were months and months of open houses to discuss the various possibilities. The district has been seeking input from the community for over a year. They took that input and devised a plan. Now that they have unveiled a plan, people want to criticize the plan. If people wanted two high schools for years and years, why didn't those people do something about it years and years ago? Why didn't these people run for school board so they could put an issue on the ballot? Why didn't these people make their opinions known years and years ago? More importantly, why didn't these people stand up and say, "I'm willing to pay for this" years and years ago? Because people like to sit back and criticize the work other people do when they are unwilling to do the work themselves.

mikemojc 5 months, 2 weeks ago

Although the school board accept input for years, it was still pretty much under the radar. When the board spent $27,000/acre for undeveloped bedrock on a hill, the community woke to see what their money was being spent on. Apparently, the community doesnt like what it sees.

JCLifer 5 months, 2 weeks ago

The alternatives that the citizens came up with a few years ago have been ignored. The wishes of the community are being ignored once again. Hopefully after the election the board will learn this. They probably will not learn, and instead will just say the public doesn't know what it is voting for or that they didn't take the time to learn. Always blame the voters when they vote down an issue like Transformation.

mikemojc 5 months, 2 weeks ago

Bingo. The Jefferson City community, including parents, students, and employers,have been clamoring for a 2nd high school (not a replacement high school) for decades. If the school board thinks the time is right for another school, why are they working so hard towards a SINGLE high school. Don't the listen to the voters?

MakeSense 5 months, 2 weeks ago

And my point is that you say "everyone" is clamoring for 2 high schools but no one wants to pay for it. It will increase the property taxes - quite a bit more than one school and when "everyone" sees that, they will vote no and we will be back exactly where we are right now so really, what is the right solution? I'm telling you people will not vote for the tax increase for 2 high schools.

RobHunterJohnson 5 months, 2 weeks ago

It comes down to planning, which I feel the school board did not look at it very closely, we needed to remodel a school, and build a new one, one must ask how long should a school last? One should ask who benefited from the sale of the property for the new school? Why did we the tax payers pay all that money for a new stadium to be sold at a fire sale rate? When the community of Jefferson City needed a second school back in the early 80s? We dropped the ball for football? We have experienced alot of bad planning at JCs tax payers expense, The Tri Level, Dix road Connector, missed the Boat, (convention center) cable tv back in the early 80s, a water co that could not plan far enough ahead to feed the areas that Jefferson City would take in the future. We the people of Jefferson City cannot even muster the vote to take in a small area west of town, that lies between our lake, and our elementry school? Lots of questions, for lots of poor planning, and Jefferson Cities kids are the ones who will lose. Like someone said before 2 validictorians, 2 debate teams, 2 student councils, 2 fooot ball teams, 2 cheer leading groups, smaller class rooms. The list could go on, and on! How many children really know what they want at 11th grade? Rob

MakeSense 5 months, 2 weeks ago

I completely agree that we've had bad planning in the past. I completely agree that the people in charge were afraid to tackle the issue BUT what is the right solution now? and what are people willing to pay for? It would be difficult to conduct classes during a renovation. I spoke to a former teacher from Columbia. She said teaching during a remodel was extremely difficult and having two high schools was divisive for the community. I would love to have 2 debate teams, 2 student councils but who is going to fund that. I do not believe this community is willing to shell out money for 2 of anything. I have enough fundraising cards in my possession. I'm not sure I'm willing to double that. Actually, I would but I know a lot of parents that would be making choices which means there wouldn't be enough money OR parent volunteers to support those 2 debate teams, 2 cheerleading groups.

JCLifer 5 months, 2 weeks ago

You need to realize that a whole lot of healing needs to happen before we can move forward. Instead of trying to heal past mistakes, the board goes out in secret and spends millions of dollars on overpriced acerage without discussing it with any of the voters, and then they have the gall to publish a picture and layout of what they intend to build there without talking to the voters. How can the board or the school administration ever be trusted if they keep doing things in secret like that. Instead of healing, the board and administration have ripped fresh new wounds wide open. How is that smart?

I agree that because of the high level of mistrust, the voters are gonna vote "NO" on anything the present board and administration proposes. The solution to moving forward is for the current board, superintendent, and the assistant superintendents to all resign and be replaced. They have all lost trust of the voters, and they will not be supported regardless of what they are do. Yes, people are mad. They are damn mad now that the property has been purchased and the design and decision to build one school has all been made in secret.

Monday's meeting is gonna be a fun one. The board has even managed to dump all over the Athletic Supporters by acting as though the new stadium renovation was totally worthless by accepting such a lowball offer.

No matter what happens, Linn State and Lincoln University are gonna come out smelling like a rose.

mikemojc 5 months, 2 weeks ago

Well stated, Lifer. LU and Linn Tech are just being presented a juicy deal on a silver platter. For a deal to be struck, both sides had to agree. The JCSB severely undervalued the current property. The JCSB also spent WAY too much on the 179 property. $23k/acre for completely undeveloped land, mostly rock at that. Blasting alone will increase construction costs significantly.

As far as 'dividing the community' goes, Jeff City started down that road years ago when they took the 6th grade out of the elementary schools, combining them with the 7th and 8th grade classes to form the middle schools. Somehow we managed to get through that. I would argue that the TJ / LC cross town rivalry is one of the most polite I've seen in a long time.

mikemojc 5 months, 2 weeks ago

I didn't say "everyone". I said, "The Jefferson City community, including parents, students, and employers,"

Please quote me correctly, especially if your intent is to misdirect my message. Makes it more believable that way. ;)

JCLifer 5 months, 2 weeks ago

The answer to your question is "NO". Time and time again they demonstrate that they do not listen.

sancho 5 months, 2 weeks ago

Historian219, thanks for reminding us the story is about Linn Tech and LU buying parts of the JCHS campus, should the voters agree to the new campus. Both Linn Tech and LU are excellent higher education institutions. I suspect they are considering partnering in some way in the future. Having an actual Linn Tech campus in Jefferson City will provide opportunities for students and employ more people. LU is only getting better. Having the highschool and Simonsen buildings will give them some place to expand and grow. They can admit more students, and hire more teachers and staff.

Historian, you stated, "Maybe someone can tell me why everyone in this town seems to be angry at everything." I have a theory. And since you appear to be into history, you might appreciate my theory. I think it's the cultural and historical roots of this place. Back in the early 1800s the first state legislators sent some poor guys out to find a place for the permanent state capital. The picked a place, Cote Sans Dessien. Everyone got really POd. Then they picked Jefferson City. And probably more people were unhappy by that selection, but their arneriness had worn them out.

During the civil war, the people in this state were so mad a each other, they could not agree on which side to go with. While they bickered back and forth (with guns this time) outside forces took advantage of the situation and that was that. Missouri sort of was a union state, became what was called a border state, and everyone stayed made at each other.

I think this being the state capital also exposes us to the whims of politics, which for the last several decades meant increasing negative and in some cases hateful behavior on the part of legislators.

So there you have it, why I think people in this town are angry at everything. They think it's normal. It's normal to them. It's how people here have been for almost 200 years. Unfortunately it stinks. But c'est la vie.

eileen10 5 months, 2 weeks ago

Whew. Lots of arguing going on. I have only one thing to say. I like Red Baron pizza and sunkist soda. No to the stringy horse meat though. Welllll!!! There's no way I'm getting in on this conversation. Too dang much for me.

RobHunterJohnson 5 months, 2 weeks ago

Grace, this is about high schools? Obama is the epitome of hubris and arrogance, Obama has put in more czars, Obama wants to be a tyrannt, Obama wants to be Hugo Chavez, Obama hates America, Obama has nearly destroyed America, and Obama is a disgrace! You start all this trash with your rhetoric. This is a discusion about 2 high schools? Rob

connor 5 months, 2 weeks ago

Graceful didn't start this thread of the discussion down the path it is on. Sancho started it by commenting about the divisiveness we are faced with. As a matter of fact the first person to begin blaming and naming a President in this thread was Paroquet when he started on his normal anti-Bush ranting.

I notice you have no problem with that but then try and pin the same thing on Graceful.

Hypocritical until the end. And selective as well.

connor 5 months, 2 weeks ago

As a matter of fact I don't even see where Graceful participated in this entire articles discussion until Paroquet made his anti-Bush remarks.

Double standards and targeted attacks of opportunity over and over is all we get from the Cleftwing posters here.

bzyb 5 months, 2 weeks ago

Simple math:

Over crowded schools + people need jobs = 2 Public JCHS

Simple solution !

jfester 5 months, 2 weeks ago

Last one leaving Jefferson City, please turn out the lights!!!!

Paroquet 5 months, 2 weeks ago

Oh please do! I miss the stars, and am loath to pay for another's perception of safety. I mean, we have the police, the highway patrol, the capitol police, conservation agents, county sheriff, and others with law enforcement commissions all centered here. We can carry concealed or conspicuous weapons. And, last I checked, flashlights were pretty inexpensive, as was pepper spray.

Tell you what--turn the lights off anyway. They're garish.

JCLifer 5 months, 2 weeks ago

If this stuff keeps up, Mo-DOT is going to have to build yet another lane on Hwy 63 between here in Columbia for people who choose to move out of this place and go to a town that has much better schools.

Ever wonder how many "young professionals" who work in State Government also choose to live in Columbia? Many husband/wife teams who work for the State commute from Columbia to work here. These folks would not want their kids educated here in such a backward town with poor quality services. If your child has any sort of disability, forget getting quality services here.

Academies may be a very good idea, but they need to be implemented in two smaller high schools in this town. Why the Football team and some twisted memory of Pete Adkins have to drive everything relating to public education around here remains a mystery. Pete was an OK coach with several wins, but he sure wasn't Lord and Savior (same as Obama is nobody's Lord and Savior either).

Forget the MEGA-CAMPUS that nobody wants. Save time and money and redraw the plans to accomodate TWO high schools just like the citizens have wanted for years and years. This turkey will never fly. The vote will be over 75% NO. The school board needs to grow a pair and start running the school district. If Mitchell cannot be managed to deliver what the voters want, then send him packing.

TWO HIGHSCHOOLS ARE BETTER THAN ONE! Our kids deserve two smaller schools with more opportunities and the chance to be known by their names and not just a number.

MakeSense 5 months, 2 weeks ago

The voters of this community will never vote in the kind of tax increase it would take to build and run two high schools. You say TWO HIGHSCHOOLS ARE BETTER THAN ONE! but you didn't say you were willing to pay for it and the voters of this community wouldn't vote to pay for it either. Two might be better than one but we need to come up with a solution that people are willing to pay for. Please tell me what that looks like.

RobHunterJohnson 5 months, 2 weeks ago

Make sense, one of these schools is already paid for with a new track and football stadium! Look how long Simenson has been around, or any of the elmentry schools? Its time to get the moneys worth out of what our parents were paying for back in the late 50s, for a new high school in the 60s, I sure would like to hear what the school board was projecting for life span of the current high school back in 1960? Alot of things can be done to eliminate the problems of remodeling a school, we do it all the time in St Louis, longer work days in the summer, night shifts to accomidate the students during the days. I feel you are taking the view that building is kaput! If that is the case I can show you a good many buildings in the down town area that we need to get rid of as well! rob

JCLifer 5 months, 2 weeks ago

Rob, you make a whole lot of sense.

muleman 5 months, 2 weeks ago

Turn that empty mall into the second highschool, every teen in town wants to hang out there.

kentheco 5 months, 2 weeks ago

That or a convention center, either way it probably would have cost less per acre than what the school board paid.

online_editor 5 months, 2 weeks ago

I removed multiple off-topic comments and threads so this page can stay focused on school improvement issues related to the article. If you see an off-topic post, or one that mentions in passing something that's only slightly related to the main topic, please don't use that as a springboard to go totally off topic. We allow a lot of leeway on most national and political story pages, but this is one page we'd like to reserve for discussion of this locally oriented topic so all readers can easily access the relevant ideas. Thanks. --Rick Brown, online editor, News Tribune

JCneeds2HS 5 months, 2 weeks ago

LOCATION FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING HAS CHANGED TO (Dix Education Center, 204 Dix Road)

ATTENTION Citizens of the Jefferson City School District

The Leaders of the Citizens for 2 Public High Schools are on the School Board Meeting Agenda. Monday Dec. 10, 2012 6pm. Dix Education Center, 204 Dix Road WE REQUEST YOUR ATTENDANCE AS A SIGN OF SUPPORT

Rod Burnett and Dan Ortmeyer will be addressing the school board in opposition to the proposal for 1 large high school for our district. Citizens for 2 Public High Schools: We disagree with the school board’s proposal for 1 large high school for our district.

Web Page: jcneeds2hs.com
Contact us at: info@jcneeds2hs.com
Facebook page: facebook.com/jcschooltax Contact Dan: jcpsnotforsale@hotmail.com Paid for by Citizens for Two Public High Schools, Dan Ortmeyer, Treasurer

LINK TO MAP: jcneeds2hs.com/uploads/204_dix_road_photo_2_crop_150_PDF.pdf

sancho 5 months, 2 weeks ago

Thank you Rick for reminding us of this important topic - improving education in Jefferson City.

When the school board began public meetings over a year ago about the different options that they were considering I attended a couple of the meetings and learned a lot. I came to the conclusion that the academy approach is the one I think will help us provide a strong educaiton to high school students. As a previous poster mentioned, students will not be locked into the academy they start in. The curriculum will promote hands on learning, and teach students to work in teams, collaborate, and learn as they do that.

Many of the comments on this forum lead me to believe that some people opposed to this approach did not attend any of the meetings, and do not really understand the different options that were looked at, and the pros and cons of those different options. I think you can get a lot of information on the Jefferson City High School's website. Go to wwwdotnewjchsdotus.

A committee looked at the different options for over a year, spent a great deal of time studying different approaches, visiting schools, and reporting on what they saw. This is not a plan that was developed quickly.

In my opinion the time to build 2 high schools was over 15 years ago. We missed that window, and need to move forward now. I don't think 2 high schools makes sense now. It will cost a lot more, and voters here will not approve something that expensive.

The academies will be 7 schools on one campus and will offer the ability to avoid duplication of services that 2 separate campuses on 2 opposite ends of town will bring.

I do hope that enough people are now interested in this topic that they will participate in the discussion, learn and be well informed when it is time to vote.

mikemojc 5 months, 2 weeks ago

The Patrons (as the SB likes to call them) were not really called to attention until the SB announced that they spent ~$5,000,000 on 118 acres of tree covered rock. At just about the same time, the concept drawings for the single replacement Mega school were released. Yes, they may be a little late to the party, but their opinion (read vote) still counts.

While the plan may not have been developed quickly, it may have been developed on incorrect premises. Polling data from a couple years back indicates Patron support for a second high school. Much more support than for a single replacement of the Academy model. If you ask people what they want, then try to give them something else, they can, will, and should complain.

I disagree with the concept that remodeling existing (read 'paid for') facilities coupled with moderated new construction will be more expensive than disposing of current facilities and replacing them all with new construction. Just talking about cost per square foot with some contractor friends leads me to believe that the SB's 'estimates' were created with the goal of discouraging 2 fatalities in mind. Their numbers conflict with equitable, reasonable estimates just based on the cost per square foot.

I agree with you that interested folks should learn more about the school boards plans, and their actions regarding those plans to date. The more we have informed discussions about the possibilities, the better decisions we (the Patrons) can make about the future of our schools.

sancho 5 months, 2 weeks ago

I am a "patron" and I attended public meetings in the fall of 2011 where the different concepts were presented, along with the process of how they developed the concepts. So I was not surprised to hear about the purchase of land or the sale of the current campus. I am surprised to see others say they were surprised by these actions.

The committee that developed these concepts were made up of people from the community, not just the school board. They met for a long time, did a lot of research, discussed, visited schools and worked very hard to come up with proposals that would serve our needs. So personally, I don't consider anyone (school board, superintendent, the good ole boy network, George Bush (W), Obama, the teacher's union, the anitChrist, Alqueda, or any other boogey man) forcing this down my throat. A group of people like myself, hopefully smarter, came up with this plan after a lot of work. And I thank them.

I also got the impression after those public meetings that the concept that was adopted was the one more people at those meetings supported. By the way, the school board provided websites and opportunites to blog on their website about the different options. That may be how some of us learned about the plans, and had our concerns addressed.

Online editor: didn't the NT run an article with the different concepts spelled out, the costs associated with each, and a bunch of information? If so, please check and see if the information is still relevant and consider running that article again. Thanks.

JCLifer 5 months, 2 weeks ago

The issue of concern is not academies. The issue is the huge waste of money to sell the existing high school and the just-remodeled multi-million dollar stadium for pennies on the dollar. Then they want to spend millions of dollars to build only one huge megaschool to replace it.
How could it possibly be cheaper to do this than to remodel the existing high school (with paid-for land and brand new stadium) and to build a modest but nice second high school somewhere else in cheaper land?

mikemojc 5 months, 2 weeks ago

Bingo! We have a winner!

sancho 5 months, 2 weeks ago

JClifer have you been to any of the meetings or the website? If not go to the distrit's website and do some research.

jcps.k12.mo.us/education/components/docmgr/default.php?sectiondetailid=65788&fileitem=19014&catfilter=2809

And as for your question, "How could it possibly be cheaper to do this than to remodel the existing high school (with paid-for land and brand new stadium) and to build a modest but nice second high school somewhere else in cheaper land?" I believe finding the amount of land that they need is the first challenge. And finding it cheap - good luck with that.

JC, you are one of the strongest opponents to the academies plan on this forum. You apparently spend a lot of time on your computer. Use your skills on your computer and do some research. If you have already done research, then I would be very interested in hearing what you found and please tell me where I can find the same information.

JCLifer 5 months, 2 weeks ago

I am not opposed to the academies. I am opposed to building a huge megaschool. We need two smaller high schools instead of the largest high school in the state. Our students deserve more opportunities than the limited ones at one high school. I want better for our future for our kids and our town. We can do better than this.

JCLifer 5 months, 2 weeks ago

Sancho, can you not read? My posts here have focused on having two smaller high schools, not about academies.
I hear what some are saying about how academies might feel like a school within a school in some ways, but the reality is that one megaschool of 4000 students is going to feel like a megaschool of 4000 students. It will just be huge no matter how many academies it has. Separate building are just going to spread it out so it feels bigger.
Do not put words in my posts or tell me that I am against academies. You are rude and arrogant trying to bully your opinions on others. I see how you all act. Fling accusations that others with a different opinion are ignorant, uneducated, or blaming them. I will not tolerate this type of treatment that is so common by the holier-than-though types who run this town. You don't know me, my education, or my experiences. You need to learn to state your opinions in a respectful manner. You want my vote- well you sure as hell won't get it by calling me names and making untrue accusations.

mikemojc 5 months, 2 weeks ago

Land in the middle of the city is not cheap. Land out a little ways, like where they built the Pioneer Trail school, that's a different story. Part of what's being questioned here is stewardship.

sancho 5 months, 2 weeks ago

They are not considering building a huge megaschool. The academies approach is not a huge megaschool. It is 7 academies, I think they've said around 500 students per academy. Although you drive me nuts sometimes Jc, I know you are an intelligent person. Get on the district's website and do the research. Why don't you call the school administration office tomorrow and ask them for the best link to do some research into the proposed plan. As a matter of fact, if you called them and gave them your email address they would probably be able to email links to you with a lot of information that will help you decide your position. At the meetings last year they let you provide your email address and they sent you links via email to the presentations, FAQs, videos, etc. I still have the emails.

Ok, it's late, I'm off to bed. Good talking to you JC.

jcguy25 5 months, 2 weeks ago

How is it not a mega school? All the academies and students are on one campus are they not? So basically it is one huge campus style school, similar to a college campus.

RobHunterJohnson 5 months, 2 weeks ago

I have to agree it is a mega school being on one location! The same problem exists with the hub of knowledge bldg, how many kids in a GEOMETRY CLASS? Rob

mikemojc 5 months, 2 weeks ago

"The academies approach is not a huge megaschool. It is 7 academies, I think they've said around 500 students per academy."

7 times 500 = 3500. Sounds like a megaschool to me.

RobHunterJohnson 5 months, 2 weeks ago

Sancho, Matt Blunt, Jim Dyck MLB, Justin Gage NFL, Steve Martin NFL, Dennis Meyer NFL, and Justin Smith NFL. JCHS Notable Alumni!
Brian Krolicki LT GOV NV, A Busch IV CEO, Chip Caray Broadcaster Atlanta Braves, Chris Cissell Womens soccer coach UMKC Mens national coach 2006, Blaine Gabbert UM QTBK NFL, Michael Klos sports anchor WMBD, Pooja Kumar actress former Miss India USA, Lucas May MLB Royals, Stone Phillips NBC KOMU in the 80s, Ken Schrader NASCAR, Anne Steffens KMOV, Travis Stork Physician The Doctors, Tuc Watkins actor One Life to Live, Joe Williams STL Post Dispatch, and Trevor Helms UM baseball. Notable alumni PWSH Ballwin, Mo, both of these two groups came from wikipedea, Stone Phillips 1973 before I had graduated in 75, with 2200 enrollement, the enrollment was cut in half 76/77 with the addition of a new high school! Most of these people flourished with smaller class size, and the way to accomplish this is through division! That still goes back to 2 high schools, I have reservations over the acadamy style of learning because of all the applications tried on my classes, open class rooms (PODS), split sessions, new math ect! What if the acadamy does not work, what then? Do we find some small college to take over the new campus? The only thing that would be hindering the current JCHS building from a remodel is ceiling height? That would be for the duct work, other than that you possibly could get another 50 years out of this facility? There are ways to remodel, with hurting the students, think outside of the box! Rob

JCLifer 5 months, 2 weeks ago

Who is the group opposing the academies? I have only heard the group that is opposing one school and selling JC and the brand new Atkins Stadium for pennies on the dollar. I have not heard much opposition to academies that are going to be implemented whether or not the bond / levee issues pass or not.

We need to keep old JC, remodel it, and build a second school.

Idon't hear much opposition to academy-style instruction. Let's do it, but in two high schools!

JCLifer 5 months, 2 weeks ago

If two high schools are more expensive, it will be well worth it to help pull this town and its school system into the modern world. One campus is status quo. Two high schools would open up opportunities that we have not had before. Two schools would help make this town more desirable place to live. We would have a much better chance to attract some higher wage employers. People who now choose to live in Columbia, Wardsville, Russellville, etc. might consider Jefferson City if we didn't have a mega-school.
I will gladly pay more to get something better and different from what we have now. Paying more to keep a megaschool is close to insanity.

sancho 5 months, 2 weeks ago

jcguy25 I was just on the websites that the school administration posted about a year ago describing what they were working towards. They called the approach they were developing small learning communities (SLC). It appears to me that the goal of a SLC is the complete opposite of having a big campus feeling.

I've seen a similar approach at a large public university. Students were attending the university, but were enrolled in a program where they worked in teams with other students on projects. Faculty supported the teams and helped them figure out how to plan their projects, how to do the research, etc. Even though there were over 40,000 students at the university, the kids in this program felt they got attention from the professors, and at the same time the opportunity to individualize their studies.

I really believe that people on this forum and in the community who see this plan as a megaschool don't understand what the school board is proposing. No one should see my disagreeing with them and questioning whether they really understand the concept the school board is presenting as name calling, bullying, or forcing my ideas on you. I'm just saying what I think is happening. And if you can't accept someone expressing opinions different from yours, you should not be on a public forum. A forum is a place for discussion and debate, not a place for everyone to hold hands, agree and sing folk songs.

jcguy25 5 months, 2 weeks ago

I do understand what the board is proposing. The academy model is going into effect regardless of how many "locations" there are. The fact still remains, this will be one very large campus school separated into academy style teaching. The majority of opinions expressed so far is that the community wants two separate schools, meaning two totally separate locations just as there is in Columbia with Hickman and Rockbridge. Perhaps these people want their children to have the opportunity to participate in other activities within the school which they will not get to in a one school environment. A school band may consist of only 50 kids, two schools would mean 100 kids could participate. Same with sports, cheerleaders, choir, debate, academic bowls, drama, etc. While education is the most important aspect of attending high school, extra curricular activities play an important role was well. Teaches kids good sportsmanship, to participate and work as a team or group, gives them a safe and fun outlet to express themselves. So I still disagree, this is one huge campus style mega school and in my opinion a mistake.

RobHunterJohnson 5 months, 2 weeks ago

Sancho, these are kids we are talking about, this should not be a University atmosphere? The idea that the kids are broken in up into small groups, or teams? There will still be the the common learning area, but we are back to the mega school, learning is reduced by class size? How large will the classes be in the buildings, where will we learn geometry? After that we a still giving away what my parents, an all of us have paid for! We need to utilize the JCHS building, but by remodeling it, and caring for it for long after most of us here are gone! This plan seems like it is part of the throw away society we have become! Academy could possibly be implemented with some kind of vo-tech programs, but high school is high school, tech school, and academies should be left to the last couple of years. The class size should be smaller, and that can only be achieved by 2 schools! Above some one said we missed the 2 school idea in the 80s? I am here to say we better not miss it in the Teens, or our teens will miss in in life! Rob

Paroquet 5 months, 2 weeks ago

I know most University and College profs. consistently strive for student-faculty ratios of 24:1. Learning is, in fact, reduced by higher ratios. Teacher turn-over is increased, and teaching also suffers. Not only that, but where the NCLB Act comes into play, more lenient grading can also creep in. Just a couple points here and there is all it takes, and the bigger the class, the easier it is for that to remain undetected.

JCneeds2HS 5 months, 2 weeks ago

"The school board continues to move forward with a plan that is not supported by the community. Based on their own telephone survey results the voting public told them, and I quote:

"When presented with three different options at the high school level - and being told they were free to like one, two, all three or none of them - respondents expressed strong support for a second high school (73% saying they would "Strongly favor" or "Favor" it), followed by the option for on-campus academies at the current high school (52%), and academies at various locations (45%)."

But they refuse to listen to the voters and continue to push the Mitchell Plan that wasn't even recommended by his own Secondary School Study Committee.

This arrogance and "we know better than Jefferson City Community" attitude is disturbing.

We plan to brief our concerns with the Mitchell Plan at the Dec 10 School Board meeting.

LOCATION FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING HAS CHANGED TO (Dix Education Center, 204 Dix Road)

Monday Dec. 10, 2012 6pm. Dix Education Center, 204 Dix Road

WE REQUEST YOUR ATTENDANCE AS A SIGN OF SUPPORT

Citizens for 2 Public High Schools: We disagree with the school board’s proposal for 1 large high school for our district.

Web Page: jcneeds2hs.com
Contact us at: info@jcneeds2hs.com Contact Dan: jcpsnotforsale@hotmail.com
Facebook page: facebook.com/jcschooltax Paid for by Citizens for Two Public High Schools, Dan Ortmeyer, Treasurer

JCPS_Secondary_Schools_Study_Committee_3_options

LINK To: Secondary Schools Study Committee options jcneeds2hs.com/uploads/Secondary_Schools_Study_Committee_3_options_A_B_C_4_4_2011_2b.pdf

JCPS 2011 telephone survey

In May 2011, a 10- to 12-minute telephone survey was conducted with 400 randomly selected, head-of-household, registered voter patrons of the Jefferson City Public Schools to learn their views on a variety of topics related to plans being considered for the school district.

jeffcity.media.clients.ellingtoncms.com/news/documents/2012/10/10/JCPS_2011_study_1.pdf

JCPS 2012 telephone survey

In late August and September 2012, a 10- to 12-minute telephone survey was conducted with 400 randomly selected, head-of-household, registered voter, heads of households, divided based on elementary school drawing areas to match the general population pattern in Jefferson City Public Schools. The survey was designed to show voters' views on a variety of topics related to plans being considered for the school district.

jeffcity.media.clients.ellingtoncms.com/news/documents/2012/10/10/JCPS_2012_survey.pdf

JCLifer 5 months, 2 weeks ago

I can't believe the present school board would just throw away Atkins Stadium that was just remodeled a few years ago with millions of dollars from private citizen donors. Keep the present high school and stadium. Remodel the high school and Nichols. Build another high school to ease overcrowding and provide more opportunities. Both schools could probably share Atkins Stadium.

RobHunterJohnson 5 months, 2 weeks ago

JC I like that idea, I think Helias shares with them as well? The school board must think outside of the box, and they can make things happen. I do vote, and I will pay attention on the next school board elections, they cannot just throw that stadium away at a fire sale price. rob

sancho 5 months, 2 weeks ago

Very good points being made.

Since LU is planning to buy the existing hs campus they will get a lot of use out of the stadium. Their track team deserves great facilities.

I don't see any of the existing facilities as being thrown away. If LU and Linn Tech expand into the existing hs campus, they are making use of the existing campus. The stadium is not thrown away. It gets used, just by LU instead of the hs. Same goes for the buildings. Regardless of what plan is adopted, I will support keeping the existing buildings and renovating them for whoever uses them - not tearing them down and building new.

I understand the concern about not enough kids getting to participate in varsity sports or activities like band. But I believe education in this country is struggling - how do we pay for the things we want to do with less and less money. If the trend continues varsity sports will be unaffordable. That is happening elsewhere. It starts as pay to play. Other school districts in the U.S. are not able to pay for varisity sports and teachers' salaries. Intramural sports could be less expensive in so many ways. We would be foolish not to realize that funding varsity sports the way we do here may not be possible or desirable in the future.

Sports and extracurricular activites are so important - on that I agree. But looking back at my kids lives in the JC school system I recall that they started out in non-school sports: basketball, gymnastics, soccer and karate, that they got at the Y or at other non-school settings. That is where my kids got their foundation and love for physical activity and sports. When they got to participate in school sports, some of the coaches did great dis-service to them by focussing on winning winning winning. Those coaches saw their role as preparing the next star athletes for the JC school system. Some coaches did better than others. But again, the best athletic experiences my kids had were outside of the JC school system. Outside of the school system they learned the basics of their sports and a love for the sports. They did not have that same kind of experience on the JCHS varsity teams that they played on.

So I do not think we should design our new school around sports or extracurricular activities. It will not be the way it is now. I know that is hard for people, especially alumni of JCHS to accept. But we need to plan what is best for future generations, I know it is hard to let go of an existing school campus. I experienced a similar situation in my own school. But we looked ahead, worked hard on planning, trusted our leadership, and built something better than we originally had.

JCLifer 5 months, 2 weeks ago

Ironic that the concept drawing of the megaschool on 179 shows the stadium and fieldhouse front and center, and the academics buildings are hidden around back. Sounds like the board still focuses on making sports the center of attraction.

As for LU, they have their own stadium that they do not take care of. It is a near eyesore. Is that what you want for Atkins Stadium? Let Lincoln remodel their own stadium and track. Keep JCHS and build another school out west of town.

dokeus6 5 months, 1 week ago

Does anyone know how the ballot for the school bond election will be worded?

IMO, I feel that they need an official vote on this issue and not just a survey of a few. A decision this magnitude should be decide by the people.

I found this on the website wanting two high schools and even on the newjchs website.

"a survey conducted in 2011 revealed "a second public high school was favored by 48 percent of respondents," out-polling two other proposals to keep just one campus."

The decision of the people should be the final vote.

Should the ballot read like the survey and have the choices that were on the survey be given and the majority wins?

According to the survey forty eight percent is a majority that want the two high schools.

I also looked at the new jchs website. No one has mentioned how much the additional personal that will need to be hired is going to cost us on our taxes besides the bond issue for the school. This is going to be an expensive undertaking and I personally do not want the extra tax burden.

Lincoln, Linn Tech agree to buy Jefferson City High School complex

More like this story

Comments

Or login with: