Subscribe
Shop Local
Magazine
Gas Prices
Today's Poll!Case advanced for two high schools
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
The movement to build a second high school in Jefferson City gained traction Tuesday night when 25 local residents attended a meeting at the Eagles Club to learn more about the two-school premise.
The effort was launched by a handful of former football Jays and lifetime residents who worry that a single “mega school” — even one divided into several career academies — will reduce students’ ability to participate in extracurricular activities. Instead, they hope to persuade the Jefferson City School Board to consider remodeling the existing Jefferson City High School and build another one.
Dan Ortmeyer, a leader of the second-school movement, remembers the days when ....
Marry Me
Comments
TickledPink 6 months, 1 week ago
People in Jeff have wanted a second high school for years. This is why I'm so disgusted with the town. The so called representatives of Jeff don't give a d@mn about what's actually good for the town as a whole, just their friends and their own pocketbooks. They should be ashamed of what they're depriving our children.
JCLifer 6 months ago
It is all about Jay Pride and not wanting to lose the football team.
yamahamian 6 months ago
It would be nice to have two HS football teams in Jefferson City - at least two that would play each other like Hickman and Rock Bridge do in Columbia. The JC/Helias folks apparently are too immature, to the point the folks in charge can't schedule a cross-town game without fear of a riot or something.
Sequoia 6 months ago
I don't think that potential riots are the reason Helias and J.C. don't play against each other in football. I think they are in different size divisions. Helias would get routinely smashed.
But on the two-schools issue: Smaller schools are better, in my view.
Broad liberal arts education is better than narrow academies.
Clayton 6 months ago
The worry of the high school campus being a "mega-school" is overblown. Academically and socially, the 7-8 Academies successfully break the school up into smaller subgroups that enable kids to find their niche, and teachers to better manage their students. To me, 8 schools are better than 2, even if they all are on one (spacious) campus. Also, the academies that are proposed scream "21st century jobs", unlike the free-for-all cafeteria style education JCHS delivers today.
When it comes to athletics, I don't believe these claims of a football-cult wanting to keep the school together at all costs. JC Footballers know that success isn't a product of having just 1 school. Hickman still does well in football, even as Rockbridge continues to grow. Mainly, success comes from JC coaches that have always managed to get great things out of fairly normal kids. So, whether it's 1 HS or even if it were 3-4, true JC football will continue to overachieve.
A related argument against a single HS, but from a slightly different angle, is that too big of a high school limits participation in extracurriculars... This is totally false. Size brings options: Large schools are able to offer a much broader array of activities, and that gives more people a chance, not fewer. I don't remember Latin Club or Environmental Club ever holding tryouts. But I doubt smaller schools would even have such a variety. If, however, by extracurriculars people actually mean sports, then here's my take: school is not about excelling at sports (or even clubs), it's about learning. That's what we should focus on and it is the single campus approach -with academies- that will greatly boost learning.
JCLifer 6 months ago
You keep thinking that way. Watch Helias, Blair Oaks, Concord, etc. schools enrollments increase exponentially.
Just like annexation, convention center, Adrians Island, etc. that the "leaders" try to cram down the voters' throats, you know so much more about what the voters want. Anyone who went to JCHS in the last 40 years can tell you that place was way too big.
Clayton 6 months ago
Leaders pushing their ideas on us... I completely agree with you on the endless efforts to annex in the face of voters' wishes. And the Convention Center (along with the many add-ons) they keep pushing. With Adrians Island as well... The Muddy Missouri is not the San Antonio.
On the high school, however, there was a big effort to make it a community decision. Committees were open to the public, and were made up of 20+ regular folks and 20+ school officials... All of them wanting the best public education possible for JC, and most of them with deep deep roots in JC. I don't see conspiracy here. I see a thoughtful and well informed decision that happens to go against the conventional wisdom. It may be the wrong choice, but the people that spent the year + on the committees didn't think so.
The only error that I see is that (to my knowledge) no one knew or considered the possibility of selling the current JC campus at the time of discussion. That could have been a game change that maybe should mean re-evaluation. At the time, a central campus seemed to preclude building a second campus...Would the second campus be east or west or south...the result would be a lopsided JC. But by selling and starting from scratch, that issue is resolved... I think the the same conclusion would be reached, but the framing would be different...
TrueStory 6 months ago
Wow are you on the academy "team". I found that a large school forgets about the average student. Small schools in the area want this settled because all the students are leaving JC and invading our small schools and making them too large. 2 smaller schools are better period. Unless you own a construction company........
Clayton 6 months ago
I think 8 smaller schools are better...hence my support for "team academy". :) But I don't see how construction companies benefit more from several smaller buildings on a single campus, as opposed to two big buildings housing 2000 kids each on opposite sides of town. ...I'm no construction expert, but I'd say 2 locations are pricier than one.
But more importantly, as a reluctant tax payer, I am happy about the administrative costs that having a single campus would save.
JCLifer 6 months ago
Which is it: "8 smaller schools" or "a single campus"? You cannot have it both ways.
All you care about is the cost? You don't seem to care one wit that all the research on student learning clearly agrees that smaller schools promote better learning.
Clayton 6 months ago
This issue is not a dichotomy. The academies are an innovative solution to a cumbersome problem. I'm not trying to "have it both ways", rather I'm calling it for what it is.
It is 8 buildings ("learning communities") with 300-500 kids in each. Yes, I think the lower cost is very important, but achieving the goal of student learning is the primary function of schools...We seem to agree. Also, as you correctly point out, research says smaller schools are better. Many say below 800 is best. Two mega-buildings don't get us below that threshold, as 10-12 has around 2000 students already. Add Simonsen's 800... You get my drift. I think it is worth considering any plan to get us small schools (under 800) without having to build 4 high schools. Two mega-buildings just separate the problem geographically and make it more expensive in the process. Academies solve the problem.
mikemojc 6 months ago
My first question is this: If the school board's 2011 survey indicated that that the primary concern of it's constituents was building a 2nd high school, why were there absolutely zero questions about a second high school on the 2012 survey?
dokeus6 6 months ago
because the second high school is not what the "leaders" of this city want.
mikemojc 6 months ago
Are you suggesting that the 'leaders' intentionally tried to set aside the expressed will of the people to move forward on their own agenda? Surely no one in elected office would do such a thing?!
dokeus6 6 months ago
by using the word "leaders" I didn't mean elected officials
RobHunterJohnson 6 months ago
What they really wanted was 4 jr highs, playing each other and coming together at 1 high school! Rob
JCLifer 6 months ago
I just KNOW they would not try to do that with annexation. Once the people vote it down, I am sure our "leaders" are very happy that the people have spoken, and they would never look for other tricks and ways to do the annexation ever again.
earlsmusic 6 months ago
I admire the former JC athletes for taking a stand. Especially when it could be a very unpopular one. Maybe there is something to "sports building character" after all. Kudos to those guys.
Crump 6 months ago
JCLifer speaks of Jay Pride. This notion left town with the hiring of the current football coach. The largest school in Missouri deserves better than a coach whose #1 priority his playing his own son. At least we don't have to worry about that anymore. It's time for a coaching change to try to get the program back on track.
TrueStory 6 months ago
I don't understand how 8 buildings will be cheeper on one campus than 2 high schools. So you need 2 principals and VP, have you looked at how little that costs. But with 8 buildings you need 8 heating and air. You will need the same teachers, student population going to change? Student teacher ratio should stay the same. You will still have to build atheletic facilities, just would also keep the old ones. Lincoln and LST are not going to pay for the old high school, that is a pipe dream. Lincoln is losing students, and LST is not doing sports so much. I just think we have a few select people with a romantic idea that they will be creating some kind of legacy. Lets just educate the kids and let the tax payers keep their money.
Paroquet 6 months ago
You got kids? I'm paying for them. The student-faculty ratio and JCHS is total whack.
It's long been said by my elders and betters that the reason we don't have more schools is because JCHS wants a larger pool to select from for throwing balls, and the yokels support the notion.
I don't have a thing against sports, unless it causes an institution I help fund to not do what I want; at graduation, there are a lot well-educated young adults that have some kind of future.
You can pick up the concept of a scrimmage line in about two seconds if you're operating with more than a brainstem.
Not dissing the athletes. I was a track and field guy myself.
Clayton 6 months ago
Those are some interesting points. I'd like to learn more from your sources... One reason there's such skepticism towards this may be because it is the school system itself that produces all the facts/figures/information. (Which BTW explain how 8 is better and cheaper than two.)
newjchs.us/Facilities-FAQ.html
I trust the JCPS school leaders, however...mainly because I voted for most of them. And when I look at JCPS leaders, things like "pipe dream", "romantic idea", and obsession with "creating some kind of legacy" do not come to mind. I think the JCPS board and faculty are competent, realistic, and want to help kids learn. This isn't St. Louis. I don't think corruption or personal gain is at play. I think these school leaders genuinely believe the single campus with academies is the best answer, based on their expert research and knowledge.
JCLifer 6 months ago
They know that the taxpayers are unable to fund the operation of two high schools because of the ultra low wages in this area. People are really hurting and cannot afford to pay anymore. The streets are falling apart due to years of neglect. I doubt if any tax increase will pass. JCPS is probably going to have to sell that expensive real estate they just purchased. They will be lucky to get back 50% of our money they spent.
tonto_goldberg 6 months ago
A set of buildings on a common campus can use a centralized heating and cooling system rather than a separate system for every building.
Please review our Policies and Procedures before registering or commenting
Or login with:
OpenID