Principal offers views on academies, new high school ballot issues

‘A very exciting time for us as educators’

Jefferson City High School principal Jeff Dodson visits with Kezia Martin, left, and Tayler LePage after school Tuesday and finds out the details of their recent basketball activity. Photo by Julie Smith.

By Kris Hilgedick

Sunday, March 17, 2013

As principal at Jefferson City High School, Jeff Dodson has one of the best vantage points for understanding the challenges facing teachers, students and the larger community, whose future success depends on a well-educated, skilled workforce.

On Monday, Dodson sat down with the News Tribune to explain how he envisions the seven new career academies will function. He also chatted about the issues local voters may want to consider as they head to the ballot box on April 2.

On that day, voters will be asked if they want to issue general obligation bonds — which would increase local taxes an additional 30 cents — and raise the operating tax levy by 25 cents.

The 30-cent increase would generate a revenue stream that would allow the district to issue $79 million in bonds, money that would be used to finance a new high school east of Missouri 179 and a new elementary school on the city’s eastern end.

The 25-cent increase in the operating tax levy would generate an additional $2.5 million for the district, funding that would be used for transportation, security, technology and professional development.

Q. What do you feel are the three biggest advantages to creating the seven academies?

DODSON: The biggest advantage — from our perspective — to the academy concept is a concept that will allow us to create small learning communities, and it will also personalize the learning experience for all students. Maybe the most important piece is it will allow each student to have the benefits of attending a high school that has a small-school feel, while still having the benefits of all that a large high school has to offer. We feel like it’s the best of both.

Q. Why do we need to build a new high school?

DODSON: We need additional physical space and facilities to provide the best experience for students and staff.

Q. When seniors graduate from high school, what challenges do you see them facing as they head to college, the workforce or the military? Are they prepared to enter this tough economy?

DODSON: High school graduates have to be college and career ready. It’s really a combination of their learned experience, coupled with good soft skills, or communication skills. I think, for us, we want to make sure they can master the content material in each subject area, and they need to learn how to collaborate with others and how to communicate. And also, to be able to be provide customer service as they present themselves.

In short, they need to learn how to be valuable employees and colleagues.

Q. What are the biggest challenges you face managing the high school every day?

DODSON: Collectively, all educators are faced with working to maintain traditional practices that work and transitioning to some current practices that are much needed to better prepare high school graduates. The thing I’m most concerned about with our current facilities is it’s more difficult, from a safety standpoint, because there are a lot of entrances in and out of the high school. And those multiple entries and exit points are more difficult to secure and monitor carefully.

Q. Do you favor one high school or two?

DODSON: This will ultimately be left up to our voters. On a more personal level, my family supports the committee campaign to maintain a single high school that is divided into seven equal parts, or seven academies.

Q. Regarding the planning of the academies, what kinds of tasks are you working on this month? How far along in the planning process is your team?

DODSON: We continue to meet with our business partners, teachers and parents to put together a more viable plan. Although these plans began nearly three years ago, the plans at the building and district level have evolved into almost daily tasks. The administrative team is working hard to assist with the committees at several levels to make this a smooth transition. It’s become more of a daily ritual for our administrative team to plan accordingly.

Q. Regarding academies, I often hear people say: “I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life at age 15. Ninth grade is too young to select a career-oriented course of study.” I also hear people say: “There’s value in a generalist, liberal arts education. I’m worried we’re losing that.” When you hear people express these concerns, how do you address them?

DODSON: The administrative team continues to remind our parents of the flexibility that is necessary to ensure that students are successful, despite what model is used to educate our children. In addition, I don’t think at any point we are asking our students to commit to a career at an early age. We are only asking that students choose an academy that seems more in line with their interests. And regardless of which academy a student attends, he or she will still have a high school diploma and can enter the work force or pursue any course of study at a college, university or technical school.

And so we continue to remind our parents that there is some flexibility involved.

Q. Regarding the construction of a single high school, many people feel the new school will be too populous. They worry it means too many students will no longer have the opportunity to participate in traditional high school experiences, like band, football and drama. How do you address those concerns?

DODSON: The site visits have assisted many of us with how this transition worked for similar districts across the country. There are distinct advantages and disadvantages to being a large comprehensive high school. Our goal is to learn both from the positive experiences at those schools and find ways to avoid some of the pitfalls they’ve experienced. There are also advantages and disadvantages to attending a small high school, as well.

With the academy model, we have the opportunity to capitalize on the advantages of both small and large high schools.

Q. Do you think the new high school will improve the district’s ability to focus on science, technology, engineering and math? And is that a worthwhile goal?

DODSON: Yes! I do feel that this particular academy will provide students with a specific pathway that is more rigorous and relevant.

Q. If our community doesn’t build a new high school now, what repercussions do you believe will result from that choice?

DODSON: Well, obviously we’re at capacity as we speak. To think of future growth ... I’m concerned about that as well.

We will have to begin working on Plan B to implement the academy concept into our existing campus.

Q. How will a new high school advance the quality of education for the students? Can you compare and contrast what it will be like to establish academies in the current high school, as compared with a new campus? Will you be able to build academies here, in the old building, as easily as you will in the new building?

DODSON: Despite whatever the bricks and mortar look like, we know we need more space to accommodate the needs of our learners. And I do believe the best plan is to start with a new campus. There are many advantages to making certain that the instruction specific to the classrooms is the driving force behind how that physical space is constructed. I know our current facilities are certainly dated and lend themselves to a more traditional educational model.

And I would hope, with new facilities, too, that we can — from a technology standpoint — not only be more innovative, but also ensure all seven academies are equipped with the necessary technology to provide our students some 21st century skills to be more prepared for college and career readiness.

Q. If the new school is built, and the academies are organized, what will the new principal management structure be like? Will you assign an assistant principal to each academy? What will happen to the department chair positions?

DODSON: We’ve already begun to work on how we’re going to assign administrators, teachers and support staff. There will be an associate principal in each of those seven academies. This does not depend on the bond issue. The associate principals are currently working with central office staff to assist with the planning process. They’re leading the academy planning meetings, specific to each of the seven academies. As we transition, we’ll have a great deal of time to properly plan and make those decisions at the appropriate time.

Again, we’ve already assigned administrators as associate principals. In addition, the teachers have already been assigned to a given academy. There will be changes made in the future to best place students and staff. But the planning will be an ongoing process.

It’s a very exciting time for us as educators.

Q. In our current system, students are somewhat segregated by age, especially the freshmen. In the academy system, it’s possible that those age distinctions might be blurred to a greater degree. Is that a good learning environment for students?

DODSON: Yes it is. Our goal is to work to better mentor younger students. The best-case scenario is to have our seniors working with our younger students. We plan to develop a strong senior mentoring program and peer mediators to assist as the freshmen and sophomores transition from one grade level to the next.

Accompanying photo: Jeff Dodson

More like this story

Dave 2 months ago

This is not a bad article, but this field's been plowed before. There's belief, and then there's data. The voters have heard these beliefs expressed by school employees and those in favor of the bond issue for several months now. Where's the data? Specifically, if the principal believes the new building and "academy" concept will improve achievement, then surely he can answer the following: 1. What data (testing, grades, graduation rates, dropout rates, failure rates, attendance rates, etc.) is the principal/district using to identify the baseline of performance they wish to improve? 2. What IS the current baseline of performance at JCHS? Better than state average? Lower than state average? Better than comparable schools/districts? Lower than comparable schools/districts? 3. What data-driven evidence is there, from any source, that the academy approach will help remedy the current baseline performance challenges, and how, specifically, and at what projected cost, will that occur? 4. By what date will the principal/district be able to provide the data-based evidence, using the same measurements used to establish current performance, to show the voters that the academy approach has been effective in increasing achievement. We've heard enough of the beliefs. It's time for data. Respectfully, if the principal of one of the largest high schools in Missouri can't or won't produce that data, it's not time for him to have a new building; it's time for him to have a new job.

RobHunterJohnson 2 months ago

"There are also advantages, and disadvantages to attending a Small High School, as well" Mr Dodson, please list for us? Also what is the definition of a Small High School in relation to the Jefferson City Student enrollment? How many of these types of academies are located in the State of Missouri? It looks to me like we are funding, the experience experiment at a cost of 79 million to the tax payers! How about fixing are delapidated school building, and building a smaller High School! Spend our money wisely for once! Rob

kentheco 2 months ago

The one thing the article proves is that there are already seven "new" associate principals assigned to academies that do not exist. I am also curious as to how the mentoring program is going to work out. I just cannot see the upper classes willingly associating/mentoring freshmen. If this is such a great idea, why has not this been implemented by moving seniors to Simonsen and the freshmen moved to the high school. This would allow the freshmen to interact with sophomores and juniors, who are closer to their age, and allow the seniors to finalize their education and plan for life after high school.

JCLifer 2 months ago

What evidence do they have that each of the academies need to be exactly the same size? What if some academies are way more popular than others? Will students be denied the opportunity to enroll in the academy of their choice? Where are the comparable Missouri districts that have one huge high school with the academy model? What problems do they have? What is their student performance? How satisfied are their students and parents? Will the new highschool be cheaper to operate and staff than the existing highschool?

There are too many questions that have not been answered. The district has very little data to supporr its dream. Taxpayers are broke due to low stagnant wages and high increases to costs of gasoline, utilities, food, and healthcare. ObamaCare costs have not yet kicked in. Salary increases are minimal for years to come, layoffs and cuts are a daily occurance.

I don't see this huge tax increase happening. The voters want two smaller high schools. Too many unknowns and questions make NO votes the responsible choice.

JCsleeper 2 months ago

Comes down to the tax increase. Can't get blood from a turnip. Folks around here are tapped out. Really doubtful.

3blindmice 2 months ago

Seems to me the debate is really about control of resources. With one school the same old people will continue to control the money. I'm all for competition. Build two schools and let them compete for the resources. This will weed out the lazy. Unless jeff city wants to alway be known as a one horse town. Or in this case a one school town

thatguyagain 2 months ago

Just type small learning academies into Wikipedia and you'll have a list of other school districts. Start your research on their outcomes there. And, there is a tremendous amount of information about the academies, aka Career Clusters from DESE. As a graduate of JCHS I wish these academies would have been in place and I'd have had room to breathe. The academy model works and the school is overcrowded so we clearly need to do something. Personally, I'd much rather have seven intimate learning communities on one campus instead of two schools which are still big and ignore the economies of scale relative to common space, necessary services, course offerings, athletic facilities, and expanded extracurricular offerings.

RobHunterJohnson 2 months ago

I as a graduate of Parkway West with a 10th-12th enrollment of 2200 students, wish it would have been a smaller school! I would like thatguyagain to tell me if there is even one academy type school, with our enrollment in the State of Misssouri? No one seem to have the ability to answer this question! all I can find is inner city type school programs with very small enrollments! rob

thatguyagain 2 months ago

Thanks for your thoughts but you're attempting to narrow the focus so much that exact comparisons can't be made. Being within state borders is not vitally important for comparison's sake. There is a geographically close academy style public school just south of the Missouri border, Bentonville High School, which graduates students at a higher rate than we do and is ranked among the top high schools in the nation by Newsweek. Here are some metrics to consider when comparing our communities and their schools:

Bentonville population: 35,301 (2010 census) 36,295 (2011 estimate) Bentonville HS (9-12) current enrollment: 3,801

Jefferson City population: 43,079 (2010 census) Simonsen & JCHS 2012 enrollment: 2,613

As a graduate of a school of 2,200 students (which I assume is the traditional educational model where all students are taught in the same manner, share classrooms, and are hearded around - like we do now) looking for a smaller educational atmosphere a community of 300-350 students vs. 1,100 should be more appealing. Especially considering the 1,100 student option would cost twice as much.

JCLifer 2 months ago

Research published and validated confirms the best high school size for high student achievement and efficient operating costs is about 150 students per class, and no more than 600 total.

RobHunterJohnson 2 months ago

thatguyagain, I am not an educater, Bentonville High Shool 2011-12 literacy profiencency 11th grade 68%, 2012-13 overall status NI needs improvement, algebra 79%, geometry75%, and X for targeted achievement in gap group math! That does not look like it is working to me, they had some numbers on otherthing that were working better, but your method of Teaching is an experiment? I do not think this has even been applied in our state to the enrollment of our size? you may have not like changing classes, but that is the way it works! It also looks like those 11th graders with a percentage of 68% are ready to move on to art class, or football practice? Rob

JCLifer 2 months ago

Bentonville is a mostly white, upper middle class school too. Their population is probably more comparable to Helias than to JCHS's. I would expect their performance, test scores, graduation rate, and ACT scores to be higher.

RobHunterJohnson 2 months ago

JC Lifer, Some of the scores look good, but the numbers above are the ones that bother me! I attend a large High School, I was one of those that got lost, some how got enough credits, but I wish I would have got more! This academy might work for some, but the numbers I found on Bentonvilles site, 32% of thos 11th graders need more in literacy! rob

JCLifer 2 months ago

You think those are bad? Check out the JCHS numbers! We would kill to have Bentonville's numbers, just like we would kill to have Helias cream of the crop, no special ed, no vocational, no minorities to speak of.

JCLifer 2 months ago

Here are some ideas for the classrooms of the future. JCPS's academy plan is already stale.

gizmag.com/classroom-of-the-future/21295/

JCLifer 2 months ago

Check out the 24 pictures in the article. Most of these buildings are prefabbed, so they could be constructed really cheaply in Mexico or China to save the taxpayers a lot of money. Some even have PODS (everything old is new again!).

3blindmice 2 months ago

They should do more research before they tout how grand the bentonville model is. On a popular internet forum there are numerous post by current and recent students complaining of overcrowding at the school, it taking months to get a schedule change, and students being shuffled back and forth between academy offices. They described it as a highschools beaurocratic nightmare. Then i find out the school is so overcrowded because they didn't have the forethought to build a second hs when they had a chance and put forth another levy to build a second high school. How could the wonderful jc schoolboard of failed to mention this? Google bentonville ar second hs to read about the mess they have created

RobHunterJohnson 2 months ago

I went to school with 10th, 11th, and 12th with a 2200 enrollment. A smaller school, a second high school is what is needed in Jeffeson City! The post above said that 2600 students at JC, if we are projecting growth, we would be over 3,000 in no time! Bentonville is well over 3000, our school board is trying to sell us an experiment! When I was in a large school it was because of the speed of Urban Sprawl! Our school board needs to think this one through, like the Board and Voters did with the new high school back in the 60! rob

thatguyagain 2 months ago

The school is planned to accomodate 3,500 students which will provide plenty of space for next 50 years. The school is also scalable to accomodate varying class sizes. Although enrollment has increased over the years the huge swell now in elementary is somewhat of an anomally. If we build another high school to accomodate those classes (or 4 more if the max of 600 is the goal as mentioned above) and sizes return to "normal" we'll be stuck with either empty buildings or underutilized buildings with excessive operating costs. Moreover, education is evolving in a way that allows for more flexibility in teaching so there will be a greater percentage of students who learn away from campus or at varying hours so the constraings of building dimensions will be lessened.

It seems that many who oppose the new high school are simply afraid of change. They are in favor of building new schools when overcrowding becomes an issue because that's what they've seen before. I commend those who had the thought to implement a better way of education. Is it perfect? Absolutely not. Nothing will be when designed for 3,000 people. Is it better than the current product? I believe so based on personal experience, presentations from people a lot smarter than me relative to education, and third party research. Also, I'm a conservative (lean pretty far right, actually) and recognize this proposal will have the smallest impact on my tax dollars.

My rationale probably doesn't resonate with many on this thread. I also can't comprehend spending twice as much for an inferior product so we can agree to disagree. You're not going to be swayed and are probably trying to think of ways to shoot holes in my counterpoints. That's okay, I'm not concerned about your votes but rather the negativity being spread. Hopefully some of the people who read this and don't post will agree the positive aspects outweight the negative and vote yes.

JCLifer 2 months ago

It is sad that you don't think this town has any hope of growing more to have anymore than 3500 total students in another 50 years. Even I have much more hope for our town's future than this. We have all we need except for leadership and decent jobs. There is no reason this town could not grow to over 100,000 in 15 more years.

RobHunterJohnson 2 months ago

that guy again, How much is just the new football stadium going to cost us? 2600 divided by 7 acadamies = 371.428 kids, 3500 divided by 7 = 500 kids that is in 50 years! We could talk about a swell in kids at the elementry level, but what about overall growth of the area in 50 years, I can remember when Ellis crossed 54, the population was 28,000 in 1960, 43,000 now! The time is now for another High School, they could share that fancy new field we just purchased, and if we eliminate the Elementry school out of the finacial projection of a new High School, that would give us a real number a voter could take to the poll! I for one am tired of the Blurring of money to try, and make a vote on! I am not afraid of change, show me something that works, and so far you have not! Our tax dollar need to be spent wisely, if the demographics change for whatever reason, our New School Board will be back wanting more of our Tax Dollars! If their experiment fails, who knows? We need a new smaller high school with room for expansion, Fix what our parents built for this community, which is the home of the Jays! Rob

JCLifer 2 months ago

Well said, Rob. You have common sense and reasonableness.

JCLifer 2 months ago

Third and fourth alternatives to building two new high schools (Thatguyagain "twice the money") would be to remodel the existing high school and add additional capacity by one of these lower-cost methods:

MegaSchool: Add a wing or two onto the existing JCHS and/or Nichols Career Center. This would give us a MegaSchool while keeping the use of the existing JCHS that our parents and grandparents built for us. We would not need to build new stadiums, practice fields, drivers ed ranges, etc. We could keep JCHS as one and continue to have "Jay Pride" and the best football team in the state. This option would not require buying any more land. No new bus routes. Very low cost option. It could implement the academies that the administration says they are going to do anyway, even without a new high school. We could keep Nichols Career Center for additional technical training for high school students and adults. This option would cost way less than half of what the existing proposal is.
Build a Small Second High School: This option would be toi build a second high school on a much cheaper and smaller tract of land on Route C, Route B, Edgewood, or Apache Flats. It would only need 50 acres and the acerage would not cost more than 10,000 an acre at the highest- saving $2.1 million off the top of the current proposal. The building would not need to be huge, and would only be one building, saving millions of dollars from the existing proposal. Academies could be implemented at this new school and at JCHS like the administration says they are going to do anyway. We would still have Nichols Career Center, and we would not have to sell JCHS that our parents and grandparents worked so hard to build for us. Both schools could share Adkins Stadium, but since there are two schools, there would be two football teams (we could win in 5A and 2A!!!) and double the number of opportunities for students. This option would cost much less than half of what the existing proposal is.

Obviously, the MegaSchool proponents have not evaluated ALL of the alternatives that would give us more capacity and save many millions of taxpayer dollars. The sensible solution is to vote NO on these two upcoming tax increases, and demand that the school board evaluate ALL of the alternatives and let the community/taxpayers help pick which option they wish to pay for. Do not be scared by their threats and demands. They have not done their homework and they are trying to shove a high-priced option down our throats.

3blindmice 2 months ago

Bentonville also thought there mega campus would be large enough. Now just a few years later they are going to have to build a second hs anyway. I encourage everyone to google bentonville ar second high school. Why make the same mistake here?

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