This week, candidates for the Jefferson City Board of Education respond to questions submitted by a News Tribune reader concerning academies.
With an election scheduled for April 7, four challengers and an incumbent are vying for two open seats on the Jefferson City Board of Education. In order of their ballot appearance, the candidates are: Pam Murray, Joy Sweeney, Michael Couty, Dan Renfrow and Adrian Hendricks II.
You may send questions for candidates to [email protected] so we might include your voice in future stories. Candidates are listed in the order they will appear on the ballot.
This week's question is from Barbara Weaver, and the candidate responses are below:
"There is much controversy in the community among parents, students and teachers concerning the adoption of the academies at the high school. What is your stance on the academies? Are you for or against them?"
Pam Murray: "I have yet to be sold on academies for all students. With many unanswered questions festering in the community, academies will likely remain a flash-point for dissent as they are an example of why the community has lost trust and faith in district leadership. Although academies have a 40-year history in the U.S., and have some merit, I have yet to read about any district that adopted them for 100 percent of the student body. In Columbia, the academy concept/course offerings are implemented as career paths through their Career Center (like our Nichols) as a choice for students at all their high schools. Resistance in Jefferson City may be tied to the April 2013 failed companion tax increase issues for a multi-building high school campus designed for academies and increased operating costs. The district implemented academies this academic year but will not have anyone in a position of leadership with successful academy experience until next year. Perhaps the biggest failure with academies has been the failure to engage the community and convince them academies are a well thought-out change in curriculum with tangible benefits. At the same time, the district has incurred significant costs in promoting academies, out-of-state travel for district personnel and some parents, all with minimal disclosure."
Joy Sweeney: "My stance on the academies is that they provide an opportunity for rigorous, relevant instruction for our students. The academies offer students a chance to see how the information that they are learning relates to the "real world.' This insight empowers our youth to make wise decisions regarding the importance of attaining their academic potential. The academies also allow our students to interact with the business community and learn the expectations of working in various environments in a manner that is not only engaging but also challenging. The academy implementation does require resources to ensure that the full potential is reached. The district must ensure that professional development is provided for all of our teachers to enhance implementation efficacy. Resources are required to effectively facilitate the learning process. The highly qualified exceptional teachers that we currently have are accomplished and deserve to be instrumental in the design and development of the academies. Given sufficient resources and instructional autonomy, our teaching staff will thrive in the academy learning environment. The academies will provide our students exceptional 21st Century learning opportunities that will prepare them for military service, college or the workplace."
Michael Couty: "I am against the academies model as it has been presented and implemented in the Jefferson City Public School District. The "academy' concept is an educational philosophy or comprehensive program that strives to provide each student with a nurturing and academic environment using an interdisciplinary curriculum that allows students to make connections between subjects that have traditionally stood alone. The idea is to increase students' engagement by putting subject matter in a broader context and showing them how one subject can be used to understand another. The purpose of the program is to support the development of smaller, more personal learning communities in large high schools. Research indicates that smaller learning communities are safer and more productive because students feel less alienated, more nurtured and more connected to caring adults. I think the educational concept of academies can work for some students, but not for all. There is controversy in our community regarding the adoption of the "academies' because the district failed to provide a clear mission and vision defining the implementation and cost of their model. The initial communication of the model and various other proposals were presented to the voters as a brick-and-mortar initiative tied to a bond issue that failed at the polls. Despite the failure, the administration insisted on forging ahead and implemented the academies at the ninth-grade center without identifying costs needed to restructure the educational program change. There are various costs associated with an educational philosophy change which have not been identified and communicated to the community. Just like the U.S. Department of Education forced upon the states an initiative known as "No Child Left Behind,' the JCPS district has forced the taxpayers to bear the burden of the implementation of an unfunded mandate called "academies.' Are financial resources being redirected or diverted into the academy approach at the cost of providing necessary school/student resources and services, and will it meet the needs of all students?"
Dan Renfrow: "Curriculum such as academies is set by the superintendent and not the school board. As a parent of a ninth-grade student, I have been very happy with the academy model this year. What I support is the project- and problem-based curriculum that the academies have helped bring to our students."
Adrian Hendricks II: "School districts around the United States have been focusing on ways to improve the educational experience, reduce the dropout rate and minimize discipline issues among students for many years. The concept of "academies' has advanced as one of the strategies that demonstrate an opportunity for students to become more college and career ready. Local companies, providing a wealth of experience and insight to our students' field of choice, can become a critical link between community workforce needs and student academic achievement. As a school board, it will be important to maintain the adequate resources needed to support an academy experience for all students enrolled. Research continues to show that academies have the opportunity to grow a more educated workforce, reduce the dropout rate, increase college readiness and attract new businesses. I support any strategy that will help us achieve this outcome for our students and community."