JCPS reflects as it prepares for the coming year

Guest and motivational speaker Brian Mendler speaks at the Jefferson City Public Schools opening session festivities at JCHS.
Guest and motivational speaker Brian Mendler speaks at the Jefferson City Public Schools opening session festivities at JCHS.

Jefferson City Public Schools opened its academic year with an aim to energize its teachers to take on some of the stark realities the district's students deal with, but the opening session's key note speaker also advocated for remembering that many students are just looking for hope and validation through human connections.

JCPS hosted Monday morning at Jefferson City High School the annual opening day rally for teachers and staff of all the district's schools.

There was the usual joyous pomp and circumstance - performances from the JC drum line and step team; videos and presentations that highlighted teachers and staff in the past year who have been recognized for excellence and their work with students; and a rousing pep talk from JCPS Board of Education President Steve Bruce to get teachers "fired up" and "ready to go."

The district did not hide the work it has left to do, though.

JCPS Superintendent Larry Linthacum led a live poll that the audience voted on through their cell phones. One of the questions in the poll was on what percent of the district's students in grades K-9 read at or above their grade level.

The district's long-term goal is to have all of its students reading at or above their grade level.

Forty-two percent of the audience members who answered the live poll said of 35, 75, 45 or 55 percent that the answer was 45 percent. Another 20 percent of respondents said the answer was 35 percent.

Linthacum said the answer is actually that 55 percent of JCPS students read at or above their grade level - the answer which 33 percent of the district's teachers who responded correctly identified.

Linthacum went on to say it's anticipated that the district's poverty rate in the school year that begins Thursday will be 60 percent.

The district also brought in key note motivational speaker Brian Mendler to shake up how teachers think of their interactions with students, especially students who act disruptively.

Mendler was pulled out of school in the sixth grade after years of defiance and being disruptive in class - efforts on his part to mask his undiagnosed ADHD and reading difficulties.

Mendler didn't feel valued at school for who he was. Instead, he was just referred to by descriptors and labels for his behaviors and his academic challenges.

The system didn't respect his humanity, so he didn't respect the system.

Mendler took on the role of his defiant younger self with zeal, at points re-enacting how he talked back to his former teachers and principals with profanities, including giving the middle finger.

He said teachers would feel uncomfortable with putting specific racial and ethnic groups of students - black, Hispanic or Jewish children - in separate facilities, but that discomfort doesn't generally seem to apply to students who are labeled with academic or behavioral problems.

He also collectively called out the audience of teachers and administrators on what he said is the hypocrisy in believing students' effort alone is or can be valued and rewarded, while at the same time only recognizing high achievement - not improvement - with academic systems like the honor roll that continue to recognize and reward high-performing students.

"I don't cheat anymore in my life, but I don't feel like I have to cheat anymore in my life. I felt when I was kid that I didn't have a choice, because I felt like the only thing that you all cared about were grades and scores and numbers and outcomes," Mendler said.

"When you're a kid who doesn't care, you become dangerous. I had no hope. So, you guys are talking about getting reading levels up, and I'm good with that, but I think the single most important thing that you all can give kids this year is hope," he added.

Mendler advocated for "hearing other people's experiences - listening to kids, really listening to them" one-to-one; establishing relationships with students; connecting with students personally, but not taking it personally if or when they talk back; and understanding that students' behaviors are often just misguided solutions to deeper problems.

Or, in the words of JCPS teachers on social media who listened to and quoted him on what they found most powerful:

"'Value what kids are good at. Not what they're supposed to be good at.' Such a powerful and mindset-shifting message," wrote Brianna Nichelson, a fifth-grade teacher at Callaway Hills Elementary School.

"'In school, I was always told to watch my mouth Now my mouth gets me paid.' Affirm. People's. Gifts. And. Talents," wrote Haley Baumeister, a new teacher this year at Thomas Jefferson Middle School.

"'Hear what kids are saying, not how they are saying it,'" East Elementary School's account tweeted.

"HOPE = Hearing Other People's Experiences. Brian Mendler, such a takeaway," wrote Angie Green, high school English teacher.

"Amazing! 18th year as an educator and you just jumped started the next 18!" Jaime Redding, a new instructional coach at South Elementary School complimented Mendler.

"Brian Mendler just shook the tree to it's roots at the JCPS opening session! I'm so thankful I got to hear his message and see energy and HOPE pumped back into our staff and teachers! Thank you so much for speaking to me and for meI was that one kid!" Gabe Wittenberger, technical manager at Miller Performing Arts Center tweeted.

Mendler received a standing ovation from the JCPS crowd, and several people came up to him later to give him compliments, including that he was the best speaker the district has had.

He added later when asked how parents can work with teachers to achieve what he outlined that teachers and parents usually want the same thing for their students, and he encouraged mutual respect in relationships between families and teachers on how to best serve students' needs.

"Care. A lot," he added of how parents should be involved in their child's academics.

Linthacum talked about the expectations beginning this year that all teachers - no matter their subject areas - will work with students on developing their reading skills, that all principals will welcome students at the door every day and teachers have clear communication plans for families.

Linthacum added that he's working on getting a commercial driver's license to drive a school bus once a quarter, to better understand what happens on buses.